Episode 88: Arun Venugopal Discusses The two Faces Of Our Country

Arun Venugopal is an American journalist and a Senior Reporter in the Race & Justice Unit at WNYC. He covers news regarding race, immigration, gender, and identity in the United States.

We discuss our personal experiences growing up Indian-American in Houston, TX, when he started reflected on these experiences while critiquing ideas of Asian-American exceptionalism in the United States, how the Model Minority myth may have evolved, and his favorite conversations while hosting WNYC's Micropolis series.

We also touch upon the fear white working -class Americans still have, the idea of replacement theory, and the political and cultural consciousness of the South Asian diaspora in the United States.

He talks to me about his perfect NYC day, the time he experienced heartbreak, who he would like to collaborate with, and good old fashion Indian uncle jokes.

Arun has appeared on PBS Newshour, On the Media and Studio 360, and has been published in The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal and Salon. He also frequently serves as an emcee and moderator of panel discussions on race, religion, and identity issues and has been a guest host of NPR's "Fresh Air.". Arun serves as the regular fill-in host of the station's "U.S. of Anxiety" program.

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