Sakura, Sikhi & Strength
Welcome to Sakura, Sikhi & Strength - a podcast about finding strength in the space between cultures and thriving through life's constant changes. I'm Asees Sethi Anand, your host, and as someone born in Japan, raised in Los Angeles, educated globally and now living in New York City, I understand what it means to navigate life between worlds. This podcast is for anyone building careers, starting families, caring for loved ones, and writing their own definition of success - all while honoring the beautiful complexity of multicultural identity. Whether you're a third-culture kid, second-generation immigrant, or simply someone who feels caught between cultures, this show is your space to feel seen, understood, and empowered. Join me for honest conversations about resilience, growth, and finding your strength in the spaces that make you uniquely you.
New episodes coming weekly. Subscribe now so you don't miss a single story.
Connect with me:
Instagram: @sakurasikhistrength
Email: hello@sakurasikhistrength.com
Episodes
15 episodes
Episode 13: Season 1 Reflections & Finding the Glimmers
As Season 1 of Sakura, Sikhi & Strength concludes, I'm reflecting on the journey from feeling displaced between cultures to discovering that these "in-between spaces" are actually where I found my greatest strength. This finale episode conn...
Episode 12: Beyond the Diagnosis - Playing the Long Game with MS
After 15 years of privacy, I'm sharing something deeply personal - my journey with multiple sclerosis. At 26, five months into marriage everything changed with a diagnosis that would reshape how I understood strength, planning, and what it mean...
Episode 11: Unlearning the Performance Trap - The Power of Giving Yourself Grace
When was the last time you gave yourself the same compassion you'd give your best friend? In this deeply personal episode, I explore the transformative power of unlearning the performance trap that keeps us believing our worth must be constantl...
Episode 10: Climbing Trees and Building Character - Life Lessons from my Nanima
In this deeply personal episode, I sit down with my maternal grandmother, Veena Singh (Nanima), for an intimate conversation spanning 84+ years of wisdom, resilience, and unwavering faith.Born in what was then part of India, Nanima's ear...
Episode 9 (Part 2): Seeds of Faith - Growing up Sikh and Gurbani Wisdom with Inderpreet Singh
In Part 2 of this enlightening series, technology leader and Sikh scholar Inderpreet Singh shares what Gurbani (Sikh scriptures) actually teaches about building resilience, maintaining optimism, and finding strength through life's inevitable ch...
Episode 9 (Part 1): Seeds of Faith - Growing up Sikh and Gurbani Wisdom with Inderpreet Singh
In Part 1 of this two-part series, I speak with Inderpreet Singh, a technology leader and Sikh scholar whose multicultural journey beautifully illustrates how faith evolves across cultures and continents.Born in Delhi but raised across J...
Episode 8: Smart vs Wise - Why Intelligence Isn't Enough
Smart vs Wise: Why Intelligence Isn't EnoughWe celebrate degrees, test scores, and credentials - but what about wisdom? In this introspective episode, I share vulnerable stories about my real estate career journey to explore the c...
Episode 7: Growing Up Global - A Third Culture Kid's Perspective with Gia Kiteishvili
What does it look like to grow up as a third culture kid in today's world? In this refreshing conversation, Asees sits down with 11-year-old Gia Kiteishvili, a half-Korean, half-Georgian young student growing up in New York City, to explore ide...
Episode 6: Living Fearlessly - Middle School Identity & Resilience with Antoinette Aku Quarshie
What does it mean to navigate identity when your childhood spans continents and cultures? In this profound conversation, Asees sits down with Antoinette Aku Quarshie, Dean of Students at a New York Independent School, who brings over 30 years o...
Episode 5: From Nice to Confident Kindness
What's the difference between being nice and being kind? In this deeply personal episode, Asees shares why understanding this distinction completely transformed how she shows up in relationships – and why it might save your sanity too.Th...
Episode 4: Finding People Like Us - A 20-Year Third Culture Friendship
What happens when three young women from different corners of the world meet in Paris and discover they finally understand each other? In this heartwarming conversation, Asees reconnects with her dearest friends Annick and Maureen – a friendshi...
Episode 3: The Neither Nor World - Exploring Third Culture Kid Identity with Ruth Van Reken
What does it mean to grow up in a "neither nor world"—belonging everywhere and nowhere at once? In this illuminating conversation, Asees sits down with Ruth Van Reken, co-author of the groundbreaking book "Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among W...
Episode 2: Anchor Friendships with Fluid Homes - A conversation with Aarti Virani
What happens when your identity spans continents and cultures? In this deeply personal conversation, host Asees sits down with accomplished journalist and writer Aarti Virani to explore the beautiful complexity of being second-generation and th...
Episode 1: From Kobe to Manhattan
Welcome to the very first episode of "Sakura, Sikhi & Strength"! I'm Asees, and I'm sharing the story behind this podcast and my unique journey as a third-culture kid and second-generation immigrant.In this episode, yo...
Sakura, Sikhi & Strength - Trailer
Welcome to Sakura, Sikhi & Strength - a podcast about finding strength in the space between cultures and thriving through life's constant changes. I'm Asees Sethi Anand, your host, and as someone born in Japan, raised in Los Angeles, and no...
