Wine Down Wednesday: Ashwini Prasad

Wine Down Wednesday: Ashwini Prasad

Aired: July 28th, 2021

Audio and Photo Source: Ashwini Prasad and Instagram

 

Episode Summary

It's that time of the week where we slow down to wine down. This time, our founder and CEO Orion Brown chatted with Inclusive Screen Writer Ashwini Prasad. They covered everything from next travel destinations and birthday plans to whether it's really a good idea to visit the east coast in the fall and what it feels like to be an olympian for a moment. Pop open your favorite bottle and tune in!

 

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Episode Transcript

Wine Down Wednesday: Ashwini Prasad

Orion Brown (00:00:02):

Hey folks. I'm back living my lowest carb life for Wine Down. Come in, come join us. Let me make sure this is off. Come in, come join us. It is Wine Down Wednesday. Oh my gosh. I'm so excited. Y'all this week. What are we? Three days into the week? I'm already tired. Are you tired? I love it. Hey folks. Hey folks. Come in. I've got my rosé. All right. Let's make sure we can get our guest in Ashwini let's see if she can come in. Okay. Let's see. Hey Bruce, and banter a what's going on?

Orion Brown (00:00:57):

Hey friend, how are you?

Ashwini Prasad (00:00:57):

Good, that it looks amazing.

Orion Brown (00:01:04):

I had to.

Ashwini Prasad (00:01:04):

Yes, of course you do.

Orion Brown (00:01:07):

I had to, Hey everybody. I got folks coming in. Hey, Hey, my, my waving isn't working. Okay. There we go. I'm so glad it is Wednesday. It has been such a long week. I am always looking forward to Wine Down Wednesday. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Orion Brown. I'm the founder and CEO of BlackTravelBox. We're personal care products company for travelers of color. So I created Wine Down Wednesdays because no, I'm not a wino, I mean, I could be, but I'm not. I promise. Um, but through COVID we lost the beauty, beauty beauty of being able to travel whenever the heck we want or need to. And so Wine Down is all for us to just kick it. Maybe talk a little mess, but really get into travel and get excited.

Orion Brown (00:01:59):

So whether we're traveling next week or six months from now, that wonderful feeling is with us. And it's certainly great when you have a rough week. One of my favorite things to do when I was back in the corporate world was to book a trip whensomebody pissed me off. I'm not going to lie. I'm like I had a rough day at work. I need to book my next trip. I just need to know that I'm going. And it's all good. So, so today we have, oh my gosh. A two for this is your second time. Yeah?

Ashwini Prasad (00:02:29):

Yeah, thanks for having me on.

Orion Brown (00:02:31):

I love it. I love it. Ashwini tell everybody who you are, where you live, where you're from and the very next place you're dreaming of traveling to.

Ashwini Prasad (00:02:43):

I was hoping you were going to ask me, hi everybody. I'm Ashwini Prasad also known as the inclusive screenwriter. Um, I do work in the entertainment world or breaking in trying to break into that door with the entertainment world.

Orion Brown (00:02:54):

We call it done. It's done, it's done. You're in!

Ashwini Prasad (00:02:58):

To bring inclusion and belonging into our, into the arts. I'm also a podcast host inclusive storytelling and, uh, wrote a book about how to write inclusively last summer, you know, COVID and it was needed. And so, um, yeah, so, so happy to be here. And I am all booked up in two and a half months. I'm headed back to Boston and New York.

Orion Brown (00:03:21):

Ooh. I was going to say, are you actually excited though, to be traveling to the Northeast or east in the fall? Like, is that something that's like really intriguing to you?

Ashwini Prasad (00:03:37):

You know, it, it's a great question. Um, it's mid October, so it's not going to be horrible. So yes, because of that, because I'm hopeful that the rain won't, um, have taken the leaves off and I've heard, like I live in a really beautiful space. I'm in the Pacific Northwest. Um, but I've heard that the east coast falls, um, there's no comparison. So I'm like, okay, let me go check this out. So I'm hopeful that the rain won't take away all those beautiful, um, beautiful colors, but I'm looking forward to that. And I haven't been back to Boston in like nine years and it's been two years, almost two and a half years for New York. So I'm super excited to get back there and see a couple of people that I know. So hello. Yeah. So I'm so excited. What about you? Did you book anything yet? I'm staying, I'm staying domestic for now, you know, like, or north America ready and not ready for international yet.

Orion Brown (00:04:33):

I, I was ready for international yesterday, but I don't, I don't, I don't trust some of the places that people have already been because they're just like out there, like it's like, so like, so I, I always referred it to Tulum cause I'm like, Tulum has like 50 million people down there right now because it's been open the whole time. Everybody's partying, it's cheaper to stay. And while that sounds really great in practice, um, or in theory in practice, I'm like, Hmm, I don't even, it's not even COVID cooties. It's all the rest of the other cooties that could be a past around. I'm like, mm, not really my thing. I haven't booked anything international, but next month is our birthday. I'm really excited. Woop woop, we're four. Isn't that insane? I can't believe it's been four years since I started the company. And uh, we're going to celebrate up in Sonoma. So part of our, um, IFund Women campaign that still has like four days left. So go to iPhone women, look for black child docs. Um, we have some amazing, um, experiences out there that we're going to do. We're doing an amazing dinner under the stars. I just did stuff that I wanted to do. Cause I was like, I had been inside for a year. So what would I want to do? I want to have a lovely dinner. I want to hang out with great people. I want to do it with lots of wine in toe. And so I'm going to be out there for a few days actually, um, in August and then I need to start booking next year for next year stuff. Yeah. There's I definitely need to do a trip around my birthday, which is in February.

Ashwini Prasad (00:06:09):

Me too! My birthfay is in Feburaray as well.

Orion Brown (00:06:09):

Aww, you're a February baby.

Ashwini Prasad (00:06:11):

I- I am, I am.

Orion Brown (00:06:14):

Yeah. I'm, I'm looking at going to carnival for, for my 40, like I've never been to any of the islands for carnival. So I'm like, while it still hangs where it's supposed to, I feel like I should just, you know, get my costume and hap in..

Ashwini Prasad (00:06:31):

Yeah. And hopefully a little bit over this hump. Right. Uh, with variant and everything. So fingers crossed. So that could be a great time. Uh, Sedona sounds wonderful. Oh yeah. I was in Sedona, November, 2019. So, um, you know, right. It was like one of my last big trips because talking to my hairdresser, I was like, oh my gosh. The last time I got on a plane was January, 2020. So it's like, oh my gosh. So and Sedona was right before it. So good for you. Go enjoy. I love those red rocks. They just speak to me. There's something about them. I feel them. I feel-

Orion Brown (00:07:10):

Sonoma, not Sedona. But, Sedona Is nice too. I do want to go there.

Ashwini Prasad (00:07:14):

Oh, you're going to wi-, oh, you're going to big old wine country,

Orion Brown (00:07:18):

wine country honey, wine country, right in the bay area. Um, but Sedona is on my list. I have actually never been to Sedona. So like, I, I, only thing I know is that there's some good spas and that they've got red rocks, but is there, is there more to Sedona that I should be looking at? Like, do I need to like make a weekend trip out of this?

Ashwini Prasad (00:07:37):

Oh, absolutely. You need to go there. Yeah. Just like you're going to Sonoma. Um, you need to go to Sedona as well. You would love it. There it is. Um, it's just magical. There's a lot to do. There are lots of different hikes, uh, and you know, it is like, people will be like, oh, it's become so commercialized. I.

Orion Brown (00:07:54):

get that piece. But I think it's worth it. It's worth a weekend trip just to see if it's your vibe. Um, yeah. And I love the bass, so Sonoma is going to be amazing. Oh, and there's so much good food up there as well. Oh, that's so exciting. Yeah. I mean, I'm going to have to try to control myself a little bit. I'm trying to keep my low carb wine, which sounds gross. It's actually pretty good. I'm not bad at it. Um, but yeah, it's, I I'm looking forward to it. I was like, I'll get some steps in before I go. Cause it's about to go down. Um-

Ashwini Prasad (00:08:25):

You can get more steps to go from winery to winery.

Orion Brown (00:08:28):

There we go. Instead of getting a driver, I should just walk from winery to winery. I mean, it not do it like downtown because that's a cheat, right? Like if you're in downtown Sonoma, it's like 10 feet and you hit another winery and it's like, oh yeah. But like, you know, really go for it. J.

Ashwini Prasad (00:08:45):

ust hike on the farm roads on the side. You're like, no, I'm good. I don't need a ride,

Orion Brown (00:08:50):

Yeah with my blast. No, you guys keep going. I'm fine.

Ashwini Prasad (00:08:58):

Yeah.You're good. Oh, just enjoy it. And uh, yeah. So what are you thinking and for your birthday, thank you international then.

Orion Brown (00:09:07):

Yeah. I'm thinking Caribbean. I'm thinking like full on carnival, like with the headpieces and like the sparkles. I know I'm going to be in bed by nine because I'm like maybe the second day, but the first day I'll try, but I know I'm going to be in bed by nine because I'm just going to be like, I'm so old. But until that moment I'm gonna get some good photos and some great food because every time I'm in the Caribbean, I feel like I eat more and I weigh less by the time I come home. Cause it's just like natural and good and homemade. And so I'm looking forward to it. I haven't picked an island yet.

Ashwini Prasad (00:09:46):

Okay. Yeah. Oh gosh. Yeah. I don't know the big about the, I know enough about the Caribbean, but you know, the, the actual islands that do the carnival big, I don't know, but you will find it and yet it's do it. Do the headpieces, do the necklaces, do the, you know, all the wonderful dress and the, and get into that culture guest posts, post those picks and show those videos too. That would be amazing.

Orion Brown (00:10:08):

That's another reason why I have my little card one. I'm like, I'm bout to have pictures from this. I really need photographic evidence cause I probably won't be doing it again. But um, yeah, I think it should be really fun. I've heard great things about Trinidad. Although I'm a little intimidated. I'm not going to lie because like, anytime you go to a country that's known for an event, it's usually at least in my opinion, a bit overwhelming. Right. It's like, I'm going to go for the running of the bulls and there's like a million people there to see the same thing. It's like, Ooh, Ooh. So I don't know. Um, there's a few places that I want to go that are like known for specific events and I'm like, I need to go to Germany for Oktoberfest. And then I'm like this, a lot of literhosen I don't know, is it going be alot of people?

Ashwini Prasad (00:10:53):

maybe, maybe you go right at the tail end, you know, so you catch enough of it. And then you're like, okay, now I'm just going to go visit Germany.

Orion Brown (00:10:59):

So right. I said, I did it. I've been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt.

Ashwini Prasad (00:11:05):

Yeah.

Orion Brown (00:11:07):

What are some place that you- Oh go ahead.

Ashwini Prasad (00:11:08):

No, go ahead. No. Oh, looks like we have somebody who says they're going. They want to go back to Tobago in a heartbeat. So there you go. Maybe that's the island for you. You get home carnival and a beautiful island to spend some time on.

Orion Brown (00:11:22):

I mean, that's really the key. Like I can always run away to a beach. Like I can always be like, this is overwhelming. Let me just take my head piece off. Cause I'm already in a bikini and lay on the beach.

Ashwini Prasad (00:11:35):

Perfect.

Orion Brown (00:11:36):

I mean, you gotta flow, you gotta flow with it. You gotta flow with it. Have you been to any like big international events or like cities that have like a big event going where you're like, I can say I went to that.

Ashwini Prasad (00:11:50):

Oh my gosh. Yeah. Good question. I'm I trying to think, I mean, I think my biggest is when I went back home to, um, uh, the Vancouver BC Olympics in 2010 and so oh yeah, I was there. I was there. It was so cool. So I got to, it was interesting to see like, um, the city change and accommodate the Olympics, like the torch that's still there. And then I remember I was it's called Robinson square. It's like, it's, I don't know. There's a square somewhere, but it's a really big street and this person ended up, um, going off and doing this. Oh, the word's escaping right now. Um, uh, a tight rope and like just this huge firework comes up and they're just, they, uh, what's the word when you're on this little thing on this tight rope and then you go from one end to the other.

New Speaker (00:12:41):

Yeah. uh tight rope?

Ashwini Prasad (00:12:44):

They were on the thing. They were on, they were hanging. And so this firework goes up and they just zip zip line and they zip line, like, I don't know how many yards, like four football fields. And he was like at night and it was just beautiful and it was perfect. And actually a friend of mine from high school, she actually ran. So she actually touched the torch and you can purchase it. So she had purchased the torch and I got to hold a real Olympic torch. There's a picture of me holding a real Olympic torch. So that's probably right. Yeah. That was -

Orion Brown (00:13:18):

That is amazing. That is so much better than any story I've ever heard on winding down. She she's like, yeah, I got an Olympic torch and I have a picture and I was not an athlete in the Olympic games because I'm just that bomb, my friends are just that cool.

Ashwini Prasad (00:13:32):

Yeah. Yeah. My friend, well, it was in honor of her sister. Her sister had passed away from breast cancer and so my friend ran in her place and yeah, she was telling me the whole story. I got to see my friend run saw passing the torch and she told me like, you can buy it. And of course she did to honor her sister. And so it was cool. Just kind of knowing the nitty gritty of all that. And then I got to, yeah, it was cool. I, you know, being able to touch it there. So it was a whole experience. I got to see my city change. I got to be part of the festivities. I got to touch an Olympic torch and, and yeah, it was really,

Orion Brown (00:14:11):

Did you touch any other alypic tourches, I men like- Like did you go to the Olympic village and hang out,

Ashwini Prasad (00:14:14):

Yeah no, they wouldn't let us near that. You can't get in there and you can't get Vancouver. It was between two spots. It was between Vancouver and Whistler and was so it's like a two hour bus ride away, two, two and a half hours. And so a lot of the skiing and everything of course was up in Whistler. So, you know, it was the Vancouver Olympics, but really it was like two hours now.

Orion Brown (00:14:36):

Now that's different. Yeah. That's I mean, but that's kind of nice too though. Right. Because when you have major things going on in any city, it's I find it tends to be really hard to get around because the city is not used to that many people like Lollapalooza in Chicago, which I think was last week or somewhere. I've, you know, when I lived in Chicago, I just didn't go out Lollapalooza weekend. I'm like, I can't even walk down the street. Cause there's so many.

Ashwini Prasad (00:15:01):

Yeah. Yeah. You're like, you know, when people are like, oh, you're from Vancouver BC. Wow.And I'm like, yeah, I am. When you live there, you just take things for granted. And you're like, oh, okay, well I'm not going to downtown this weekend. Like that's what you- right?. That's what you do. You're not like, yay.

Orion Brown (00:15:14):

You're like, oh, wer're tired. Where Are your parents? Okay. That's just me. I'm like, why are you guys so loud? Why are you having fun at 2:00 AM? Um, I swear, I'm not actually a curmudgeon, but I kind of am. Yeah.

Ashwini Prasad (00:15:29):

We value our rest. Right? Like, okay. So I'm the type that can fall asleep on a plane. So I'm blessed that way. So it's like, okay. So I'm always doing the time zone thing. Like, okay, do I need coffee or not need coffee? Because I'm going to be in bed by eight. I need my full asleep so I can be ready to go the next day.

Orion Brown (00:15:48):

Oh yeah, I do. I do like the, you know, like I sleep like a vampire as soon as I get in the seat. I like, as soon as everybody's in the seat, if I'm not at the window seat, which is its own curse to not have the window seat, I love the window seat. My big head can just lean on it. It's great. But I get in my seat, everybody's in a buckle up across my arms and just knock out. I mean, I've worked, I've woken up still on the tarmac before because the flight was late and like we were delayed like three hours. I slept three hours on the tarmac had no idea. I was like, did we land? I didn't feel us land.

Ashwini Prasad (00:16:23):

That's amazing. You know, one time I remember I pulled it. This is when I was young. This is my like late teens, even maybe early twenties. And I pulled an all-nighter and I literally fell asleep. I didn't, I wasn't flying. I was taking a bus and I literally woke up six hours later and I was like, oh, I'm home. Cause I don't know what it is. It must've been like, there's a theory. I don't, maybe you're the folks that have joined us may know if there's any truth to this. But people say like, if, if you were taken in a car when you were younger or when you were soothed, maybe, um, cause you cried a lot as a baby, they say that, uh, sometimes people feel like the hum of an engine is soothing to them. And so people like fall asleep on a train, a bus, a plane car, no problem. While other people totally can't and I'm definitely one of those people I'm like, you have just like, okay, let me find my comfortable spot. I'm out. Like just out for three to six hours.

Orion Brown (00:17:15):

Out like a light. And I was one of those babies. I mean that there was actually a few years back. I want to say it was Pampers. I can't remember which, which brand it was, but they did this promotion where they gave parents in Brooklyn, a free ride. If their kid was colicky and couldn't sleep. So you could call this number and it was like an Uber just to drive you around until your baby goes to sleep. So you can take them back in and like lay them out. I was like, that is the most brilliant thing I've ever heard in my life. That is marketing.

Ashwini Prasad (00:17:47):

Yeah. everybody is going to be taking Pampers, like, I mean, you know, 20 bucks here and there, you're going to get a lot- like however long these people want to have children. You're going to have that income coming in. That is really, yeah. It makes me wonder if there's some truth to people that, you know, we're soothed by engines. If we're the ones I can fall asleep. Cause I have other friends that are like, uh, you're taking the right. I'm like, yeah, because I'll sleep. And they're like, oh you lucky? And I'm like, I didn't know, luck was a thing. When I fell asleep,

Orion Brown (00:18:17):

I I've trained myself to do it. Cause I wasn't like when I first started flying, I wasn't like, uh, you know, I would have to take a Benadryl. I'm not going to lie. I would take a Benadryl to go to sleep because I get motion sick, which is hilarious and stupid all in of itself. So the takeoff and the landing, I hate the middle. I'm totally good with now. I've trained myself so well, I can barely stay conscious. Like it doesn't even have to be a long flight and I'm like, okay, I know we're going to land in 20 minutes, but it's really, really hard. But it, I, the thing that I struggle with, and I don't know if you struggle with this too, but when you're doing those very long trips, like really long international trips and you're going to bounce light 8, 10, 12, 15, 20 hours trying to figure out when I should sleep, versus when they're bringing the good food.

Ashwini Prasad (00:19:05):

Yes, yes. And then exactly. And being able to stay awake for it versus waking up and it's cold and it's on a train and you're like, oh my gosh, did I just sleep through this? And how long has this been sitting here? And then you feel bad, especially if you didn't get the window seat, because then you're like, oh no, who has to go to the bathroom? I've just been unconscious.

Orion Brown (00:19:25):

They're kust screwed, because I was out cold. Yeah. Although I do feel like on international flights, people are so used to traveling internationally that they're w they're more like prone to be like, oh, excuse me. I need you to wake up. I have to go pee. Like totally. They're like more practical.

Ashwini Prasad (00:19:41):

They are. And then I love it for me when I'm just like, okay, do I stay awake for them to come back? Or just doze off for another, like two minutes until they come back?

Orion Brown (00:19:52):

You know what? I give them like a two to five minutes. Like, but if they're waiting in line, I close my eyes again. If they're not waiting in line, then I'm like, we'll give you enough time to pee. And if you didn't pee that I'm going back to sleep. Cause you may be in there for 20, like just a nudge me when you come back.

Ashwini Prasad (00:20:10):

Well, to answer your question, I, yeah, I do. I do mental math. Right? Like I do check the little screen and I'm like, Hey, what time is the local time? So do I eat? Do I sleep? Do I watch a movie? What do I do? Uh, cause yeah. It's like, for me I'm always like, okay, yeah, coffee. Or am I going to bed? Which, which are the 2:00 AM I going to be doing? Right. Like, cause it's like, usually when we're landing, it's either going to be in the dead of night or it's some atrocious time, like six 50 in the morning. And then you got to figure out how to get to your hotel if you can check in and all of that. So.

Orion Brown (00:20:43):

By the time you get there, you're awake. And you're like, well, crap. When I landed, I had four to go back to sleep. Now I'm at the hotel and they're like serving buffet breakfast. I may as well.

Ashwini Prasad (00:20:54):

Well, and then it's like, okay, I'm full. And these are like super privileged problems. Let's be real. Right. Then, then I'm like, okay, well I'm really, I'm really full. And I'm really tired. So what do I do? Do I sleep? Or do I walk this off?

Orion Brown (00:21:05):

So, but you know what? You don't want to miss the day of action that day of the trip, just trying to like sleep it off. It's hard.

Ashwini Prasad (00:21:13):

Exactly, exactly. But you know, I'm looking forward to getting back into all this and getting back into the travel and, and so I'm starting, you know, domestic just for now, just get to, well, I shouldn't say domestic issue, you know, Canada United States do that for now. Um, and then maybe I don't think it'll happen this year, but next year, like you, I'm thinking about going to Egypt, Morocco. And then, um, I think I said that last time, and then I'm thinking about you going back to the UK and France for the, kind of the big international trips.

Orion Brown (00:21:47):

Nice. So I have, I've been to Ireland. I haven't been to like, um, England, but I've heard that it's really expensive rainy and the food is miserable. So what are the great things? Those are things I've heard. I'm just telling it. Don't, don't shoot the messenger. It's just what I heard.

Ashwini Prasad (00:22:08):

I guess I didn't have that experience. So, um, I love London as a space. I would live there for six. Somebody was like, Hey, here's a flats. Here's some job. Hang out. I would totally live there for six to 12 months. Um, absolutely. Um, it's a fun city. I mean, there's so much to do. There's so much history. Um, also the second largest population in, uh, London are south Asian Indians. So I know I'm going to get some really good food, you know, food. And so, um, I had a really, I had a great time when I was there. And then what I also love about being in, in the UK is that how quickly you can get to, you can get to so many other countries, so many other cities super quick. So I love that.

Orion Brown (00:22:54):

So what, so one, I think you hit the nail on the head, go for the ethnic food. If you're a foodie, go for the ethnic food, because like, you know, the baked beans and like, you know, the things that come with breakfast in the UK are definitely like, but I would, I love this idea. You know, there's something really fun about finding, you know, immigrant migrant food in these different countries. I've been to, you know, countries that I've of course had the local food, but then it's like, you know, you find a little shop in a little pizza shop and it's like a mom and pop place that they came from, you know, the, the boot of Italy, like, you know, the tip of the boot and they're, this is where you can find us on the map. And this is my grandmother's recipe and I just started making pizza here. And I'm like, can you guys do that in America? You know, it's so it's so good.

Ashwini Prasad (00:23:59):

Yeah, totally.

Orion Brown (00:24:00):

Do you have like, oh, go ahead.

Ashwini Prasad (00:24:04):

No, go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead.

Orion Brown (00:24:06):

I was just gonna ask if you have favorite spots in London that we should be on the lookout for these spots. Are you going to like, someone's momma's house.

Ashwini Prasad (00:24:15):

I'm going to somebody's mom's house. So, but I will say, you know, it's like what I love about, um, you know, across the pond, like more on the east coast versus the west coast is that there's actual like little villages. So like, you know, you have to Chinatowns all over Canada and well, most parts of Canada, U S but you don't have like the little Italy's where you'll have that in a London or New York or Toronto. And so that's what I love when I'm in, um, in London, especially not necessarily all over the UK, but in London you have little pockets of these different ethnic groups or many different groups living in a small space. And so you can go from the Armenian shop to the Italian shop, to the Indian shop and it's, you know, 30 feet, you know, it's three different shops. So that's what I really love about the UK. So I say, give it a shot, cause I've never been to Ireland. So I'm going to hit you up on a code of Ireland, but, you know, go to the UK. I think London is a stop, of course. And then you, I mean, you've got to check out all the beautiful sites, what I love. And I still love this about Toronto and I love about New York and Boston as well. Is the architecture like look up. I remember I had a friend in New York and we were hanging out. Right. If you look up there, I mean the, the detail that's in the history. So I love going for that. I love finding out about the history. And like, when I go back to Boston now I'm really looking forward to looking at the history through an anti-racist lens. And so I'm super excited.

Ashwini Prasad (00:25:45):

Right, right. So I'm really excited back with a different lens that I have been in the past. Um, just to understand that history. So that's, that's why I say, you know, yeah, don't discount London. Uh, you got to give it at least three days and then you can decide if you need to bow out if it's not your place, but you give it at least three days.

Orion Brown (00:26:02):

And you have the benefit. Like you mentioned that it's close to so many other places that you can try it and not feel like it's a, you know, oh, that was a bust. But it sounds like with the architecture, which I'm a big architecture fan, um, if you've ever been on a Chicago architecture tour, like yeah, great. It's so good. And things you learn, did you learn that illuminate history for you? Right? Like that go, oh, I had no idea. Cause I'm here and there's a Trump tower now and there's like, cool wineries. But it's like, there was so much history built in and that's a Midwestern city, but you know, New York is the same way. I'm totally with you. I will look up and run into stuff. That's my problem. I do run into things, but -

Ashwini Prasad (00:26:56):

Good for you. you're enjoying your- You're enjoying your looking up. I mean, that's why we're here. And like, I will take pictures and I'm like, literally, like when I was in New Zealand, my like, I would say 60% of my pictures were just buildings because I'm just like, I love the architecture. So this is what I'm going to do. Right. Somebody gets it. And so I'm with you. It's like, why not? And I just, it's so beautiful. And like when I was in Europe last, like one thing that I like, my heart hurts is like, I'm like, dang it, I, we don't have this type of architecture, especially in the west and the Pacific Northwest. You can't compare it even, and you can go to the east coast. Right. Montreal, even as much. It's just, it's a different feel because that history, yeah, yeah, exactly. Those are more established port cities. And so I just, I mean, just seeing that, and it's just the details the lions and the heads and I mean the carving and I'm just like, dang, how did they do this? Like, I, we, you know, we barely do it today. So, you know, like the architecture, the talent that went into making it, um, when we didn't even have the technology and the engineering we have today, it's just mind blowing to me. I mean, I haven't been to the pyramids yet, but I know I'll be like, dang, who did this? Who did that? I've seen so many like discovery channel specials where they're like, so we try to do it ourselves and you can see the men are pushing, but the stones won't move.

Orion Brown (00:28:27):

And it's just like what? He's like the ingenuity of, of man. I hate to put it that way or of mankind, um, is humans of humankind. It's just, but it's, it's truly like, I inspiring if you're a big nerd like me, like I spent all my time in Sydney. Yeah. Looking up all my time in Barcelona, looking up, um, you know, I could just hug the walls cause they were just so beautiful. And it's like, someone's hands touch this and made it look like that, which is amazing.

Ashwini Prasad (00:28:59):

And you know, even if you look at like, when you're inside a building, the columns, the, the richness and just one caolumn let alone the entire building. So I'm with you. I'm always like the one with my jaw dropped and I'm just looking up like, like, oh my gosh, this is amazing. And yeah. And then I'm like click, click, click. And I'm that one stupid person in the middle of the road, trying to get the best angle of this big building, you know, and stopping traffic.

Orion Brown (00:29:25):

I love to get that slightly tilted where you can feel how tall it is. Yeah. Right. I mean, I'm by no means a photographer, but that in my head, I'm like the best photographer ever. And I always take pictures of, especially in like places that have little trellises with flowers hanging off into like a cobblestone road kind of thing. I'm like, yeah. Oh. And then I'll see that road in a movie and I'm like, I'm going there. You know, like, especially if I know the location, I'm like, ah, where is that? Cause I'm going. Cause I need to hide it. Yeah, exactly. What are some fun places that you've been like, you've been like, I need to get there. I see you seen it on TV or you see it in a movie and you're like, I need to go. Where did you, where have you actually gone?

Ashwini Prasad (00:30:07):

Um Amsterdam. Um, a couple of little niches and Amsterdam. Um, and then I want to go to a couple places in like, um, Indonesia that I've seen that I'm like, oh yes. Like that looks amazing. And then, um, different places in Africa where I'm like, oh my gosh, that looks phenomenal. And then actually, uh, so those boys didn't want to go and kind of reverse what was interesting when I was in Florence, I saw, um, uh, one of the, uh, Hannibal Lecter movies and he actually, he does something horrible to a person and then he takes the knife and he cleans it on this fountain. I was like, I have a picture of that.

Orion Brown (00:30:52):

Hollywood blood has touched this fountain.

Ashwini Prasad (00:30:54):

Oh my God. AnthonyHopkins was at this fountain. So yes. Yeah. So it's fun. Both ways, right? Like I'm going there. And then also like, I've been there. Oh my gosh, I've been there. I know exactly that winding street or whatever.

Orion Brown (00:31:10):

I, I I've told this story a few times, um, online, down because I both feel like an idiot and I'm also proud of it, oddly. Um, but I went to, um, Croatia. I was in Dubrovnik. Um, gosh, it must've been like six years ago now, six or seven years ago. And I'm, I'm there. The, I mean the waltz city, it's absolutely gorgeous. And my friend and I decided to walk up the road from the city and just explore. I mean, it's just so beautiful. People are so friendly and it was just like, yeah, we'll just walk, take a walk, see if we can find this little beach that we spied from like the edge. Cause it was all like, you know, waterfront beach front. And so we ended up getting to this spot. That's basically like an abandoned resort and it's outdoor. Right. So we, we go in cause we're dumb. Um, and we're walking around and there's like graffiti and stuff on the walls and it's multi-leveled and it's outdoor. And you see where they had these pools that are now like drained and we're like, okay, cool. I think we can get down. This is like a really cool spot. I think we can get down to that beach down there. We started a quarter and there's this huge guy, what are you doing here? Oh God. Oh God. Here take my friend. Don't take me. And she goes, yeah, we're just trying to find the thing or just, you know, just trying to find the thing. Can we find the thing? And he's like, okay, fine. Whatever. And so he told us where to go. We come around and there's this big platform. It's like a big stage, almost area. So overlooking the ocean, absolutely gorgeous, um, kind of stadium seating, but like, you know, just in different levels. And I look at it and I'm like, this is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen in my life. It's absolutely ridiculous. There are like red flags everywhere. There's like a dragon painted on the floor. I was like, what? In the medieval times is this crap? And my friends just like, ah, I don't know. Like it's just weird way. Like we just go to the beach, we go to the beach, we come back, we go out a different way and we find this little side road and there's a car park. It's the junkiest little gremlin of a car I've ever seen. And in the window it has a handwritten sign that says closed set. And I'm like what they watch and Croatia, they watch like random, medieval times silly stuff. This was before I had ever seen the show game of Thrones. Oh. So I don't know if you've ever watched game of Thrones, but for those of you who are watching it and know game of Thrones, I think it's the fifth season where the mountain crushes all boys head like the cute guy that's from the east and crushes his head in a fight. And everybody's screaming, bloody murder. I stood right on top of where he crushed that guy's head and did not take a picture. I did not take a photo because I was like, this is the goofiest stupidest thing I've ever seen.

Orion Brown (00:33:56):

Also stripped a lot of it off. So it didn't like, it wasn't fully a set cause they were done. Um, so they must have been shooting like within a day or two of that, like, well it wasn't.

Ashwini Prasad (00:34:08):

Croatia has become the spot. Like a lot of shooting happens in, in that, in that area. So it's, it's pretty amazing. And that country, like I think the Falcon and winter soldier, they shot there as well. Like recently, you know? Well, recent ish. Um, yeah. And so, yeah, it's great. But yeah, isn't that funny? And some like, I think there's a lot where you can do where you're like, you don't even realize where you've been because you're like, oh crap, that was there. Or that happened or this significance. And you're like, oh, you know, they need a plaque. Like it needs something core like or something where you can just scan the QRC code and he gives you all the history.

Orion Brown (00:34:49):

Bruce Willis once yelled and shot a gun at somebody here. Like that would be so good. I would be so down for that.

Ashwini Prasad (00:34:56):

That would be amazing. We got the technology, come on, we can do this. Yeah. Because.

Orion Brown (00:35:01):

augmented reality, they should just make an app that you have it on your phone and you pointed around and you could see maybe they even like put the scenes over the space so you could see it happening in real time. Wouldn't it be dope. That's a freebie for somebody else that wants to start a tech company it's out there.

Ashwini Prasad (00:35:16):

Let's do it. Well, I mean, how amazing would it be for people that like enjoy traveling? Like that would be huge for me because it's almost like having your own tour guide. Right. And yeah. And so you're in anywhere, like anywhere you can get wifi, if you can have your own little tour guide, that would be amazing.

Ashwini Prasad (00:35:33):

You know, instead of like Googling, I met this altitude longitude latitude, what happened here? Nothing like that, but what happened here?

Orion Brown (00:35:42):

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Some of that history, so many places like the thing that immediately comes to mind is that like Tom cruise would dominate that app because he's jumped off of buildings and pretty much every country and like ran like a madman. So like I want to see like all of the like fast and furious cars, like driving through the T like I want all that on my tablet or on my phone. That would be amazing. So somebody to go make that,

Ashwini Prasad (00:36:07):

Or when you go to Lombard street in San Francisco, you're like, oh yeah. Oh, how many movies has this street been in? Right. You know, and they're just,

Orion Brown (00:36:15):

I have zero to number one. I fell in love with Mark Harmon when I was a kid, I didn't know how deep my love was until I got older, but I fell in love with him when I was a kid from this movie called the Presidio. He was still really young and really hot. And the first time I went to San Francisco and realized that the Presidio was there, like it's a place in Sanford. I was like, oh no, that was the first thing I did. I went straight directly to the Presidio and I was like Mark Harmon washed right here and looked at the golden gate bridge. So yes.

Ashwini Prasad (00:36:47):

You know, I remember I was walking, I did a London walk, so you have to do the London walks when you go. Um, and we, uh, it was my sister and I, and we did the, like the Jack, the ripper walk. And then we did the, um, cathedral walk, which is just like, you know, two polar opposites. But here we go. And I kind of, I did the same thing, you know, walking through this beautiful cobblestone square. And I was like, and it was built in 1100. And I remember thinking to myself like how many other people have literally stepped in the same space as I have, you know, and how many?

Orion Brown (00:37:20):

900 years ago, like,

Ashwini Prasad (00:37:23):

right, right. Like, and exactly. And like for you to be like, oh my gosh, I'm seeing this exact view that was shown in that movie that my favorite actor was like, it's just magic. And, and you know, what's cool too. Like not everybody is privileged enough to travel. Um, we can do this now through the Google maps through, um, uh, the YouTube videos, you know, like, like when I'm in a, I'm pretty obsessed because I haven't been on a plane in almost a year and a half. So every day I'm doing something new with Boston. And so, um, I was like, oh, I should do like the quick 10 minute YouTube video of somebody who's already been to Boston and done everything I want to do. Uh, because when I went first time, it was for a work trip. So I didn't get to see as much as I would, like this time around, I get to be a tourist. And I'm like, oh, maybe I should just YouTube. Somebody that has some high quality video just for 10 minutes, that where I can, you know, do my own scouting. Right. Because we have that now. But even if you can't travel, like that's such a great way to see a new city and just learn something new, which I find is super magical and amazing.

Orion Brown (00:38:30):

I love it. And Andy and me on the practical side, cause I like to eat drink when I travel. It's just why I am. Um, actually Dubrovnik I, on that trip, someone had advised me to, um, check out this, um, TV show called three, uh, three sheets. And so it's just basically guys going to different countries and getting drunk and like little like places. And so they went to this spot that was in Dubrovnik and the owner told the for all of your viewers, if you come here and you say, you saw me on three sheets, I'm getting you drunk. He was not kidding that three sheets episode. I want to say it came out like 2005 or something or something crazy like that. And we went there and we're like, yeah. So we saw this place on three sheets. Well, I'll tell you this man got so excited. It came out with bottles and oh, I don't even know if I can do this. Right. You're like, cool. We'll have like a one shot with you. But the there's such a benefit to like seeing the places that people have gone and you get these little, you get these like little intimate moments and a better understanding so that you can like be in it. You understand like more about the context of a place,

Ashwini Prasad (00:39:43):

I think, um, we talked about thatlast time, right? Just like you don't. I mean, I think going to the big places is good as good, but also it's just nice. I remember being in Italy, uh, I might've been PISA or it might've been, I can't remember it was PISA or if it was Florence and it was just so sweet because it was these kids and they were just playing soccer in the square and you know, it looked like one of maybe an aunt or grandma was there just kind of watching them. And like, for me, those are the moments that are super beautiful and just so nice. And yeah, I just, even if you can't go to see that, and I think we also talked about it can build that real empathy around people, you know, just to know that people are doing the same things and they're doing, they're just, you know, hanging out their kids there, there's parents, there's cooking going on, you know, things that we all can relate to as human beings. And I think that that's, that's the beauty of it. You know, if you can't experience it, we have no excuse to be able to at least experience it, uh, through a virtual or video type of interface, uh, to just understand other people and what they do. And it's fascinating, you know, the similarities and the differences as well.

Orion Brown (00:40:47):

Yeah. And, and I think, you know, you hit the nail on the head because it's interesting. I think oftentimes, and this is why like the Facebook album algorithm works the way it does. People want to see what they want to see, and they're not naturally adventurous to see or go somewhere or even watch something that's sort of out of their wheelhouse. Uh, now don't get me wrong. Like I'm a total punk. I will not watch horror movies because I will just be up all night. But I have seen horror movies. I gave them a chance. Yeah, no, what you guys are doing. Um, but you know, it's, it's really interesting to even watch places and absorb places that you may have preconceived notions about and just understanding why they are at the place that they are at is, is so enlightening. And I think one of my best trips ever was, um, South Africa, not that I wasn't interested in going, but, you know, I had a little bit of anxiety because I'm like, it was an apartheid state, like 14 years before I went. And that's not a long time coming from the states from the United States. Like, we don't forget anything. We don't forget anything here.

Ashwini Prasad (00:41:56):

Like, nor should we, nor should we, because we haven't had truth and reconciliation, at least in South Africa, they did truth. And they tried, we are still trying. So yes, there's that? Yeah.

Orion Brown (00:42:09):

I don't think we've gotten to this truth yet. Like that's, that's one of those exercises that we need. And this is when we're talking about things like critical race theory and all of that. It's not to pee on the flag it's to give us enough information so that we can properly heal, you know, we can properly heal from it, but I was floored. I was floored in South Africa, how warm and accepting people were. And they were very open about their history. Oh yeah. I wasn't allowed to like walk around this neighborhood, you know, a decade ago, but yeah. You know, now it's different and, and men diva told us, Nelson Mandela told us to, you know, let it go and move forward. So that's what we're doing. And I'm like, so he just, yeah.

Ashwini Prasad (00:42:55):

Well, it's interesting. You mentioned that because I just finished, um, Desmond Tutu's no future without forgiveness, like literally just finished it. Um, and yeah, and it's like, he'd mentioned in his book, it was written some time ago, but he mentions the same set of reconciliation that is happening and needs to continue to happen in Ireland. And in, I, again, like I remember being at Ellis island, um, and I remember being like, okay, even if people can't get to Ellis island, right. Cause not everybody has the money to travel. We need to bring Ellis island to the people so that they can really understand their histories. And like, I remember one time my sister and I were trying to do the Canadian cause we were, um, naturalized as children. So our parents had to do the Canadian tests, but we were like, I wonder if we did the Canadian test, would we pass the citizenship test? Right. You know, and I did, and I did, and I did pass it. I passed and the Canadian, so yeah. You know, like how many of us in any country could pass her citizenship tests? Like, let's just have an honest conversation and if we can't, then we need to learn. I think that's, what's so important. Is that, is that learning and exactly what South Africa, you know, like, okay, like, yeah, we're going to have a real history and honest conversation and then, then that's, what's going to make this country better. Cause we're all going to have, uh, an understanding. We're not going to sugar coat. We're not going to romanticize what we're going to be like, okay. This is what we can do better. Like, you know, I, I was touting the Olympics in my hometown earlier. Um, and it was great. It was a wonderful experience. But what I did not like is that they were trying to make it like a first nations and indigenous people were like, you know, part of the fold and absolutely especially the horrors that we've been hearing about, about the indigenous residential schools and the children.

Ashwini Prasad (00:44:36):

So it's like, okay, that was cute. Like you wrap them up into this nice little bow for two, three weeks, but like, what are we doing right for the centuries beforehand? And what are we doing now? Like 12, 10, 12 years later. So yeah.

Orion Brown (00:44:50):

So let's be honest, right? Like parading around tokens is never okay. And I feel like, you know, there's, uh, there are ways to celebrate people without tokenizing them. Number one, including them, what should we do? What do you guys want to do? How can I give you money, time, space, resources, and people to execute something that truly feels respectful to your culture.

Ashwini Prasad (00:45:16):

Yeah. And that comes from you that you say, this is what would be amazing. And this was how we can honor us. Like, I don't need you to tell me how to honor me. I know how to honor me. So what do we do to give you the space and resources to do that?

Ashwini Prasad (00:45:32):

It's it's, I don't know if you've ever dealt with this, but in corporate, I dealt with this a lot when we would have, you know, it would be a Devale celebration, which we would have, you know, south Asian people, they would do stuff. And, but then like the cafeteria randomly makes chicken tikka for a day. And then I'm like, is this like when you guys make chicken and like biscuits for like black history month because that happens at every corporation. I kid you not, there's not been a corporation that I've worked for large corporation that didn't have some weird stereotypical meal to celebrate black history month. And it usually involves fried chicken. I like fried chicken. Don't get me wrong. There's always a little bit of truth to a stereotype.

Ashwini Prasad (00:46:17):

But, but you know what? I eat it in January. I eat in an August. Okay. Can we please just have some food all the time? Not just for one month at one point.

Orion Brown (00:46:28):

Yeah. We are multicultural as a country. All of the time. It should not be just the month of whatever. I understand. Like people have to be somewhat systematic in planning, right? Like that's what you do for, but just as you give us dry green beans with no salt on them, you can give us whatever.

Ashwini Prasad (00:46:52):

It's just not in February. It's just not in may. Like it's all year round.

Orion Brown (00:46:59):

Exactly. I mean, it's, it's like getting, you know, when I was on Amazon looking for a toolkit, um, and I was like, I need to get some freshen up my toolkit. I don't have tools, tools for around the house and I'm looking and it was like, ladies toolkit, it's got pink on it. That's how I know it's for girls because it's pink. Oh yeah. Use the blue one. And I certainly can't use the black one. I have to like,

Ashwini Prasad (00:47:27):

first of all, pink is not my favorite color. I don't even barely wear pink if I do it, it's on my cheeks. Like, come on. Yeah. It's and this is where, right? Like this is where this intersection of these honest conversations and travel, like just, it opens your mind. And at this point, if you have an internet connection, there's even if you can't have the money, there's no excuse. You can travel through YouTube. You can travel through the travel channel, um, these wonderful videos, national geographic, and you get, you can see the world and that appreciation that you can have, you know, and just appreciation and that respect. And, uh, yeah, it just makes it more long. I think w last time we were, it makes the world smaller. I think last time we were talking about how, you know, when you get lost in the country where you don't speak the language, how humbling that is, like you are not, I don't know.

Orion Brown (00:48:14):

Now you're the dumb one.

Ashwini Prasad (00:48:16):

Exactly. Right? So it's like, that's what allows you? I think hopefully if you're not humbled by it, that's on you. But I would say a large majority of human beings are humbled because of that, because you get lost one time in a country where you don't speak the language.

Orion Brown (00:48:32):

You become basically a five-year-old if you've ever been to like a department store with your mother and gotten away from her, that feeling where your whole heart sinks, you're like, I may never see my home again. And I don't know how to ask people for directions. And I don't know who and it's, to me, it's just so interesting because we have these assumptions about people with accents, people who don't speak super clear English, and it's like, oh, you're stupid. If you don't do that. And I'm like, number one, most of us couldn't pass like a third grade English exam. If we really had to, we had to, if we had to identify the predator, the present participle in a sentence, people would be like, I've never heard that word. You have, you've heard it several times in your schooling. You didn't remember it. But, um, I love this. I think severe Sofia Vergara was, I don't think she was in an interview. Maybe she was in an interview, but she was saying like, she was very emotional issue was trying to get something out. And she couldn't find the right words because she was so flustered. And she was like, if you only knew how smart I am in Spanish, like I'm so much smarter in Spanish.

Ashwini Prasad (00:49:36):

And how amazing is it that she can articulate herself in two languages, maybe even more. Right. And yeah. You know, like if somebody is able to speak in your language with an accent and you only know one language they're far ahead than you are so appreciating people with accents and appreciating the fact that yeah, there, I mean, I can English. I was the only language I'm fluent in. I can pass in a French, speaking in a Hindi speaking country. Uh, that means I can get water, shelter, food. Like I can get that.

Orion Brown (00:50:06):

She's loke I won't die, but I don't have that much fun either.

Ashwini Prasad (00:50:10):

That's exactly right. And so I have so much appreciation for people that can speak with me, especially when I'm like, ah, okay, only English here. Sorry. Like you're so much better than me. And the ability that Sophia, no she's is smart because she is very smart because she can speak many languages, not just one. And she's able to go and like act acting, first of all, she's able to act in a different, you know, language that she was born-. And then she's doing interviews upon interviews. I mean, this woman is everywhere. No, it's like, you're not just smart in Spanish. You are smart period. And I think that's, what's beautiful. And like, if you meet people from France and Germany, they're like, yeah. You know, it's, you know, three different languages. And it's like, oh, okay. And I'm here twiddling my thing, Tom thumbs, like I know English, I know English. Good. I talk goodEnglish, you know, like.

Orion Brown (00:51:02):

That's not good English right there.

Ashwini Prasad (00:51:02):

I speak English well.

Orion Brown (00:51:10):

I had a, I had a college who, um, has a very like Oster or kind of voice. She's very like severe. And she's got like a little, she got a little tightness in her jaw. She was a French major, fluent in French. No, she was a German major. I take it back. She was a German major fluid in German. Spoke a bit of French and no I'm getting this wrong. No, she was taking, she was a French major. So she's a French major. She's fluent in French goes to France. She's near the border of Germany. They think she's a German trying to speak English, speak French because she's like, because, and it's like, she doesn't choose to speak. German is it's French. But yeah, she just has a very interesting way of pronouncing things, even in English. Um, but language is such a funny thing and it's so finicky and there's so many languages that are so hard to learn, especially if you've been born in certain cultures and things like that. I think English is a dumb language. We've made so many changes and choices to it. And then we expect people to know what those mean. And half of us don't go to the south where like, I don't know what you're saying.

Ashwini Prasad (00:52:15):

I mean, think about the word, right? Thorough versus rough. Like, are you kidding me? Like, you're trying to learn the differences between these words and the exact same way.

Orion Brown (00:52:27):

The it's like, oh, this is true, except in that case. And so you're basically just memorizing as opposed to having a consistent vernacular, which is exactly.

Ashwini Prasad (00:52:38):

Or you can apply.

Orion Brown (00:52:40):

Well, I actually learned the other day and I didn't even know this again, critical race theory. Sorry guys. I have to bring it up. But somebody was talking about how, like, you know, AA, you know, African-American, uh, vernacular English, AAVE. It's not bad English and it's not slang. It's actually not slang because what had happened was that's probably bad English. Um, when slaves came over there, sENTENCE structure was different than English. And so what you ended up having was the use of English, but in the sentence structure that they knew. And so it switched words around that wasn't an unintelligent change. That was just a, this is how my brain thinks and structuring sentence.

Orion Brown (00:53:25):

It's either my ball or the ball is mine. You know, like a lot of, a lot of languages are like that, where it kind of depends on where things are placed. And as I'm listening in, they're li they're listing these different things and I'm like, you know, different sayings. And I'm like, I just thought I spoke bad English as a kid. I just thought that that was improper. It's not improper. It's a person who is migrant learning a new language.

Ashwini Prasad (00:53:52):

Well, the thing is, is like, when you, that example, I remember I was in a comms class in college. I had the privilege to go to college. And I remember our teacher saying that Ebonics literally follows the same structure as any other language. So it ebonics is not slang. Like you're saying it is actually a language because it has, it matches and has rules around grammar and everything, just like everything else.

Ashwini Prasad (00:54:17):

So these ideas, like, I think about the same about maybe about pigeon in Hawaii. Right. And right. And so this idea of language and everything else and what, what we can put in terms of that colonizer mentality of what's, what is right, or what is English or what is a language? Um, we got to really think about it and it's just, you know, and it's like critical and Stein and critical race theory for me, it's like one it's history. And second it's critical thinking period. And I think that's, what's important. And when you can appreciate that and travel gives you that opportunity to appreciate that about other people and, you know, stay there long enough, you're going to start talking like that. So there is that.

Orion Brown (00:54:54):

I have the worst habit of picking up accents and affectations of other people. I had a friend that had a lisp and I had to control myself because I didn't want her to think I was making fun of her, but I just automatically, it's talking about code switching. I am, I am in the code, switching Olympics, y'all you don't even know. Um, but it's, you're spot on with these, these places that you travel to and immersing in the culture and really understanding where their language comes from. I was just watching something the other day that someone made a comment about, well, why is it, you know, why is Jamaican and Irish sound so close? And I thought it was just me. Cause I was like, they all sound like leprechauns to me. And people were like, what are you talking about is Jamaica. I'm like, they all sound like leprechaun. I'm sorry. Like when they get really excited and start talking really fast, reason being many Irish were sent to Jamaica early, early on to be sort of, um, intermediaries between slaves and slave owners. Um, so again, let's talk about caste systems and the things that we have. You're not a leprechaun, I'm sorry, boo. But you sound like when sometimes when y'all get together, I ain't gonna lie. I know that. Um, but by the way I was folks are awesome. And so are Jamaicans. I love both places. Um, but it was interesting. They were talking about this and they go into it further. They're like, okay. So they were basically indentured servants that were coming down and then people were like, well, I can't really get out of this. So then they stopped coming. So then they just started taking poor children from Ireland. The thing was, is that they were perishing. So what was happening was these Irish people used to like Irish weather get in the Caribbean, it's baking hot, they're falling out all over the place. And so they thought, well, we need, we need you to acclimate, so you need to be younger. And so they took all these impoverished kids, you know, and brought them down there and there was blending and then the blending, they got mad about it. So then they started to separate people by cities and stuff, because they didn't want the Irish to have like, uh, too many people in one place and like get together and overthrow it. And I was just like, that's crazy. They do sound like Afrikaans. I knew it. Um, but I just, but it's fascinating history. Okay. Fascinating.

Ashwini Prasad (00:57:06):

And that's the thing we need to know this. Cause you bring up so many points. So I do this in my anti-racism training and we talk about this. We talk about the indentured servants that came over that were from Britain, lots of poor folks, Ireland and the famine. Um, and then where they came and it wasn't just to Canada or the United States. It was also to what we call, you know, uh, Caribbean today or what was then horribly called the west Indies because, uh, yeah, that was in India. Um, and then you're also breaking up the mixing.

Ashwini Prasad (00:57:37):

Yeah, I know, right. Oh my gosh. Um, I did this in one of my podcast episodes where I talked about Anglo Indians. And so the, this definition has changed over the centuries, but at first it was a British born in India because the British colonized India, then it was Anglo. Indian started incorporating, um, the children of British and Indian, uh, parents. And then it went to probably one of the most famous Anglo Indians. And the definition today is somebody who is Indian, but it is like in Britain or, or in the UK, which is Freddie mercury because his first name is Peruk. And so there's this exactly right? All these different groups and coming together and how they ended up there. Um, you know, for a long time, the Irish were not considered white in both Canada and the, the United States because of the horrific, anti-immigration the stereotypes around, um, around these folks and think about even today and the antisemitism at one point Italians, right.

Orion Brown (00:58:41):

If you were Mediterranean, you were like out, like there was no.

Ashwini Prasad (00:58:47):

Yeah. Cause you were darker skinned. Yeah, exactly it, you know, and so it, it's, it's all of these things where it's like this, if you can understand that you will have such an idea of like the differences and the different people and, and you can have this idea of this monolith, but I knew somebody who was in Romania and he was educating me about the Turkish and Russian influence in Romania. I had no idea. And I'm like, okay, cool. And then I had friends in from India who were telling me about their Russian friends and you know, my friend from Russia, he and I were talking a ago and he's like, you know, Russia, they may be like white or white passing for what we would consider that, those words. But they're like, they're very Eastern when it comes to their culture. And I was like, wow. You know, really fascinating. Because when I went to his house for dinner, they serve tea right after dinner, you know? And then we had them dessert, you know, as a cultural thing. So yeah. It's, uh, that's, that's the cool part of it. Like when you, yeah, right. There you go. Right. Exactly. Wind down, literally. Um, and, and it's just, you know, and I like literally recently I was looking, I was like, dang, like I was looking at in Nepal and Bhutan. And I was like, yep, okay. There's a whole lot of mixing going on there because I mean, you got these borders of all these different countries that are so close and you have these whole populations that are now countries. And I'm like, cause when I look at Nepalese people, I'm like, wow, that's a. To me, it looks like a mix of Chinese and Indian folks. Like I feel like there was,

Orion Brown (01:00:18):

And that's exactly where it is. It's like China and then Nepal.

Ashwini Prasad (01:00:23):

Right. Exactly. And I was like looking at the people at Butan and I was like, dang. So yeah. It just, gosh, you know, just understanding those histories and everything. That's like the, the, the uniqueness of all these countries, but also how you can see all these different, how everything was shared. And then you get all these groups that have come over from different areas to north America and the CA and I mean there's issues, but then be able to see how things are incorporated, how things are changed. Like, uh, for example, in Fiji where I was born, there was no, there's no like Hindi word for truck. And so what they did is that they would take the word of the brand. So there was a brand called lorry, which was a Truck brand, L O R I. So, because it didn't have the word for truck and Hindi, not all trucks are called Laurie's based off of what they saw.

Ashwini Prasad (01:01:12):

So I it's fascinating, you know, that intersection right. Of the food and the cultures and the people. And, um, I mean the colonization, but how people took in, like a lot of Indian instruments are from colonization and they just kind of the leftovers from different cultures and they incorporate it into now what we call Indian culture. So yeah. It's just, uh, it's amazing. It's absolutely amazing. And like the things you learned and the things that you're like unlearned, because you're like, oh, I was told not something I thought that was factual or like, that's you,

Orion Brown (01:01:43):

The number one rule for travel in my mind is forget what you were told. Right. Because you, I mean, you never know, and it could go both ways. It could be able to be like, this is the most beautiful place I've ever been. And then you get there.

Orion Brown (01:01:55):

And you're like, really, because they got a good grass. Like I don't understand.

Ashwini Prasad (01:01:59):

Um, oh my gosh, I can't, you know, well, yeah, we can do another session about all the places we've been disappointed in when we go, oh my gosh, that's our next, that's our next one. We're going to, we're going to bring everybody down.

Orion Brown (01:02:09):

We're going to bring extra wine and bring everybody down and tell them about all the places that we were like, this is crazy.

Ashwini Prasad (01:02:17):

Yeah. Or it's like, you walk by and you're like, that's it? Like, you're like, that was a little, literally it, or it's too packed and you can't see it. And you're like, wow.

Orion Brown (01:02:29):

Oh, it's too many people. I, oh my gosh. Okay. So we have to do another session we have been on for an hour and this has been so much, so much fun.

Ashwini Prasad (01:02:36):

What?

Orion Brown (01:02:36):

Yes it's been an hour.

Ashwini Prasad (01:02:39):

Oh, wow.

Ashwini Prasad (01:02:40):

So much fun. I feel like every time you come, we just have such a good chat. Uh, we'll definitely have to do it again. But for people who have just joined us, um, tell us, tell us where we can find you, tell us where your latest work is at, um, where we can find you on the internet and how we can support.

Ashwini Prasad (01:02:57):

Oh yeah. Yeah. Well, uh, inclusive screenwriter. So you can find me on here. Inclusive screenwriter, inclusive screenwriter.com. And then my latest, if you want to check out my inclusive storytelling podcast, I just focused on the arts and what inclusion looks like in the arts. That would be amazing. I'd love to connect.

Orion Brown (01:03:15):

Y'all get on that podcast. You already know the girl who thought she could tell you all the stories. So you want to get on the podcast. Thank you.

Orion Brown (01:03:22):

Thank you. Thank you for joining us this week. It's always so much fun to see you. Thank you guys for joining us as well. I see. Oh, you live for these every week or I'll live for these two. Yeah. Have a great, great evening. I hope that this brought some joy, some laughter a moment of connection that you maybe didn't have today or even the whole week, depending on where you're at and what's going on. And that, that carries you for the rest of the week. It's all down hill from here. Y'all we made it. Okay.

Ashwini Prasad (01:03:49):

You too. Make sure you take that. Make sure you take that advice as well.

Orion Brown (01:03:54):

I'm going to do it. Cheers. Cheers ladies. Thank you so much for joining. We'll talk soon.

 

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