Letter from the Editor

Dear ABCDlady Readers,

Last month, a Sikh boy had his turban ripped off in a New York classroom and was punched in the face by a classmate. In a Florida classroom, a Muslim girl had her head scarf pulled off while she was asked if she was a terrorist hiding a bomb. These are just two examples of the growing number of hate crimes perpetuated against our Desi children. This month and next, we describe the problem and suggest ways that parents can help their children develop a positive self-image and promote stronger cultural understanding in schools.

As South Asians, we see dentists for our teeth and doctors for our bodies, but seeing a therapist for mental health doesn’t seem to be in our vocabulary! Why is there a cultural stigma about seeking help for issues like breakups, divorce, death, marriage or career transitions? This month, we discuss seeking therapy, what you can expect, costs and how to find the right therapist.

Itching to start your own business? In this two-parter, we give you the ins and outs on figuring out what you want to do, and how to nurture your idea along the way.

This summer, numerous films with South Asian themes have been released. Our team hit the theaters and film screenings to get you the scoop.

Have you heard about the controversy over Mike Myers’s recent film, The Love Guru? If you haven’t heard, there are Hindu groups calling for the boycott of the movie and were pushing for it to have an NC-17 rating. See what all the fuss is about! We have two articles from prominent figures in the Hindu community, one on each side of the issue:

- In Reluctant Defense of The Love Guru
- A Call to Arms Against The Love Guru

If you haven’t caught Brick Lane yet, you really need to! This month, we meet the lovely lead actress, Tannishtha Chatterjee and chat with her about how she got the lead role. We learn how she prepared for the complex character and find out what she plans on doing next.

You also need to catch Project Kashmir, a film featured in this year's Human Rights Watch International Film Festival. In this groundbreaking documentary, Geeta V. Patel and Senain Kheshgi venture into the disputed territory of the Kashmiri Valley and capture the real conflict that we often don't hear about. Ross Kauffman, who won an Academy Award for Born into Brothels, shot this emotionally-rich film. If you haven’t heard about the film yet, you will certainly hear about it soon.

Along with the movie-watching we hope you’ll do, check out the yummy recipes for Cauliflower-Paneer Pitas and a South Asian Salad.

And swimsuit season is on! Our Desi Diva lets you know what’s “in” this season and provides a new swimsuit option for Muslim women.

Finally, this month our Love and Sex expert meets someone who cannot afford to attend her best friend’s destination wedding and talks to someone else who doesn’t know how to approach his partner to ask if she wants children.

Sincerely,

Navdeep Kathuria
Editor-in-Chief, ABCDlady

P.S. ABCDlady is an award-winning magazine! Learn about our recent award from the South Asian Journalism Association.

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