This interview is with Van Govind, a pharmacy school student in Houston, Texas who was born in the Texas Valley and later moved to San Antonio, TX with their family following the 2008 recession. They describe the events and institutions that shaped their perception of community and self. They explain how their family navigated culture and community growing up since neither of Van’s parents were born in India. Van discusses their connection to Hinduism and how developing an academic understanding of modern day India helped them navigate their queer identity.