Voices of a Highway24 Mai 2023

Atlanta's First Indian Restaurant: An Immigrant Story ft. Aparna Bhattacharyya

In this episode, Aparna shares her family's immigrant story. Her family opened the first Indian restaurant in Atlanta back in the 70s, which became a hub for South Asian communities in the South. Aparna takes us with her on the journey of what it meant to grow up being South Asian in the 70s (going to school as a young girl in the South and understanding her identity while at UGA.) Through her memories about her father's community organizing and her work today, Aparna highlights the importance of uplifting different forms of community advocacy like creating gathering spaces, preparing food, and organizing celebrations. Finally she talks about intergenerational healing in her family through the advocacy work she does today.

Aparna has served as Executive Director of Raksha since 1998. She started her career as a victim advocate in the City of Atlanta and helped train and coordinate the 1996 Olympic Crisis Response team. Much of Aparna’s work is focused on crime victimization and gender-based violence in immigrant communities and providing training on the needs of underserved communities. She has been faculty for Georgia’s statewide Victim Assistance Academy since its inception in 2005. Over the years, she has been a part of creating organizations like Tapestri, Inc and International Women’s House to meet the needs of immigrant and refugee survivors in Georgia. In 2023, She was listed in the 500 Most Influential Leaders in the 2023 Atlanta 500 list by Atlanta Magazine and serves on the board for two national organizations- The Asian Institute on Gender-Based Violence and South Asian Survivors, Allies, and Organizations Rising.

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Episoder(74)

Coming Back: Art, Identity & Home on Buford Highway

Growing up as an immigrant on Buford Highway, Dr. Nova Mead found belonging through art. Now, as Fine Arts Department Chair at Cross Keys High School, she has returned to the same community to help th...

23 Jul 48min

What does it mean to build community, not just property?

In our latest episode of Voices of a Highway, Vasti Pichardo, property manager for Atlanta’s Chinatown, a historical part of the Buford Highway corridor, shares what it looks like to lead with people ...

31 Mar 30min

03: Food That Carries Us Home

David came to the U.S. from Thailand in 2004 to pursue graduate school. What he found along Buford Highway — access to familiar ingredients, vibrant food culture, and a sense of belonging — quietly sh...

21 Jan 46min

02: Feeding the Heart of Buford Highway

Carlo Gan, Kamayan ATLWhen Carlo and his wife Mia opened Kamayan ATL, they weren’t just bringing Filipino food to Atlanta. They were creating a space where culture, memory, and community could gather ...

5 Des 202545min

01: Brewing Belonging Josh Owh, Postern Coffee

Through the partnership of We Love Buford Highway and Open Table Community, Voices of a Highway returns to celebrate the people who make Atlanta’s most diverse corridor feel like home. Buford Highway ...

4 Nov 202530min

Identities and Belonging: Beyond Affordability ft. Delia Mendez-Valdez

In this episode we hear Delia Mendez-Valdez, We Love Buford Highway’s Program and Communications Coordinator. She shares her dreams and hopes for Buford Highway’s future, especially through the lens o...

7 Des 20236min

Identities & Belonging: We Build What We Don't Have Yet ft. Jonathan Peraza Campos

In this episode we bring back Jonathan Peraza, who has been a guest in this podcast before! Jonathan discusses his dreams for Buford Highway and how this vision is centered around building spaces that...

30 Nov 202314min

Identity & Belonging: Photography & Community ft. Victoria García

In this episode Victoria García shares her stories about belonging on Buford Highway through the artistic medium she practices, photography. As a designer, visual artist, and community lover living al...

22 Nov 202316min