Press Coverage

Brown People We Know is an interview show exploring non-traditional paths within the South Asian American diaspora. You can find our show on Rukus Ave Radio or on any major podcasting platform including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. If you’re interested in covering Brown People We Know or speaking to Suraj about the show, please reach out to suraj@brownpeopleweknow.com.

Show Highlights

The idea for BPWK came to Suraj after re-watching Hasan Minhaj’s Homecoming King, one of the few pieces of mainstream media that covers a “third culture” upbringing. The Netflix standup special made him want to see more of “third culture” representation in media.
“Non-traditional” covers career paths, but also lifestyle (LGBTQ, divorced, etc.). By sharing the stories of these people, Suraj hopes to break external stereotypes and internal community pressures. The end goal is to expand what South Asian Americans see as possible for themselves, and to help people feel less isolated if they don’t live near other South Asians (or South Asians that are similar to them, e.g. openly LGBTQ).
Past guests include a PhD chemist that became a Hindu priestess after retirement, a North Face skier with a right leg amputation, a board member of the American Medical Association that has a collection of 70+ cars. We’ve had on a billboard-charting death metal guitarist, a Miss World Candidate, all really interesting people. Most of them are not “celebrities,” but “everyday people” in that they aren’t as well known as Padma Lakshmi, Hasan Minhaj, Kamala Harris, etc.
In 2021, the podcast was syndicated to Rukus Ave Radio, the world’s most listened to South Asian radio station. BPWK is also in the running for the Lions Share podcast award right now, after being nominated to the top ten Asian podcasts.
The podcast was started in a closet in Suraj’s parent’s home in Raleigh, NC (clothes are good sound dampers). He’s bought a better mic since then and now records at his desk.

Past Coverage

Raleigh Magazine (July 2021) – Buzz: Brown People We Know

Forbes (May 2021) – Five Asian American Podcasts That Are Busting The Model Minority Myth

Lions Share Awards (May 2021) – Podcast of the Year

What Kind Of Asian Are You? (Mar 2021) – Podcasting and Promoting South Asian Representation is the Main Hustle

Talk for University of Michigan’s East Meets West (Feb 2021) – Embracing My Third Culture Publicly

News India Times (Nov 2020) – Michigan student launches Indian-American podcast

Press Coverage

Show Highlights

Past Coverage

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