Queering Desi

This week, Priya chats with Sasha W., the Organizing Director for the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA). Sasha shares their journey into organizing, and the cultural and familial origins of this work, including the 2004 tsunami that devastated Sri Lanka. The two discuss the importance of uplifting marginalized voices, allyship with other movements including #BlackLivesMatter, and how to build communities across generations. Later, Sasha shares the most rewarding part of their work, and how they practice self-care. (Shoutout to their amazing amazing pup, Rain!)

This week, Priya chats with Rakesh Satyal, author of the groundbreaking South Asian queer books "Blue Boy" and "No One Can Pronounce My Name." The two discuss the underpinnings of his latest book, including how his identities gave shape to the characters and his work overall. Later, he tells Priya how this lens informs the books he seeks to publish as a Senior Editor at Atria Books. The two also discuss early influences in their love for reading, and what's next for Rakesh.

This week, Priya chats with actor and comedian, Nik Dodani. Nik talks about how his coming out journey is intertwined with his comedic beginnings, and how he landed the role of Zahid on Netflix's "Atypical." Priya and Nik discuss South Asian representation in Hollywood, and he tells her about the discrimination he has faced. Later, Nik shares a glimpse of his upcoming projects, including the reboot of "Murphy Brown" and season two of "Atypical." The two end with some fun games featuring Nik's celebrity crushes and his favorite movie.

This week, Priya chats with Indo-Caribbean activist and organizer, Mohamed Q. Amin, founder of The Caribbean Equality Project. The two open a dialogue about resonance between the South Asian and Caribbean communities. Mohamed shares how he founded CEP, and the important support, education, and empowerment work they do with Caribbean LGBTQ folks. Later, he shares his own coming out story, and the two acknowledge intergenerational and colonial traumas that bind our communities, especially when the violence we face is based in our queerness. Priya and Mohamed wrap up by addressing anti-blackness in South Asian and Caribbean communities and how to continue to build allyship across the diaspora.

In this episode, Priya chats with Aruna Rao, the mother of a queer young adult and the founder of Desi Rainbow Parents & Allies. Priya asks Aruna about her own journey as a parent and why she founded the organization. Aruna talks about the optimism she has and barriers she faces in community building with parents of South Asian LGBTQI folks, and the two discuss strategies for creating intergenerational allyship and support. Later, Aruna shares the link she's seen between mental health and LGBTQI communities, and her goals for the organization in 2018.

In this episode, Priya chats with actor, writer and comedian, D'Lo. Priya asks D'Lo about his journey, and what led him to comedy and acting. He shares his early influences, how he perceives the difference between stand-up and shows, and where he feels he makes the most impact. The two discuss whether it's possible to infuse all your identities into art, and later, D'Lo finally divulges how he got his unique name!

In this episode, Priya chats with artivist, actor, producer and writer, Fawzia Mirza. Priya asks Fawzia about what it was like to emcee the Women's March in Chicago, which opens a discussion about activism and what it means to make space at the table for those who have paved the way for us. Fawzia shares how she's managed to infuse comedy into her art, breeding the "artivism" that fuels her. Later, the two chat about "Signature Move," Fawzia's first feature film, and what it was like to party with Indian film legend Shabana Azmi.

As an introduction to this podcast, Priya chats with her partner, Reema, about why she started 'Queering Desi' and what she the audience can expect from upcoming episodes. They also share their coming out journeys, and later, they play games like "Be In or Be Them" and "Date, Marry, Kill." Priya finds out Reema didn't know who Oprah was until recently, and the two make difficult decisions about their celebrity crushes.