Artwork for podcast First of All
#70 - Unpacking Racism w/ Dushyant Asthana
Episode 7028th May 2019 • First of All • Potluck Podcast Collective
00:00:00 01:06:54

Share Episode

Shownotes

Once upon a time in Spring 2019, Minji went to acting class & witnessed a casting exercise that went a little...racist...& then sexist. Long story short, Minji failed to keep her feelings to herself & called out her classmates in front of everyone. She may have written an angry Facebook post too. And in the following weeks, there were many feelings experienced & insightful conversations amongst the parties involved. To help her discuss the incident & the dynamic state of American culture around race, she turns to the classmate who experienced that moment with her, Dushyant Asthana. As an immigrant from India, actor, corporate professional & fashion designer, Dushyant shares his perspective on what went down. Together they peel back the underlying issues at play- like the pervasive psychology of minorities biting our tongues, actual white male privilege, allies, hashtag movements, & more. Despite the current default tendency of outrage & blame, they recognize the importance of changing habits & mindsets in the face of problematic behavior to help build spaces, careers, & societies rooted in respect & dignity.

This week's guest:

Follow Minji on:

Our theme song is "Yellow Ranger" by Awkwafina

Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter and support our Patreon


This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

Produced by @marvinyueh

Mentioned in this episode:

Don't miss an all AAPI production of HENRY VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts at The Public in NYC

The National Asian American Theatre Company’s acclaimed production of HENRY VI: A TRILOGY IN TWO PARTS brings an all-AANHPI cast to The Public Theater for a decades-spanning saga of Joan of Arc, warring dukes, and the bloody birth of the War of the Roses. Adapted by Stephen Brown-Fried, this is Shakespeare like you've never experienced it. Part 1: Foreign Wars opens with a king dead, an infant on the throne, and a country already coming apart at the seams. Part 2: Civil Strife picks up nearly 30 years later...and the bloodbath is yet to come. Simmering feuds explode into the War of the Roses, and nothing will ever be the same. Performances from June 9 through July 19! Use code H6BC for $59 tickets!

Henry VI at The Public with an all AAPI cast

Links

Chapters

Video

More from YouTube