The Brown Girls' Journal

TBGJ S2 Ep 5: Bachelor Nation with Srishti Bose

Ladies and gentle beings, it's our last episode of the season! *air horn* To celebrate the occasion, we brought on another guest. Born in India but raised in Westchester, NY, Srishti Bose is a dear friend of the pod who is passionate about politics and civil rights. She obtained a degree in political science at Vanderbilt University, where she met and became besties with Anuska. She currently works in the healthcare industry but aspires to go to law school and pursue civil rights law. Aside from being a political junkie and a world traveler, she enjoys reality TV. She is also a Sagittarius sun and a Pisces moon which is…. a lot. And we love her all the more for it! We wanted to keep things light and fun to end off the season, but as Srishti aptly mentions in this episode, almost everything is political these days, and Bachelor nation is certainly not exempt from this pattern. So we dived right in to the myriad of systemic issues that have plagued the franchise, first dissecting Rachel Lindsay's season and how she was marketed and treated as the first Black bachelorette. Then, we talk about how the franchise handles gender dynamics and fails to keep up with the times. We deconstruct the problematic premise of the show itself, which implies polyamory is simply a means to an end. And last, we tackle the intricacies of the most recent season of the Bachelor with Matt James, which leads to a nuanced conversation around his relationship and subsequent fallout with Rachel Kirkconnell, who had several racist allegations against her while the show aired. Of course, Bachelor nation is the gift that keeps on giving, so there's no way that we could possibly cover everything happening with the franchise, but we hope this gave you a nice introduction and overview about how we're feeling regarding the show at this point in time! The Brown Girls’ Journal is a bi-weekly podcast where two long-distance best friends turn their entries into conversations. This podcast was written and produced by Rodlyn Mae Banting and Anuska Dhar. Audio edited by Anuska Dhar and marketing done by Rodlyn Mae Banting. Our logo was illustrated by Molly Caroline Designs, and all music is courtesy of Epidemic Sound. You can get to know us a little better on Instagram and Twitter (@brwngrlsjournal), where we’ll be sharing fun behind the scenes and continuing the discussion. Happy listening! Rodlyn: Twitter @fmnstmelodrama Anuska: Insta / Twitter / YouTube @anuskadhar

TBGJ S2 Ep 4: Activism and Advocacy with Jenny Fierro

TW: sexual assault, domestic violence, and abuse. For our fourth episode we had our lovely friend, Jenny, join the pod! Jenny Fierro is a writer, student, and advocate who has dedicated her professional career to aiding survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human-trafficking. A current MA student in the Gender and Women’s Studies program at UW-Madison, she hopes to use Gloria Anzaldúa’s work as a guiding force for her research: how to care for Latina women beyond knowing Spanish. In her spare time she enjoys reading, storytelling, and building relationships with community organizations and members. First, we asked her how she was introduced to activism and advocacy, and what those moments of clarity were in her realizing this was the work she wanted to do. Next, Jenny talked about her transition into grad school, and the differences in how she's seen these topics handled in the classroom in academia versus out in the field with the people who are actually being affected by these issues. Last, we chat about what Jenny is looking forward to seeing emerge in these spaces as the field continues to grow. The Brown Girls’ Journal is a bi-weekly podcast where two long-distance best friends turn their entries into conversations. This podcast was written and produced by Rodlyn Mae Banting and Anuska Dhar. Audio edited by Anuska Dhar and marketing done by Rodlyn Mae Banting. Our logo was illustrated by Molly Caroline Designs, and all music is courtesy of Epidemic Sound. You can get to know us a little better on Instagram and Twitter (@brwngrlsjournal), where we’ll be sharing fun behind the scenes and continuing the discussion. Happy listening! Jenny: Insta @furiosafierro (personal) @gws_103 (class that Jenny teaches) Rodlyn: Twitter @fmnstmelodrama Anuska: Insta / Twitter / YouTube @anuskadhar

TBGJ S2 Ep 3: So You Wanna Go to Asia to Find Yourself?

TW: fetishization, sex work, and the military. The Brown Girls' Journal condemns the horrific shootings that occurred recently in Atlanta, GA. We extend our solidarity to the families of those whose lives were taken, as well as to the Asian American community in Atlanta at large. We recorded this episode before the shooting, but are aware of how these topics have concretely manifested in light of the event. It's our third episode, and we're leaving no stone unturned with this one! We tackle the fetishization of Asia on all levels: people, culture, and place. First, we discuss stereotypes that arise surrounding Asian American people and their bodies, and a little bit about how those have come to influence our own experiences in the dating sphere. Next, we unpack the age old debate of cultural appropriation versus appreciation (versus obsession), and where those lines blur. Last, we chat about two movies, The Darjeeling Limited, and Eat Pray Love, which both play into the trope of white people visiting Eastern countries to "find themself," and the damaging exoticization this can lead to. Resources mentioned:  - Article on Yoga: https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/travel/yoga-colonialism-and-india/ - "Eating the Other" by Bell Hooks: https://genius.com/Bell-hooks-eating-the-other-desire-and-resistance-annotated The Brown Girls’ Journal is a bi-weekly podcast where two long-distance best friends turn their entries into conversations. This podcast was written and produced by Rodlyn Mae Banting and Anuska Dhar. Audio edited by Anuska Dhar and marketing done by Rodlyn Mae Banting. Our logo was illustrated by Molly Caroline Designs, and all music is courtesy of Epidemic Sound. You can get to know us a little better on Instagram and Twitter (@brwngrlsjournal), where we’ll be sharing fun behind the scenes and continuing the discussion. Happy listening! Rodlyn: Twitter @fmnstmelodrama Anuska: Insta / Twitter / YouTube @anuskadhar

TBGJ S2 Ep 2: The Art of the Side Hustle

For our second episode, we're covering the art of the side hustle. After breaking down the term itself (definition courtesy of the ever reputable Urban Dictionary), we talk about what we think our own side hustles are. Next, we unpack what actually drives us to pursue them - is it a sense of productivity, fame, or something else? Lastly, we couldn't leave an episode without acknowledging capitalism's influence on our lives, so we end out the episode by discussing what happens when everything you do for fun is also something do for money.  The Brown Girls’ Journal is a bi-weekly podcast where two long-distance best friends turn their entries into conversations. This podcast was written and produced by Rodlyn Mae Banting and Anuska Dhar. Audio edited by Anuska Dhar and marketing done by Rodlyn Mae Banting. Our logo was illustrated by Molly Caroline Designs, and all music is courtesy of Epidemic Sound. You can get to know us a little better on Instagram and Twitter (@brwngrlsjournal), where we’ll be sharing fun behind the scenes and continuing the discussion. Happy listening! Rodlyn: Twitter @fmnstmelodrama Anuska: Insta / Twitter / YouTube @anuskadhar

TBGJ S2 Ep 1: New Year, Same Podcast

We're back and better than ever before! Get ready for a jam-packed Season Two™ and five more episodes in your feed. For our first episode, we're talking all about new beginnings. First, we'll bid adieu to 2020, then get to the bottom of what of what a new beginning really is, and lastly, talk about what's in store for 2021. We're so excited to keep sharing our thoughts with you this year and hope you'll stick around for the ride! The Brown Girls’ Journal is a bi-weekly podcast where two long-distance best friends turn their entries into conversations. This podcast was written and produced by Rodlyn Mae Banting and Anuska Dhar. Audio edited by Anuska Dhar and marketing done by Rodlyn Mae Banting. Our logo was illustrated by Molly Caroline Designs, and all music is courtesy of Epidemic Sound. You can get to know us a little better on Instagram and Twitter (@brwngrlsjournal), where we’ll be sharing some of our favorite quotes, poems, and self care practices. Happy listening! Rodlyn: Twitter @fmnstmelodrama Anuska: Insta / Twitter / YouTube @anuskadhar