When I met my next guest for the first time after getting to know her on social media, I felt like I’d known her forever. Akruti Babaria is the founder of Kulture Khazana which is dedicated to sharing Indian culture with children through educational and play activities. Her story began in 2018 after the birth of her son, Ayaan. When Akruti realized that the diverse places she has lived in had no sign of her culture or community, she decided to do something about itNow through Kulture Khazana, Akruti shares with children around the US all the things she wanted to teach Ayaan about South Asian culture and all of its beautiful treasures.. She makes incredible Indian toys and Diwali gifts as well as games, puzzles and online story albums.  Kulture. She is a natural storyteller so she has storytimes that explain traditional Indian festivals like  Holi and Navratri.  Thanks to Akruti, Kulture Khazana is now the first Indian cultural toy brand founded in target.com and nordstrom.com, and it’s going to be launching with another big brand.As a mother of two little girls who is trying to share our culture as much as possible . I could not recommend checking out Kulture Khazana more. Akruti really is one of the good ones.  What we talked about:Going full force for Holi: Akruti talks about the upcoming launch at Macy + her new products that make Holi safe and fun + her most popular product (02:52) The Story of Kulture Khazana:  Akruti shares her original journey to normalize Indian culture through stories  + the challenge of COVID + the diversity of products and sensory experiences in Kulture Khazana Personal Highlights: Akruti shares her pride in talking to her son’s school for Diwali + her new school district campaign to expand South Asian culture to all classrooms. (19:31)Lessons from Akruti’s Journey:  People are willing to help +  Not letting “no” ruin your larger purpose is the key to peace of mind  (23:27)Growing up Brown in School: Akruti opens up about being treated differently for being Indian + how it became the impetus to help Indian girls find their voice (27:18) Women in Indian Culture:   Challenging the subservient view of women in traditional Indian stories. (34:15)What Next? Akruti gives the lowdown on her upcoming projects (39:08) Rapid fire questions (40:10) Connect with Akruti:Kulture KhazanaLinkedinInstagram Let’s Connect:Instagram This podcast is produced by Ginni Media