What does friendship really look like when you’re navigating life as a British Asian?

In this episode, we dive into the reality of British Asian friendships - from feeling too western in some spaces to too eastern in others, and how that impacts the way we connect with people.

We explore the unspoken side of South Asian identity, including the challenges of building cross-cultural friendships, balancing expectations, and figuring out where you truly belong.

You’ll hear an honest discussion on:

• Navigating friendships across different cultures
• The impact of British Asian identity on relationships
• Feeling caught between eastern and western values
• Who we open up to more - friends or family
• Why belonging isn’t always straightforward

This is a real conversation about identity, culture, and connection — and one that many in the British Asian community will relate to.

Listen now and be part of the conversation

We’d love to hear your thoughts:

Do you find it easier to connect with people from similar backgrounds, or different cultures?

This episode of The Cultural Barrier Podcast, is sponsored by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and we are joined by Helen Winter for an eye-opening conversation on health inequalities and the urgent need for more inclusive research.

We explore a critical issue that often goes unnoticed - many medical treatments and drugs have historically been tested on limited populations, with ethnically diverse communities underrepresented. This raises important questions about how accurate, effective, and equitable healthcare outcomes truly are.

The conversation also reflects on the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on ethnic minority communities, highlighting deeper systemic challenges around trust, access, and representation in healthcare.

Together, we unpack:

• Why diverse participation in research is essential
• The barriers preventing communities from getting involved
• How cultural understanding can improve engagement
• What NIHR are doing to help connect with ethnically diverse communities

This episode is a powerful reminder that improving health outcomes starts with inclusion, representation, and a willingness to do better.

Subscribe for more conversations on cultural barriers, identity, and creating meaningful change within our communities.

In this powerful episode of the Changing Suits Podcast, we’re joined by Southall Black Sisters, a pioneering organisation that has spent decades supporting Black and minoritised women experiencing domestic abuse, violence, and systemic injustice.

Together, we have an honest conversation about honour-based violence, domestic abuse, and the cultural stigma that often silences survivors. We also explore the complex challenges faced by migrant women who may be too afraid to report abuse due to fears that authorities could share their information with immigration enforcement, putting them at risk of detention or deportation.

Southall Black Sisters are campaigning for a “firewall” between the police and immigration authorities to ensure that survivors can seek protection without fear.

This episode sheds light on why many cases go unreported and why systemic change is needed to protect vulnerable women.

In this episode we discuss:

• Honour-based abuse and honour killings
• Domestic violence in minoritised communities
• Cultural stigma and barriers to reporting abuse
• The fear migrant women face when contacting authorities
• The campaign for a data “firewall” to protect survivors

This is one of our most important conversations yet, raising awareness about issues that too often remain hidden.

#ChangingSuitsPodcast #SouthallBlackSisters #HonourBasedViolence #DomesticAbuseAwareness #EndViolenceAgainstWomen #MigrantWomen #BreakingTheSilence #DomesticViolenceAwareness #ImmigrantRights #AdvocacyForWomen #CommunityVoices #SocialJustice