The Work of Becoming Us
42m | Sep 14, 2026In Episode 2 of Mixed, Khyati and John move from winning her parents’ reluctant acceptance to the complicated work of planning a wedding that could honor both of their families, cultures, and faiths. What should have been a celebration quickly becomes a series of encounters with racism, white privilege, and assumptions about whose traditions belong—encounters that stunned Khyati, John and her parents.
Khyati reflects on what it means to navigate a society where Christian traditions are often treated as the default while other religious practices must be explained and negotiated, and how you can have doors slammed in your face but still end up with your dream wedding.
Creator: Dr. Khyati Y. Joshi is a scholar-storyteller who bridges research, lived experience, and practical wisdom. She is a tenured, Full Professor in the School of Education at Fairleigh Dickinson University and the author of White Christian Privilege: The Illusion of Religious Equality in America (NYU Press, 2020) and several other books on race and religion in America.
Dr. Joshi is also part of a mixed marriage. Along with her husband John, they have raised their son to be Hindu and Christian; and to recognize, cherish, and embody his Indian and European heritages.
In this series, she blends scholarly expertise with her unique story, relaying the mistakes she’s made, the wisdom she’s gained, and the practical tips she can offer for cultivating mixed relationships and raising kids and adults to embrace their whole selves.
Find Dr. Joshi on Substack: https://khyatiyjoshi.substack.com/
Mixed was created by the Institute for Religion, Media, and Civic Engagement (IRMCE), in collaboration with the Asian Pacific American Religions Research Initiative (APARRI) through generous funding from the Henry Luce Foundation as part of the Under Gods project.
Executive Producer: Brad Onishi
Producer: Andrew Gill
Original Music, Scoring, and Engineering: Scott Okamoto
Story Editor: Leah Payne
Production Assistance: Kari Onishi
Cover Art: Jennifer Chen
