Episodit
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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.
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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
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Puuttuva jakso?
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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) ConclusionPlease visit IWILLVOTE.COM , DOCTORSFORHARRIS.COM , and KAMALAHARRIS.COM
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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.
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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.
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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. Now a big part of amplifying our voice for more representation in 2024 comes from engaging, educating, and mobilizing the South Asian American community to show up and frankly be heard through our vote. And especially with our growing significance in the past several elections, South Asians for Harris has been accelerating, strategizing, coalition building, and supporting voters as a national, grassroots, and volunteer organization dedicated to securing a victory for Kamala Harris. So it was terrific to share a conversation together with Neha Dewan, co-national director for South Asians for Harris, and Sonjui Kumar, national legal director for South Asians for Harris. Neha is an attorney with a wealth of experiences who has long been active in politics and advocacy for the South Asian community at the local and national level and Sonjui is also an attorney a former President of the South Asian Bar Association of North America and a key leader and organizer in the Georgia South Asian community. They both, along with many many other leaders, have been tirelessly working to build and grow the effort to help voters register, combat disinformation, get resources out there in many languages, and strengthen collaboration among other voter blocs. Whether canvassing or rallying or phonebanking or cultivating relationships, the movement has been gaining support and momentum and still has much work to do. I caught up recently with Neha and Sonjui as we hit the home stretch here about the work that’s in front of all of us, but I also wanted to quickly reflect on the exciting and transformative whirlwind that the Harris campaign has already been, and asked them both when reflecting on the past few months, what words came to mind to describe it… Here’s Neha first…
Remember, conversation is the antidote to apathy. 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.
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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. Now, Neera Tanden is someone who has had a front row seat at both the campaign and policy level, with decades of experience as an advisor and leader. She currently serves as Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council, which drives the development and implementation of President Biden’s domestic policy agenda. Previously, she was Senior Advisor and Staff Secretary in the White House, where she was responsible for Presidential decision-making. Prior to her roles in the Biden-Harris Administration, Neera was the President and CEO of the Center for American Progress, one of the largest think tanks in the country. She has served in both the Obama and Clinton administrations, and Neera has also been a policy advisor to Hillary Clinton in the White House, the Senate, and her campaigns. So it was great to catch up with her about the campaign, and what’s resonating for her, as I was particularly curious about hearing what was both compelling and unique about Kamala Harris as a presidential candidate.
Remember, conversation is the antidote to apathy. Go to vote.gov for information about registering, 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.
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Abhay is joined by professor, advisor, and author, Gautam Mukunda.
He is the author of Indispensable: When Leaders Really Matter and Picking Presidents: How to Make the Most Consequential Decision in the World, and has served as a professor at Harvard, Yale, and Tufts. By cultivating expertise as an advisor on leadership and strategy problems, with publishing widely on innovation, security issues, and synthetic biology, in being on the board of the UPAKAR FOUNDATION (a national non-profit devoted to providing college scholarships to underprivileged students of South Asian descent), and in being a former Jeopardy champion, Gautam is well on his way to achieving his life's goal: to have the world’s most confusing resumé !
(0:00 - 2:40) Introduction
(2:40) Part 1 - Systems, dispensability, seduced by unfiltered leaders
(18:53) Part 2 - "Standing down", Kamala Harris, risk mitigation
(41:59) Part 3 - Unlearnings and lessons, leadership style, advise for voters
(1:03:18) Conclusion -
So I thought that today we would focus on the world of puzzles. As kids, young and old, we are fascinated and curious about putting together random pieces of cardboard to make a picture, or take numbers or scenes or words and fit them together to make something whole, craving that satisfaction to find the answer and all the frustrations and exhilarations that come with it! Whether you’re doing sudoku or playing a game or proving online that we’re human and not a robot, puzzles keep our minds focused on solving problems. For many across the world, crossword puzzles are part of a daily routine, trying to find different ways to use and frame words from clues that playfully speak to everyday culture, trivia, knowledge, and even local or global nuances. So it was really fun to catch up with crossword puzzle constructor, Mangesh Ghogre, first India-based crossword constructor for the Los Angeles Times in 2010 and The New York Times in 2013. Mangesh is an investment banker and a writer, and has had a true passion as a crossword puzzle solver and constructor since his college days. His expertise has developed over decades and his work and writing have been featured in The New Yorker, The Times of India, and The Economic Times, among others. Mangesh is currently the editor and constructor for the Mini Crossword in The Forbes India magazine. Some of his marquee NYT crosswords include a Fourth of July-themed crossword in 2017, a Mahatma Gandhi-themed crossword in 2019 to celebrate Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary and Taj Mahal-themed crossword in 2023 to celebrate Indian independence day. I was able to chat with him this summer, and in true puzzle solving fashion, we started out with the basics…
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Abhay shares a conversation with Los Angeles based art gallerist and curator, Rajiv Menon, to talk about his ongoing work, about art and race and the global South Asian, and even some of the barriers and accelerators he’s encountered along the way.
Rajiv's latest exhibition is titled "Three Steps of Land", as an artistic ode to Onam and Kerala.(0:00 - 2:46) Introduction
(2:46) Part 1 - Mobilizing art, making art relevant, trusting relationship with visual arts
(19:54) Part 2 - Nostalgia and Whiteness, connecting the dots of his exhibits, misconceptions
(32:23) Part 3 - Unlearning, finding harmony with art in a digital world, Los Angeles and beyond, "how can I get involved"
(44:59) ConclusionRemember that it's National Suicide Prevention Month in the US - if you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 9-8-8 or go to 988lifeline.org to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
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Abhay shares a conversation with social entrepreneur and recent Harvard University graduate, Shruthi Kumar.
They talked about her commencement speech, college activism, being a South Asian student, and now entering life after graduation
(0:00 - 3:32) Introduction
(3:32) Part 1 - "The Power of Not Knowing", harmonizing empathy with action
(17:22) Part 2 - Nebraska and Harvard, complacency, South Asian student life
(32:45) Part 3 - Power and Peace, unlearning, optimism going forward
(48:24) Conclusion -
Abhay is joined by Dr. Ritu Raman, MIT engineering professor and author of the book "Biofabrication", for a conversation about personal and professional lessons learned from her journey, the tethers of science fiction and pop culture, and the possibilities and limits of her work.
(0:00 - 2:58) Introduction
(2:58) Part 1 - setting the stage and defining the work, popular science fiction
(16:39) Part 2 - robotic applications, ethical considerations, priorities, extension of herself
(32:01) Part 3 - achieving in the academic world, scientific literacy and mentoring, finding joy
(47:34 Conclusion -
Entrepreneur, journalist, and podcaster Ginni Saraswati joins Abhay for a conversation that touched upon everything from storytelling to mythbusting to wedding planning! Ginni is the founder and CEO of Ginni Media and hosts "The Ginni Show".
(0:00 - 2:40) Introduction
(2:40) Part 1 - wedding planning, storytelling and building relationships
(12:24) Part 2 - the weight or lightness of identity, the biggest myths about podcasting
(24:19) Part 3 - media mogul, AI and the optimism
(30:02) Conclusion -
Chef, content creator, and author Sanjana Modha joins Abhay to talk about everything from lunchtime food, to cooking as a parent, to her go-to dessert, to writing her new book "Sanjana's Feasts", which is due out this fall 2024.
(0:00 - 3:01) Introduction
(3:01) Part 1 - lunchtime, cooking as a parent
(11:14) Part 2 - cooking as a way to connect the dots, vegetarian cooking, local specificities
(25:28) Part 3 - making a great recipe, hospitality, single dish expression
(35:32) Conclusion -
It’s hopefully obvious to many that the AI revolution has not only begun but it’s in full swing. Now since I’m in healthcare and well a wee bit older than those entering the workforce right now, I wanted to get the perspective of someone who has not only grown up with AI as a digital tool and familiar science but also has developed a relationship in researching AI and using it to tackle problems at scale. So it was wonderful to connect and share a brief chat with machine learning technology researcher and entrepreneur, Dhruv Kulkarni. Dhruv is both a current college student at Berkeley (GO BEARS!)and a tech startup founder - someone who grew comfortable with machine learning and AI early on in his formative years. It’s that same comfort and ease that fueled a spirit of innovation and utility to use these tools and help solve problems, particularly of interest for me in the healthcare space, where so far Dhruv has tackled the administrative problem of accelerating the prior authorization process in small clinics and now is serving as AI director at Forta Health and helping to tackle chronic conditions and problems like helping parents in caring for autistic children. If you’re keeping score, Dhruv has already along the way, served as an entrepreneurial peer resource and mentor for other students, founded two startup companies that were acquired, developed an emerging expertise at the intersection of fintech and AI, and has already gained investor experience as a venture partner. We chatted and I wanted to learn a bit more about his work and journey, but we started by talking about when Dhruv first discovered that AI and machine learning was something he could harness and actually control…
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Samhita Mukhopadhyay, author of "The Myth of Making It: A Workplace Reckoning" joins Abhay for a conversation about a range topics from “trickle down feminism” to being the daughter of two Bengali immigrants, to mentoring and leadership. Samhita served as the executive editor of the popular blog Feministing and then for Teen Vogue and in reflecting on her journey, found herself squarely in the messy middle of it all in being a girl boss, questioning the notion that happiness and fulfillment stem from overwork and professional achievement. In “The Myth of Making It”, Samhita questions “hustle culture” and the neo-liberal feminist mantras of leaning in and persevering as seductive and often destructive definitions and methods. Through a blend of personal anecdotes, expert analysis, and the varied experiences of workers, she tackles this paradox of why working success for women can feel deeply important and so unsatisfying at the same time.
(0:00 - 3:30) introduction
(3:30) Part 1 - redemption and liberation, "hustle culture"
(14:20) Part 2 - "trickle down feminism", mentoring and leadership, counseling new women entering the workforce
(31:49) Part 3 - daughter of Bengali immigrants, South Asian modern feminism, exploring and enjoying paradoxes
(46:48) Conclusion -
Abhay is joined by writer, director, and producer Vivek Agnihotri to share a broad ranging conversation about his life as a filmmaker.
His films include The Kashmir Files, The Vaccine War, and the upcoming The Delhi Files.
Believe it or not, the kidneys, Keyser Söze, and cricket all were involved!
(0:00 - 2:45) Introduction
(2:45) Part 1 - Rallying and inspiring, truthseeking, combating the lonely journey
(18:00) Part 2 - unlearning vs additive journey, fear and fearlessness
(36:38) Part 3 - his advertising background, national pride, aging gracefully
(52:53) Conclusion -
Abhay is joined by cricket athlete Saurabh Netravalkar, whose clutch bowler performance led Team USA to a dramatic victory over Pakistan and into the Super 8 competing against Team India in the recent Men's T20 World Cup. They chatted about everything from his cricket journey to integrating sport with life as a software engineer to growing cricket in the US.
(0:00 - 2:59) Introduction
(2:59) Part 1 - compartmentalizing cricket and non-cricket life, goal setting, lessons learned
(17:19) Part 2 - staying level, being a leader, an unconventional cricket journey, loyalty to team
(33:58) Part 3 - growing cricket in the US, talents and legacy
(45:34) Conclusion -
Abhay is joined by Dr. Ami Bera, United States Congressman (D) CA-6, as they share a broad conversation about his experiences and journey as the longest serving Indian American in Congress.
(0:00 - 3:10) Introduction
(3:10) Part 1 - Doctoring and crossover skills in politics, relationship building and prioritizing
(13:36) Part 2 - Governing and campaigning
(26:01) Part 3 - Foreign affairs, Indian American experiences, Patriotism
(36:16) Conclusion - Näytä enemmän
