Thank God for Bobby Jindal

This week on our discussion episode we take the time to discuss the interview we had with Ahmed Deria. But first Akaash and I get lost in a conversation about where I am right now, why I am there, and where my family is moving. Frankly he remembers very little of the things I have told him in the past and it makes me momentarily sad.

We survive this test of our friendship, however, to dive into our conversation with Ahmed. Our focus quickly goes to his definition of home. While we underline the conversation confirms our theory that basically all immigrants who are first generation have a similar experience, there are some differences. One of the big differences is where “home” is. Akaash and I discuss Ahmed’s response to this question in relation to how for us we feel home is in India. We then segue into another difference which is Ahmed’s identity conflict between being Black vs. being African. The final topic from Ahmed’s conversation that we talk about was the label “American.” Ahmed posits a fascinating theory about what that label means in regards to what generation we are (first, second, third, etc.).

We, of course, then move into community. We address an email from Sonum where I speak a length about what it means to “be a man.” Akaash then disagrees with everything I say and we, you know, talk about it. We then talk about appropriation and the few emails and tweets we have received about it. Finally, we dive into Nikki Haley and Bobby Jindal and how maybe we should thank them for creating a villain we as American Desis can bond over.