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Actress from movies like ABCD, bestselling author of "Always Anjali," and "Bravo Anjali," and outspoken activist about all politics but especially those around children, multi-hyphenate Sheetal Sheth joins TDS to discuss anti-AAPI narratives, why book bans are a problem, and how diverse literature changes lives. Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Go to https://betterhelp.com/thatdesispark for 10% off your first month of therapy withBetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help! #sponsored Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

Clinical Neuropsychology PHD resident Nawal Mustafa joins TDS to chat through how to recognize emotional triggers and manage emotions to strengthen relationships around you and increase your emotional intelligence. Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

What does representation on television and streaming REALLY mean? VP of Global Communications at Nielsen, Patricia Ratulangi, and CEO and Founder of Marginal Mediaworks, Sanjay Sharma, join TDS to discuss statistics found on Nielsen's recent study of television around women and AAPI representation, whether there's been progress made, how and why AAPI players may be overlooked, and so much more. Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

Psychotherapist Sadaf Siddiqi (@your.being) joins TDS to discuss inner child healing, parental boundaries, learning to set limits, attachments, and why South Asian children of immigrants may feel difficulty in speaking up for themselves. Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Go to https://betterhelp.com/thatdesispark for 10% off your first month of therapy withBetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help! #sponsored Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

From working with Fall Out Boy and being nominated for a Grammy to 2023's Coachella, Raja Kumari talks to That Desi Spark about her album, The Bridge, how she broke into music, her classical Indian dance background, remaining true, and so much more. Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Go to https://betterhelp.com/thatdesispark for 10% off your first month of therapy withBetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help! #sponsored Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

Seema Hari joins TDS to discuss how colorism and caste are deeply intertwined and how colorism in the South Asian diaspora (and the globe) is a much bigger intersectional issue than we realize.You can follow Seema, her activism, and her writings on Instagram. Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Go to https://betterhelp.com/thatdesispark for 10% off your first month of therapy withBetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help! #sponsored Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

Influencer, writer, and comedian Jyoti Chand joins TDS to discuss motherhood in the spotlight, what she'd do differently from her own parents, what she loves about South Asian families, and more on this episode of That Desi Spark. Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Go to https://betterhelp.com/thatdesispark for 10% off your first month of therapy withBetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help! #sponsored Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

Simran Jeet Singh's bestselling book, "The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life," is a testament to why he was named one of Time Magazine's "sixteen people fighting for a more equal America" and is the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute’s Program on Religion & Society. His compassion, pride in his faith, storytelling, and above all, his lessons in leadership and love, are a must-listen on this episode of That Desi Spark. You can follow him on Instagram. And follow That Desi Spark on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Go to https://betterhelp.com/thatdesispark for 10% off your first month of therapy withBetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help! #sponsored Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

South Asian communities have a longstanding habit of celebrating boys' births, assigning responsibilities to people because of gender, and creating roles and expectations that can result in mental health struggles later in life. Dr. Shanta Kanokollu joins TDS to discuss the impact of gender socialization, how it presents itself in the ways people cope, how to undo some of the damage, and what we, collectively, need to work on. You can follow That Desi Spark on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, and follow Dr. Kanukollu on Instagram. Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Go to https://betterhelp.com/thatdesispark for 10% off your first month of therapy withBetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help! #sponsored Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

It's a Valentine's Day special with actress, content creator, and powerful woman Joty Kay, who began her career on Vine before moving to multiple other mediums. Tune in for a conversation around relationship red flags, green flags, Kegels, sex, hookups, and so much more! Go to https://betterhelp.com/thatdesispark for 10% off your first month of therapy withBetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help! #sponsored Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

When religion and sex come together, particularly in South Asian communities, guilt, shame, patriarchy, and talks of honor and cleanliness aren't far behind. Dr. Sarika Persaud, a PsyD who specializes in issues of sexuality, Tantra, and Vedanta joins TDS to break down those misconceptions, have a meaningful conversation on how the two can coexist, define the tantric practice, and give listeners some food for thought.   Follow Sarika on Instagram at @doctor.samosa and follow TDS at @thatdesispark on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter! Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Go to https://betterhelp.com/thatdesispark for 10% off your first month of therapy withBetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help! #sponsored Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

1 in 5 South Asian women experience PCOS, a reproductive disorder of the ovaries that can cause a number of symptoms - so many, that diagnosis can often be challenging or confused with other comorbid diseases. South Asian women also see a higher incidence of PCOS than other ethnicities. Anita Mirchandani, MS, RD, and CDN, joins TDS on the Season 8 premiere to discuss a healthy diet as part of PCOS management, how weight is not a metric to determine health, and swaps to make with South Asian foods to increase nutritional value without losing the cultural attachment to them. Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Go to https://betterhelp.com/thatdesispark for 10% off your first month of therapy withBetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help! #sponsored Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

Home for the holidays and in need of boundaries with family? TDS has got you covered, alongside Divya Robin, LMHC (@mindmatterswithdiv) who specializes in mental health with South Asian populations and offers an episode full of tips on how to decide if a boundary is right for you, how you should speak up, when you should draw a line, and tips to make it easier because we all know the guilt is real. Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Go to https://betterhelp.com/thatdesispark for 10% off your first month of therapy withBetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help! #sponsored Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

Ranika is a product manager in tech and got her eggs frozen earlier this year at the age of 30. Conversations around fertility are still stigmatized in the South Asian community and Ranika navigated this short but intense process on her own. Now she is passionate about sharing her journey, normalizing the conversation, and encouraging women to take control of their future and speaks to TDS about the process, the physical effects, factors that influenced her decision and so much more! Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

The ENTIRE South Asian reality television-watching world has opinions on Cutie-gate, the wild conclusion to Love is Blind Season 3 on Netflix! TDS speaks with Zanab Jaffrey, one of the stars of the show, about her experience, mental health, competition amongst South Asians on all the things, what the show didn't include, and so much more. Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

Speaking up for survivors of gender-based violence is more than providing logistical support as they leave harmful situations: it also involves mental health counseling for families, behavioral therapies, access to resources and more. The Bhatia Foundation (led by Anita Bhatia) and Sakhi (led by Kavita Mehra) have partnered to create programs and share their insights on domestic violence within the South Asian community. Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

Clinical psychologist Dr. Anjali Ferguson, an expert in racial equity, cultural competence, and trauma - particularly with children - joins TDS to discuss a wide range of subjects: from parenting and advocating for children of color, to trauma-informed therapy, to what cultural competence should look like across settings.  Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Go to https://betterhelp.com/thatdesispark for 10% off your first month of therapy withBetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help! #sponsored Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

It's back to the core TDS hosts this week as Annika and Nehal explore adult friendships, how breakups of friends can be even more devastating than amorous relationships, how to cope, and how to end a friendship gently. Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Go to https://betterhelp.com/thatdesispark for 10% off your first month of therapy withBetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help! #sponsored Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

Burhan, a Pakistani non-binary activist, speaks up about the transphobia across the South Asian diaspora, their experiences in both continents, and how we can change the way we speak, act, and think about what transphobia looks like. Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Go to https://betterhelp.com/thatdesispark for 10% off your first month of therapy withBetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help! #sponsored Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!

Dr. Natasha Sriraman (@natasha.mom.md) is a pediatrician, postpartum advocate, and author of "Back to You," a book for moms, support systems, and how to make sure moms are taken care during their most vulnerable time. Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice, is available at all bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon! Go to https://betterhelp.com/thatdesispark for 10% off your first month of therapy withBetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help! #sponsored Follow TDS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and catch up with the hosts, Annika and Nehal, on their personals. Until next time, keep lighting that Desi spark!