My name is Yug. What??? How do I say that? Is that short for something? Story of my life. I am a #HigherEdDesi and proud of my culture and my name. Growing up in India, my parents [...]

* Note: There are many reasons why Desi may not be the most perfect term- those voices and stories are also powerful, and must be heard. What is most important is that we have clar[...]

For the longest time I didn’t feel as if I belonged anywhere.  I was born in Karachi, Pakistan, and spent the first 18 years of my life in Kuwait.  I was raised Muslim, a Shia Isma[...]

My grandmother had diabetes for most of the time I spent with her. She also ate Baskin Robbins Jamoca Almond Fudge regularly. If you know anything about diabetes, this decision is [...]

As a minoritized person in this country, I never learned about the history of other people who look like me. I cannot identify a single Desi American person I learned about sitting[...]

As an Indian American, first generation college goer turned student affairs professional, I feel as though I have the distinct opportunity to speak towards the interest of professi[...]

It was sometime in May 1994 and I was in some back room at O’Hare international airport raising my right hand and swearing an oath to little which I understood.  We had just landed[...]

When I was presented with the opportunity to write about my journey and experiences being a #HigherEdDesi, I was overjoyed. At last! I can finally talk about being a Desi in this s[...]

When Juhi first brought up the idea for this #HigherEdDesi series, I almost fell off my seat at work. This was super exciting for 2016 Briana!!! If you asked Briana of 2009 that a [...]

My mom has this old Hindi saying that translates to, “in the community of blindness, the ‘one eyed man (or woman)’ is king (or queen).”  She has used this phrase to describe many o[...]