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You don't become what you want, you become what you believe.

-Oprah Winfrey

Shreya speaking on mental health panel – USC Wallis Annenberg Hall 2022
Ad Council •

Caleb Williams Talks Mental Health | Seize the Awkward

Star USC quarterback Caleb Williams partners with the Seize the Awkward campaign to encourage young people to check in with their peers and have open conversations about mental health. Co-directed by Shreya Ranganathan. This student-produced PSA is a collaboration between the Ad Council, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, The Jed Foundation, Caleb Cares Foundation, and the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Williams shares that he hopes everyone sees “the importance of supporting your friends and what a huge difference that can make in someone’s life.”

For resources and conversation starters to talk with friends about mental health visit SeizeTheAwkward.org and follow @SeizeTheAwkward on Instagram.

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Daily Trojan •

Golden money maker — I mean, milk latte

Parched on a cold day, I stumbled into a local New York City coffee shop. That’s when I spotted a gleaming drink, the soon-to-be bane of my existence. The words “Best Seller,” draped over the cup captured my gaze instantly. I kept reading — I wish I hadn’t. Agave, oat milk and (dun dun dun!) turmeric.

Oh, turmeric. A dear friend that has lived in my grandmother’s anjarai petti, or spice box, since childhood was now sitting on a throne next to good old pumpkin spice like, “You prayed on my downf
Annenberg Media •

Kal Penn tries on several hats in life — and looks good in them, too

Above all, Kal Penn hopes that you laugh.

This single goal has molded his career, from playing the Tin Man in his eighth grade musical, “The Wiz,” to starring as one half of the lovable duo in the hit comedy “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.” Now, it has guided him onward to his next venture: Writing a hilarious, yet tender memoir sharing some of his most memorable experiences as a multihyphenate.

Penn brought his energy to the L.A. Times Festival of Books stage, where lines of people stoo
Annenberg Media •

Chef Jet Tila shares more than just food at the L.A. Times Festival of Books

Jet Tila makes you hungry just speaking to him—for the 101 Thai-inspired dishes in his new cookbook, yes, but for more than just food. His words make you hungry for an answer to where his love for Thai cuisine stems from, hungry for a menu of his nonlinear pathway to education, hungry for how it all shaped him, but most of all hungry for his insights on Southeast Asian representation in media.

Tila’s first-generation immigrant family had a special role in carving a space for Thai culture and tr
Annenberg Media •

Decolonizing yoga in the West

“Yoga is a discipline that opens the door to inner freedom.” -Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Growing up in California, I often felt uneasy in yoga studios that had white, fit instructors guiding us all through elaborate poses while distorting the word “Ohm.” It was as if this chance to align my body and spirit required an open mind and, more importantly, an open wallet. My limited knowledge of yoga at the time made me see the entire process as a simple trend representing a small group of people t

Watch this!

I co-directed a nationwide mental health PSA with USC Quarterback Caleb Williams, AdCouncil, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and JED! The PSA aired on ESPN and was covered by news outlets such as Bleacher Report, USA Today,  USC Annenberg Media and more. The goal: erase the stigma surrounding mental health conversations among students. Instead, we  Seize the Awkward! Check it out!

Mental Health Panel and PSA Premiere

About Shreya 

Shreya is a proud South Asian American multimedia journalist,  director and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, CA. She is interested in mental health storytelling within the arts, culture and wellness spaces. Diversity, equity and inclusion continue to be her compass. She has experience in short and long-form print, audio and visual scripted and unscripted narratives. Her mission: uplift the stories of underrepresented communities and help more individuals heal by finding the “me” in media.