What’s in a Brown name? Tell us your story.
Live on Zoom Sept. 26, we’ll unpack the history and caste hierarchies of South Asian names.
Issue #74
Hi all —
Vignesh and Beena are here today to tell you about an exciting upcoming project and event. (Longtime readers might remember Beena’s work with Red, White and Brown, including an evening of short plays and conversation in early 2021. Beena took a break to get married and pursue other projects, but is back working with Vignesh on some upcoming reporting!)
For the past few months, we’ve been interviewing South Asian Americans about their names for a long-term reporting and archival project about names in our communities, our relationships with them, the meanings, the complex histories and identity.
On Thursday, Sept. 26, we’re talking about all-things South Asian names live on Zoom with two experts. We hope you can attend. Hit this link to RSVP to the discussion, which is from 8-9 p.m. Eastern/5-6 p.m. Pacific, on Zoom.
Why this event, and this topic?
We all have a story or two about our name. Our reporting already indicates that these stories become a central part of who we are. (What’s the story of your name? Fill out our short questionnaire if you’d like to participate in our reporting project.)
With the South Asian first names Kamala and Usha becoming household names across the United States this year, the topic is even more top of mind — just as it was during the 2020 election cycle.
We also know names carry weight. Our South Asian first and last names that are Sanskrit-derived often have legacies of Hindu caste and other social hierarchies. Names from across the diaspora, including Muslim, Christian and Buddhist names, hold their own power and history.
So for this first community event about names we’re calling “What’s in a Brown Name,” this candid conversation will explore the complex history of names in the diaspora, will unpack where we are now and will reflect how people are reconciling with or adapting names as our communities become more global.
To bring deeply researched context to the conversation, two scholars will be joining us to share their expertise:
Dr. Amrita Ghosh, assistant professor of South Asian literature at University of Central Florida
Dr. Shyam Sriram, assistant professor of political science at Canisius University
We hope you can join us for this virtual conversation later this month. Once you register, we’ll follow up closer to the event with a Zoom link.
“What’s in a Brown Name?”
Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024
8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central/6 p.m. Mountain/5 p.m. Pacific.
RSVP (free)
Thanks,
Vignesh Ramachandran & Beena Raghav
Red, White and Brown Media
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