Umeed:
Stories That Inspire
Umeed: Stories That Inspire is a visual storytelling project that highlights stories of solidarity, empathy, and compassion between and across the diverse communities of India and the Indian diaspora and the shared humanity that binds us together. The project amplifies voices that challenge divisiveness, promote mutual understanding and respect, and inspire hope.
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“We must use the institutional power of Indian-American networks to uplift and empower each other” — Shabbir Naqvi
My early years were shaped by growing up in a neighborhood where many shared my Indian-American background. This commonality gave me a sense of comfort with my identity and played a key role in shaping who I am today. While my family wasn’t deeply involved in the broader Indian network, we found a strong sense […]
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“We need to recognize that we have the power to break the cycle of toxicity” — Anjana Raman
In my early years, I grew up deeply engaged in my heritage and culture. I started classical singing at age 4 and dance at age 5, forming bonds with people who shared similar interests and backgrounds. These cultural activities definitely helped me navigate my Indian-American identity. While pop culture has been something that I am […]
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“The ‘us versus them’ mentality needs to be shed in order for progress to be made” — Geetika Lanka
While I did not grow up in India, my hometown of Ashburn served as a “Little India” for my entire life. Ashburn is a bubble of seeing families that looked exactly like mine and even spoke the same language I did. While this brought unequivocal experiences in language, culture, and community, there was always one […]
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“Ideal Indian diaspora or India is shaped by coexisting in complete understanding with one another and finding unity in diversity” — Tuhina Bindu
I was born and raised in the colorful city of Hyderabad, India. The mini metropolitan that I grew up in was a melting pot to the backgrounds, religions, and faiths that composed the thriving city. I spent my early years…
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“My Muslim professor allowed me to stay at his house for three years while I pursued my studies” — Showry Prasad Kocherla
My early years were spent in a small village in Andhra Pradesh. Growing up in an agricultural family meant spending time on the family rice mill, which was the hub for the community gatherings and a place where every evening…
