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Our guest is Varuni Sinha, a New York-based writer and multimedia producer, who has spent years sharing the untold stories of immigrants through her work. Her memoir, Golden Handcuffs, is a powerful account of the silent struggles that South Asian women, like herself, face as immigrants in America—an experience often overshadowed in mainstream discussions.

Varuni’s story is a stark reminder of the real-life challenges, from the oppressive immigration laws to daily microaggressions, that hold many immigrants back in a society that paradoxically relies on their contributions. Whether it’s the isolation that impacts mental health, the constant feeling of being othered, or the restrictions on work and rights, her experiences resonate with the struggles of countless immigrants trying to find their footing in a place that isn’t always welcoming.

Today, we’ll be diving into some key topics that Varuni is passionate about—mental health in the face of isolation, what it really means to leave behind everything for a new life, and how the political and social landscape in the U.S. affects immigrants in both overt and insidious ways.

We’ll also explore how these issues intersect with broader societal problems like labour shortages, economic inequality, and even political identity. This conversation won’t be the typical left or right debate—today, we’re stripping away the politics to focus on the real stories behind the headlines.

So, whether you’re an immigrant yourself, someone connected to the immigrant experience, or just curious about the stories that don’t make it into the mainstream, this episode is for you.

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