Hey, my name is Mehar Nemani (she/her). While I am a second-generation immigrant that grew up in Roswell, GA, a prominent part of who I am is my Indian culture and heritage. My parents were both born in India, however, my mother is from Agra, Uttar Pradesh (north India) while my dad is from Visakhapatnam, Andra Pradesh (south India). Although many people categorize all of the Indian cultures under the same wing, this is far from the truth, as both of my parents grew up speaking entirely different languages and having separate traditions. As a result, my life became a fusion of these two cultures.

On one hand, I began learning Bharatnatyam, a traditional classical South Indian dance at the age of 7. But on the other hand, I learned Hindustani classical music, a North Indian singing style, since I was 10. My taste buds grew accustomed to the rich and savory flavors in north Indian food such as paneer and rajma and South Indian food such as dosa and chutney, rather than the traditional American pizza and burgers.

While other kids celebrated Christmas, I grew up celebrating Diwali and Ugadi. My Sundays didn’t consist of church, but rather Saturdays of Satsang (prayers) with Bhajans (religious hymns). I didn't grow up hearing the tales of Adam and Eve, but rather grew up listening to the valiant triumph of Ram over Ravan in the famous Hindu tale of Ramayana. The attachment of people around me to classic Hollywood movies is how I feel about a multitude of Bollywood (Hindi entertainment industry) and Tollywood (Telugu entertainment industry) movies.

To this day, I tie a major aspect of who I am to my culture—how I interact with people, my hobbies and interests, and even my perspective of the world around me.