Real Talk: Unfiltered

Katherine catches up with stand-up comedian, writer, and producer Pallavi Gunalan to talk about her leap of faith towards comedy. Originally studying to become a biomedical engineer, Pallavi got her first exposure into comedy through improv and quickly became obsessed with all of it. They talk about the parasocial relationship between a performer and its fan, typical beauty standards, and marrying comedy and politics with her show, City Counsel. 

You can follow all of Pallavi’s work here: https://www.pallavigunalan.com/

Maria Kanaka Luna (she/her/they/them) was sentenced to prison in 1995 under a life sentence but released 23 years later. She talks about her new path in life, honoring and advocating for Pacific Islander rights while challenging some traditions that are within her community. She shares the years she lost with her own daughter and niece, but is now working to build those relationships. 

To learn more about Maria Kanaka Luna’s case, visit: https://www.change.org/p/pardon-kanaka

Nghiep Lam, a member of APSC (Asian Prisoner Support Committee), shares his story of reintegrating into civilian life after spending 20 years incarcerated. He reveals the inadequacies and troubles of the prisoner pipeline system. As a result, he now advocates for his community, committing to help other incarcerated API folks learn about their culture and history. 

To learn more about the APSC 4 Action Tool Kit, visit bit.ly/apsc.

VH1 senior social media manager, producer, and Indo-Caribbean beauty influencer Sarita Nauth shares her journey of embracing her culture and trying to find belonging. As a beauty influencer, Sarita has navigated and had to break industry glass ceilings. Also, as someone who’s been in media and entertainment during pre-social media days, she talks about how it’s shifted and evolved when it comes to POC representation.