Oftentimes, as a South Asian, it is difficult to find representation in American popular culture. Unless I'm sitting down to watch a Bollywood film or listening to Bengali music, media portraying my culture is hard to find. Even then, those films are mostly Indian and music does not provide the same experience that reading a book does. I read, to connect with the characters and immerse myself in the plot. I love reading and putting myself in someone else's shoes, but I always wished to read a story about someone like me. During the summer of the sophomore year an opportunity presented itself, that year's required reading: The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. As with any book, I read the small blurb about an immigrant family moving to America, naming their first born, and raising him in a foreign country. I was thrilled to be reading an immigrant story, moreover, a South Asian immigrant story. I remember how excited I was to flip to the first page and immediately be welcomed by an anecdote about a pregnant mother making jhalmuri, a snack I also crave when I miss home. Page after page was filled with references to my culture and words in a foreign language that I could understand. No book has made me feel so at home. The Namesake inspired me in many ways. It showed me I wasn't alone in feeling the disconnect between my culture and my new home. I realized other people loved our culture but also felt the need to fit in with American society. My perspective on the immigrant experience changed because I learned that both my Bengali and American side can coexist as long as I unashamedly accept both. I don't need to abandon my roots, I can simply be me.

Being a woman I feel as though I am well equipped with the knowledge of male patriarchy. However, as a young girl, this idea was incomprehensible to me. I never thought about the implications of being told I can’t do what boys do. I never questioned the situation because I didn’t want to step out of line. This is an issue prevalent throughout society, but growing up South Asian I’ve seen firsthand what it’s like to be marginalized by a male-dominated culture. As the daughter of the house, I was conditioned to serve, nurture and, sadly, be weak, while my brothers were taught the opposite. These ideologies are typically deeply valued by older generations, who emphasize specific gender roles and class traditions. This isn’t surprising when you come to understand that patriarchy is deeply rooted in places like Nepal, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Like in all societies, women have roles and in South Asia, these roles are epitomized by domestic obedience. Women are bred to become housewives and mothers before being provided with proper education. I started noticing how much worse the reality was and why change is crucial. This realization helped me see that my struggles matter and so does my voice. I began to understand: a good leader is not defined by their age but by how they use their knowledge to be the change they want to see in the world. This idea compelled me to seek research opportunities in the neurodegenerative disease field. I want to study and potentially formulate solutions for behavioral health problems and major psychiatric disorders. My biggest hope is to help South Asian women like me who were overlooked and millions more worldwide.