Bridging the gap between tradition and modernity might not be as difficult as it seems

Have you ever been to a party where everyone seems to be having fun except for you? That's what it feels like to be a third-culture kid sometimes. You're the middle piece of the Venn diagram, constantly caught between two different worlds. Even then, you might be "too much" for one side and "too little" for another.

Harpriya Bajaj and Yashvi Shah, through their thesis project, tackle these feelings and exploring the unique challenges and wisdom of balancing traditional expectations with modern perspectives and opportunities as part of the South Asian diaspora, or desis as we are affectionately known. Their thesis project, titled Desi-Me, is a clever play on words that encapsulates the campaign's mission to inspire pride in their roots and share its timeless beauty.

How did this project come to be?

When we first received our thesis brief, we panicked. How were we supposed to commit to one project for an entire year? All we knew was that it had to be something that felt personal, something that mattered. So, we asked ourselves: What sets us apart? That's when it all clicked: our desi identity. That constant in-between feeling we'd always talked about amongst friends, of growing up as third-culture kids, of navigating tradition and modernity on a daily basis.

Desi Me started as a thesis, but it quickly became something much more meaningful. This, combined with our passion for content creation, was the perfect opportunity to create a space to explore, celebrate, and reclaim our identities and who we truly are.

What inspired your everyday content like "this or that" and "your fave Bollywood movie says..."?

As integrated media students, we're always tuned into what works and what feels real not only from a marketer's perspective but from the user too. We wanted our content to be fun, nostalgic, and above all, deeply relatable. One of the goals we had in mind was to let people take control of their own narrative: answering questions, sharing stories, and knowing there are other people like us out there. So, we tried to base our platform on building deeper connections and finding entertaining and personal ways to connect with our viewers.

How did the community respond?

The responses were one of the best parts of the whole journey. Our podcast snippets tackled real things, things that mattered to us and our community. Some of our topics included family pressure, language loss, weddings, and identity. To our surprise, people really opened up. We had really created a community where people felt safe to share their experiences.

At first, it was scary to put our unfiltered thoughts out there but the reactions were so positive. It was incredibly rewarding. Turns out, saying what we all feel but are too afraid to talk about? It's powerful. Many people have approached us, saying, "We have also experienced this."

What was your thesis exhibition at House Samyan like?

It honestly felt surreal. We spent months online working on our thesis, so to bring Desi Me into the real world felt incredible. We designed our booth to spark a genuine connection with a conversational card game. The card game had two decks to initiate conversation between the people who came to our booth. It surprised us that so many people, both desi and non-desi, related to these topics. To us, it proved how universal these "in-between" feelings really are.

Non-desis were eager to learn and indulge in our culture, try out the snacks, and understand our community. It was really refreshing to see! We left that day feeling like our message had landed.

What's next—for you and for Desi Me?

Harpriya: Through this project, and other experiences, I've come to realise how much I thrive in environments that centre around content creation and audience engagement. Desi Me reinforced my love for storytelling, ideation, and building meaningful connections through media. I'm excited to keep growing in the media and marketing space, particularly within fast-paced, creative industries like fashion and beauty. Ideally, I see myself working at an agency or in-house with a brand where I can contribute to bold, strategic campaigns that resonate with real people. But who knows where life will take me?

Yashvi: Desi Me has been a passion project and it really showed me how meaningful it is to share real stories and connect with people who relate. I'm planning to keep growing my own social media and hopefully turn content creation into a full-time thing. I love making content, especially around fashion and lifestyle, and it's something that just feels really natural to me. I want to keep building my personal brand, connecting with people, and just having fun while staying true to myself.

H & Y: In the long-term, we want Desi Me to be a safe space for desi youth navigating identity where they can feel seen, proud, and connected so we hope to expand beyond offline interactions and hopefully bring more events and interactions to the community we've built. Whether that's through collabs, workshops, or podcast snippets tackling more issues that affect the community.

In today's age of individuality crises, and the rise of "-core", Desi Me offers a beacon to young Thai-Indian youth struggling to coincide the different aspects of their upbringing. Growing up in a melting-pot of cultures, it often feels like your situation and background is unique, bu through Desi Me's platform, from their podcast snippets talking about code-switching accents, or the expectations placed on desi children to become thriving members of society, to current media trends voicing the thoughts and culture of the South Asian community, Harpriya and Yashvi show us that they-see you.

Follow Harpriya and Yashvi on Instagram: @desii.me