TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING

Abhay is joined by gender fluid singer, actor, model, performer and activist, Sushant Divigikar AKA Rani KoHEnur.
They chatted about everything from art and comfort on stage to parenting and gratitude.
Listen to and watch  BAWLA , Sushant's latest work (collaborating with Mikey McCleary and others)
(0:00 - 2:44) Introduction
(2:44) Part 1 - feeling most comfortable with singing, gratitude from parents, the stage as a safe place
(19:01) Part 2 - introversion/extroversion, feeling humble, feeling empowered
(39:41) Part 3 - the basics of "unlearning", dreams, lasting impressions on new audiences
(52:07) Conclusion

Special shout out to KDC Performing Arts in Phoenix - if you somehow ever need dance in your life, please check them out!

Abhay shares a conversation with United States Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy. 
They chatted about some of the imperatives of doctoring, serving youth and parents, and promoting health through human connection. And of course, mangoes were definitely discussed!
(0:00 - 3:06) Introduction
(3:06) Part 1 - Prioritizing and keeping the population healthy, kindling connection, parenting
(17:59) Part 2 - Gun violence and safety, building community, Indian American background, gifts from his parents
(32:58) Part 3 - Combating disinformation, finding joy and optimism in each other
(42:31) Conclusion

Shout out to Alivia Irwin and please help her in her fight to honor her grandfather and end Alzheimer's disease

Abhay catches up with actor, Adi Roy, lead actor for the Broadway hit musical Aladdin.
They chatted about actor life, Alanis Morissette songs, South Asians in theater, and much more...
(0:00 - 2:20) Introduction
(2:20) Part 1 - pre-show routines, transition from touring to Broadway
(13:47) Part 2 - Jagged Little Pill experiences, auditions and feeling content, resilience as an actor
(24:53) Part 3 - South Asians on Broadway
(34:57) Conclusion

Abhay chats with Israa Nasir, psychotherapist, speaker, and author of the book "Toxic Productivity",.
They chatted about everything from habits and rituals to her South Asian background to steering toward healthy productivity.

(0:00 - 2:57) Introduction
(2:57) Part 1 - Slow mornings, rituals and reminders
(16:23) Part 2 - Quieting the critic, cultural background accelerating her work, managing emotions
(30:15) Part 3  - Epiphanies with productivity, writing the book, masks and parents
(48:23) Conclusion

It’s election week here in the US, so onTRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’m DOING , we’re sharing Lotus for POTUS conversations, hearing insights from leading edge voices to help inform us and get out that vote!  

A few months ago, I created a meme with a photo of Vice President Harris that went “In Sanskrit, Kamala means Lotus… In America, Kamala means POTUS” and for me and many others, that sentiment sums up the urgent choice we’re making at the highest level, being thoughtful about our past, present, and future.  

Not just for our community, but for every community of voters of any age in the US, what it all comes down to is showing up and exercising the ultimate demonstration of trust and individual power in a democracy - which is casting your vote in a free and fair election. 

Indian Americans and South Asian Americans are the fastest growing voter bloc in the US, having the power to be the true margin of victory in many places, and as civic engagement continues to grow and foundationally expand, the work of organizing and mobilizing and activating at local and national levels become more complex and genuinely imperative.  With over 60 endorsed candidates across the country, Indian American IMPACT is doing just that - making a difference with a thoughtful and action oriented approach. And as the last push is upon all of us after such a long and incredibly grueling road, it was great to catch up with Executive Director Chintan Patel. And getting right to it after traveling to many battleground states recently,  as Chintan introduced himself and his work, I also asked him to describe the tone and temperature of what he’s seeing and feeling out there in the community…

Remember, conversation is truly the antidote to apathy… Go to Iwillvote.com for information about voting resources, to desipresident.com, iaimpact.org, southasiansforharris2024.org, and to kamalaharris.com to get engaged and learn directly about the Harris-Walz campaign. Please get involved, get active, and get informed about all your local issues and candidates up and down the ballot, and most importantly GO VOTE.  Till next time, I’m Abhay Dandekar.

Periodically on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’m DOING , we share a SPOTLIGHT conversation and feature brief chats with an individual from the community about a special topic or a unique endeavor. 

And I guess there is no more celebrated or more special a topic than Diwali.  It's a centering feeling of home for so many, and as a growing global spotlight shines  brightly on this lit up tradition, there remain great opportunities to help support more excitement and meet an eager curiosity.  In a way, as equally fulfilling and festive as it is to recognize and celebrate Diwali just because you and your family and your neighbors and your community have always done so, there also needs to be great simplicity and understanding for those who are just getting to know Diwali and its significance or those who are refreshing or reaquainting themselves or even those who are hoping to to help create new Diwali traditions.  

Thankfully, entrepre neur and author Chhavi Bhargava has written a new book called “A Kids Book About Diwali” to help start and continue these conversations. Chhavi is an Indian American, and was an elementary school teacher in Canada for over a decade.  Her deep experiences in building curriculum, especially organizing learners around diversity and inclusion, informed her to write a book about Diwali, to showcase the timeless Hindu festival as an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming experience for everyone. As more and more school districts in the United States  are observing Diwali, A Kids Book About Diwali may serve as an entry point for more open discussions among neighbors, teachers, and administrators to not just learn more about Diwali, but about respectful curiosity and empathy for our differences. Chhavi and I caught up recently to chat about the book and I started by asking her particularly about that centering feeling of “home”

The book is available everywhere and please visit bookaboutdiwali.com for more.  Shubha Dipaavali and a peaceful, healthy, and Happy Diwali to everyone.  Till next time, I’m Abhay Dandekar

In partnership with DOCTORS for HARRIS, Abhay shares conversations with leading doctors from around the country on the imperative healthcare choices Americans are facing in the 2024 election and compelling reasons to vote for Kamala Harris
(0:00) Introduction
(1:15) Congressman Raul Ruiz (D) CA-25
(10:40) Alice Chen
(17:30) Anita Somani
(24:34) Annie Andrews
(31:55) Mark Lopatin
(39:09) Micah Ernst
(47:08) Lalita Abhyankar
(52:35) Owais Durrani
(59:20) Nina Agrawal
(1:04:30) Alicia Christy
(1:11:00) Suhas Gondi
(1:17:05) Conclusion

Please visit IWILLVOTE.COM , DOCTORSFORHARRIS.COM , and KAMALAHARRIS.COM 

In this episode, Neil Katyal discusses the current election cycle, focusing on Kamala Harris's centrist approach and her empathetic leadership style. He emphasizes the importance of voting rights and electoral integrity, while also addressing the challenges of misinformation and trust in institutions like the Supreme Court. Neal reflects on his identity as an Indian American and how Kamala Harris' candidacy resonates with that experience, urging listeners to recognize the constitutional implications of the upcoming election.

We’re almost at election day here in the US, so these next few weeks on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’m DOING , we’re sharing a series of Lotus for POTUS conversations, hearing insights from leading edge voices to help inform and get out the vote!  A few months ago, I created a meme with a photo of Vice President Harris that went “In Sanskrit, Kamala means Lotus… In America, Kamala means POTUS” and for me and many others, that sentiment sums up the urgent choice we’re making at the highest level, being thoughtful about our past, present, and future.  

As the question of “what’s at stake” is such an important one to keep asking ourselves, we also know that from the beginning there’s been a swirl of tangled questions surrounding the “what ifs” in a very close race and also involving a convicted felon who has used the legal system as a vindictive bludgeoning tool against the free and safe  election process.  So particularly to help clarify some of these thoughts on the imperatives that we face, it was simply wonderful to chat with Neal Katyal, the former acting solicitor general of the United States.  Neal is an attorney with expertise in constitutional, criminal, and intellectual property law, and along with his prior experiences in the Justice Department as a National Security Advisor, he has argued 51 cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, more than any other minority lawyer in history.  He’s had deep experiences in some of the most significant trials in our country’s history over the past 25 years, including the George Floyd murder trial, defending the voting rights act of 1965, the Trump travel ban, military trials at Guantanamo, and the election dispute in 2000, just to name a few. Neal is a law professor at Georgetown, and along with being a respected scholar and prolific author, he seems to have won nearly every major legal award out there and thankfully is a frequent news commentator.  He also hosts a great podcast called Courtside, designed help inform the public and help explain a variety of court cases.  So in that spirit, it was great to catch up with him and talk about the upcoming election from his unique and superb perspective on Kamala Harris, and since he has mentioned in the past how he is an ardent believer in “extreme centrism”, I first wanted to know with this in mind what was making him feel optimistic about the Harris-Walz campaign.

Remember, conversation is the antidote to apathy. Go to Iwillvote.com for information about resources, to desipresident.com and southasiansforharris2024.org, and to kamalaharris.com to learn directly about the Harris-Walz campaign. Please get involved, get engaged, and get informed about all your local issues and candidates up and down the ballot. Till next time, I’m Abhay Dandekar.

Abhay is joined by Subah and Harshvardhan Saraf, the founders of Satvic Movement and authors of the book "The Satvic Revolution". They chatted about their ongoing journey and lessons along the way.
(0:00- 3:41) Introduction
(3:41) Part 1 - Satvic lifestyle and ritual adherance, awakening and evidence
(23:22) Part 2 - Guardrails against extremism, practical experiences
(43:31) Part 3 - Patience and practice, building trust
(57:43) Conclusion

With the election upon us here in the US, these next few weeks on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’m DOING , we’re sharing a series of Lotus for POTUS conversations, hearing insights from leading edge voices to help inform and get out the vote!  A few months ago, I created a meme with a photo of Vice President Harris that went “In Sanskrit, Kamala means Lotus… In America, Kamala means POTUS” and for me and many others, that sentiment sums up the imperative choice we’re making at the highest level, being thoughtful about our past, present, and future.  

With liberty and justice for all - it’s the last part of our national pledge and being an empowered voter in an American democracy means finding this implemented through our elected leaders.  So it was great to catch up with Anurima Bhargava, who has been a leader in promoting dignity and justice both at home and abroad,  and advancing civil rights for many stakeholders. Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, she’s an experienced attorney who has worked to litigate cases on diversity and segregation with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, led civil rights enforcement in schools and educational institutions at the US Department of Justice, and served as Chair and Commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which documents and makes recommendations on religious persecution and violence abroad. Anurima’s incredible commitment to advancing human dignity through justice shines also as a seasoned storyteller, as she’s been a producer and advisor to numerous documentary films and projects.  Along with being the founder and president of Anthem of Us, a strategic advisory and consulting firm for strengthening equity, belonging, and trust in workplaces, schools, and communities, Anurima has long been active as an advisor and organizer for numerous political campaigns, marshaling resources and information for action, especially noted these past few months in co-organizing the impressive and ongoing South Asian Women for Harris movement.  We chatted recently about all the compelling highlights that are drawing voters to Kamala Harris, but I first wanted to know if similar to herself in her own work, whether it is safe to say that Kamala Harris is a “Justice Ninja” ? 

Remember, conversation is the antidote to apathy. Now this is all in the shownotes, but I’ll share here too… Go to Iwillvote.com for information about resources, to southasiansforharris2024.org, and to kamalaharris.com to learn about the Harris-Walz campaign. Please get involved, get engaged, and get informed about all your local issues and candidates up and down the ballot. Till next time, I’m Abhay Dandekar.