https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l en-us 2022-06-29 03:25:12 UTC 2026-01-06 16:22:35 UTC hello@padlet.com kavyariedman https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2233032526 Although I have grown up in Anchorage, Alaska, much of my cultural upbringing I credit to Fairbanks. Most of my family live in Fairbanks, including my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and long-held family friends. Specifically I associate Fairbanks with the Indian side of my family. This is where my grandfather and grandmother immigrated to from India. It is where they created a community of Indians in the most unlikely place. It is where I learned my heritage and culture. ]]> 2022-06-29 03:38:04 UTC https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2233032526 kavyariedman https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2233045513 Above was a picture from my grandparent's 60th anniversary party. There were multiple traditional dances, songs, performances, and an abundance of Indian food. The event held four generations of Indian families and friends hailing from across the globe. One of the most frequent things I saw growing up, was the importance of get-togethers. They served a social environment for multiple generations to interact and learn from one another, while also reflecting on previously acknowledged wisdoms. During these parties, children learned how to sit and listen while planning the talking point they had. At the dinner tables, we were learned how to reflect on the subject, form an argument, and come up with reasoning extremely quickly. We all wanted our voices heard, so to make people listen we had to be prepared. As we grew we became more confident and were able to share more important thoughts and teach those above us. A lot of our families know things a certain way, but it was our job to educate them, and we did that in the ways we were all taught. Through discussion and debate. ]]> 2022-06-29 03:55:44 UTC https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2233045513 kavyariedman https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2233076200 Alaska was a huge shift from India already, but Fairbanks is biggest northern Alaskan city. This means that Fairbanks has long, extremely cold winters. When my grandparents and my mom's family first immigrated, their first winters held -80 degree temperatures. This extreme shift in climate shifted how the family did almost everything. Where my mom and her siblings were able to walk to school in India, they now had to rely on transportation. My grandfather had to learn how to drive in the snow and ice to get to work, and change how he delegated time. My grandfather was a social worker and focused on alcoholism and drug abuse in native Alaskan and homeless communities. The climate and shape of the state heavily influenced his work. He had to account for how long winters and the lack of proximity to larger communities influenced substance abuse in those communities. So not only did he and his family have to adapt on a personal level, he had to constantly adapt to the environment in his professional life as well. ]]> 2022-06-29 04:41:52 UTC https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2233076200 kavyariedman https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2233076749 2022-06-29 04:42:51 UTC https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2233076749 kavyariedman https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2235912267 A Shrine for what makes up Fairbanks for all. It includes several picnic areas, games, a restaurant, a few small museums, live music and more. It is a fun and interactive way to learn about the community as it was and continues to be. My uncle often plays music with his band here during the summers, and I would walk around the park with my family whenever I would go to visit. My family would tell me about the first time they came here. How it seemed like an amusement park and they were in awe. Every generation of my Indian family has walked through this park. We have all played mini golf here, taken the train, walked through all the museums, because it was important for us to learn about the city that took us in.]]> 2022-07-03 17:12:19 UTC https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2235912267 kavyariedman https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2235912486 2022-07-03 17:13:24 UTC https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2235912486 kavyariedman https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2235913883 2022-07-03 17:15:49 UTC https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2235913883 kavyariedman https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2235914891 2022-07-03 17:17:59 UTC https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2235914891 kavyariedman https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2280326324 One of pillars of growing up in Fairbanks and being part of the large Indian community was family. Most Indian families are large in quantity and are often found at all events. The family was the center of most social spheres I experienced growing up. My mom was extremely close to her family, and her parents were very close to their own families. I was taught the family was of the upmost importance socially. The family was supposed to be who you went back to in times of struggle, told your greatest accomplishments to first and should be your first priority. As I have grown up though, I have watched the rest of my Indian peers and family members drift farther away from central family idea. There is no longer an emphasis on telling your family things first, or for them to be the priority. However, the family still remains the backbone of our community. ]]> 2022-09-02 05:32:46 UTC https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2280326324 kavyariedman https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2280331854 2022-09-02 05:39:23 UTC https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2280331854 kavyariedman https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2280334903 2022-09-02 05:42:41 UTC https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2280334903 kavyariedman https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2280347297 2022-09-02 05:57:02 UTC https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2280347297 kavyariedman https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2280348996 2022-09-02 05:58:49 UTC https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2280348996 kavyariedman https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2280351371 2022-09-02 06:01:11 UTC https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2280351371 kavyariedman https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2280361547 2022-09-02 06:12:10 UTC https://padlet.com/kavyariedman/wsxq4pdm0h85pi6l/wish/2280361547