Model Minority Myth: How South Asian ‘Success’ Is Hiding Our Mental Health Crisis

Look at the Indians, look at what they’re doing…”
We’ve all heard some version of this — South Asians framed as the “model minority”: wealthy, high-achieving, and problem-free. But behind the stereotype is a much more complicated reality that deeply affects mental health, identity, and belonging.
In this powerful conversation, Dr. Payal Beri sits down with Dr. Shanta, a psychologist and social impact advocate, to unpack the layers underneath South Asian “success”:
The pressure to be perfect
The silence around abuse, depression, and substance use
Colorism, dating rules, and “no Black, no [insert your own group]”
White adjacency, colonization, and why so many of us chase proximity to whiteness for safety
They also explore the often-erased stories of Caribbean, African, and working-class South Asians — cab drivers, domestic workers, families living paycheck to paycheck — and how leaving them out of the narrative deepens shame, classism, and disconnection inside our own community.
If you’ve ever felt like you don’t fit the “perfect South Asian family” image, or you’ve struggled to hold your pride in your culture alongside pain, secrecy, or intergenerational trauma — this episode is for you.
🔍 In This Episode, We Talk About:
What the model minority myth really is and how it harms all communities
How South Asian “success” is built on selective visibility and class privilege
Denial around domestic violence, substance use, and mental health in desi families
Colorism, dating rules, and why “no Black / no [X]” shows up in our homes
How colonization created a deep craving for white adjacency and external validation
The erased histories of Caribbean, African, and working-class South Asians
The illusion of safety in whiteness and the cost of chasing it
What real solidarity, self-reflection, and collective liberation could look like
This conversation centers South Asians, but the questions apply to every community:
How do we talk honestly about our wounds, privilege, and internalized bias — without losing love for our people?
⏱️ Timestamps / Chapters
00:00 – “Look at the Indians…”: success stereotypes & pressure
01:37 – Show intro: Reframing Perspectives with Dr. Payal Beri
02:11 – The South Asian “success story” & introducing Dr. Shanta
03:17 – What is the model minority myth really about?
05:24 – Who actually got to immigrate: class, English, & proximity to whiteness
06:54 – “You people are so competitive”: stereotypes between minority groups
08:05 – Implicit pressure to become the “right” kind of successful
09:34 – Choosing psychology over STEM & expanding what “success” can mean
11:13 – The myth of the “perfect South Asian family” & denial of dysfunction
13:03 – Substance use, alcohol, and deep cultural denial
17:08 – Colonization, white adjacency & holding two truths about our cultures
20:20 – South Asian success on the backs of other marginalized communities
22:26 – Colorism, Bollywood, and who gets to be seen as beautiful
23:35 – Dating rules, “no Hindus / no Black,” and internalized anti-Blackness
25:16 – Brown communities as chess pieces in racial hierarchy & politics
27:56 – Younger generations, third-culture kids & identity in the U.S.
30:11 – Caribbean & African Indians: erased histories and class shame
32:12 – Broadening who “counts” as South Asian inside our own community
35:23 – ICE raids in Chicago & the illusion of safety in whiteness
37:54 – Solidarity at the school gates: the best of humanity
38:38 – Reframing South Asian success toward collective liberation
40:19 – Media, fear, and “do what you can safely — but don’t do nothing”
41:24 – Where to find Dr. Shantha & invitation to keep doing the work

Connect with Dr. Payal Beri:
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/dr.payalberi
🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@payalberi?su...
🌐 RK Empathy: rkempathy.com
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/payalberi
🎤 Book a Talk: payalberi.com

🎙 Podcast by MicMoguls.com
With Shanta N. Kanukollu, Ph.D. Who is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and has over a decade of clinical experience working with clients of diverse backgrounds in the forensic and medical settings. She has also taught courses related to diversity and gender at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and Northwestern University. Shanta was a recipient of the Minority Fellowship Award during her graduate career at The University of Michigan, where she obtained her doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Women’s Studies. She currently has her own private practice in downtown Chicago where she provides psychotherapy to adults from diverse backgrounds. Shanta provides education and outreach regarding mental health outcomes in ethnic minority communities through her writing and professional speaking engagements across the country. She is an educator of patients through her clinical work and to the larger community through her Instagram account (@snk_therapy).