The Magic and Mystery of a Multicultural and Multiracial Society

Racial and ethnic groups, once separated by legal barriers, are now uniting, leading to a growing multicultural and multiracial population. With the changing demographics, mixed marriages have become increasingly common, between all races and ethnic groups.
Within the South Asian community, these effects are evident through an unprecedented rise in interracial marriages with other communities, including Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, East Asians, Middle Easterners, Native Americans, and others.
In Mixed Desis: Stories of Multiracial South Asians, co-authors Punita Khanna and her son, Rahul Yates, describe the history and evolution of this demographic transformation. Through the voices of over sixty individuals, ranging from teenagers to those in their 70s, the book offers heartwarming and reflective narratives about their lived experiences outside of mainstream communities.
Mixed Desis is a rich compilation that captures the magic, mystery, self-discovery, and sense of belonging experienced by the often overlooked interracial and multiracial populations. These stories illuminate the vibrant tapestry of human connections that transcend conventional racial and ethnic groups.
Punita will share the emergent themes from the stories of these trailblazers on their resilience and strength in pursuit of love and acceptance, as well as the challenges of identity and othering faced by these individuals.
About our speaker:
Punita Khanna is an author, patient advocate and healthcare executive. Punita’s multicultural family represents today’s mainstream America. In marrying outside of her South Asian community, Punita and her husband, John, belong to an increasing group of individuals who are in an interracial marriage. While raising her son, she sought to provide him with a solid foundation of both the Indian and American cultures. This desire led her to search for a multicultural South Asian community. When unable to find one, Punita and Rahul embarked on their own exploration of identity and belonging. Mixed Desis: Stories of Multiracial South Asians is a culmination of these efforts.
Punita has a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree from the University of Chicago and an MBA from UCLA. She and her husband reside in Los Angeles. Their son is a student at Harvard College.
Presented in partnership with Indian Americans of Lexington (IAL).
This program is made possible by the generous donors to the Cary Library Foundation.