Nuances: Our Asian Stories

Summary

In this week’s episode, we get a glimpse of life in Louisville, KY as a first generation American of Indian descent. Rahul Borkar joins us for a heartening conversation about his upbringing, and how his family’s unconditional support has enabled him to have a thriving music career in a genre not often praised for its diversity. Rahul’s story defies stereotypes, not only about our perception of AAPI, but also about our perception of America. 

Guest bio

Born in Louisville,KY, Rahul Borkar is a first generation Indian-American. His grandfather, Balakrishna Bhagwant Borkar was a renowned poet from Goa, considered a freedom fighter and the poet of the revolution. Rahul continued the family tradition of art, engaging as a youth in the vibrant punk rock scene of Louisville, using the aggressive music to make his own poetry.

Rahul is an accomplished songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, playing drums, guitar, bass, piano and tabla, which is a traditional Indian drum. He was the primary songwriter for Breckinridge, the first unsigned band on iTunes. The band not only had a hit song on national radio, but their accolades include making the top 5 on the Active Rock Billboard charts, landing a Budweiser endorsement, a deal by famed Eagles manager, Irving Azoff, and multiple offers from major record labels.

After Breckinridge, Rahul continued to work on his craft. He is currently producing and writing with artists all over the globe, exploring genres spanning rock, pop, and beyond. He has written with award-winning songwriters who have had cuts with Kid Rock, The Ramones, 3 Doors Down, Lynard Skynard, Tantric and many others.

Rahul can be reached via his website or on instagram.

Definitions of terms used in this episode

Codeswitching – changing the way you speak, the way you carry yourself in different situations to try to fit in.

This episode’s takeaways

1. You have to be willing to let your guard down if you want to find good people
2. Not all Asian parents are strict and discourage their kids from pursuing a creative lifestyle. Rahul’s parents always supported his creative endeavors 100%
3. Not all Asians know about the other Asian cultures. Sherry mispronounced Rahul’s name for the first half of the conversation. We all have much to learn about each other and the key thing is to try. 
4. Most AAPI parents are doing their best to integrate their kids into American society, and most of them speak English at home. This often comes at the cost of AAPI kids not learning their native languages and then feeling disconnected from their culture later in life. 
5. There are thriving AAPI communities not just in the big cities but also in small towns like Louisville, KY. 

That’s all for today, we hope you’ll join us next week for another nuanced conversation!

If you’d like to be featured or nominate a guest, please follow and DM us at @nuancespod. We will be releasing episodes every Sunday during AAPI Heritage Month (May) and Pride Month (June).

Hosts: Ariadne Mila & Sherry-Lynn Lee.