When we launched Ary + Maan’s Culture & Connection Series, our goal was simple: to create space for honest conversations about what it really looks like to honor our roots while raising the next generation. In this episode, we had the joy of sitting down with Ami, a Gujarati-American mom, wife, lawyer, and daughter of immigrants—who's navigating the ever-evolving beauty (and challenge) of raising multicultural children in a modern, interfaith home.
Her reflections on identity, intentionality, and “doing the why-work” behind culture left us deeply inspired—and we think you’ll feel the same.
A Childhood Rooted in Gujarati Community
Ami grew up in Texas, raised by two immigrant parents from Gujarat who helped establish one of the early Indian communities in the Fort Worth-Dallas area. Her mom even ran a folk dance school, where culture was passed down in rhythm and movement, and where community wasn’t just a value—it was a way of life.
Now, as a mother herself, Ami’s perspective on culture has expanded. Not only does she want to preserve her heritage, but she also wants to make space for her husband’s background (he’s white American) and give her kids the freedom to choose what resonates most.
“It’s not about competing traditions. It’s about blending, listening, and doing what actually makes sense for our family right now.”
Rewriting Traditions with Intention (and Realism)
Like many of us raising little ones, Ami knows what it feels like to want to do it all—and also know you just can’t. Between Navratri, Diwali, Christmas, birthdays, and New Year’s, fall and winter can feel like a nonstop celebration marathon. But instead of giving into the pressure to “do it all,” Ami and her husband have gotten intentional.
Sometimes that means cooking a dish that mashes up both cultures (think: Thanksgiving sides with Indian spices). Other times it means simply acknowledging a holiday without forcing a six-hour puja on their toddlers. And often, it means letting their three-year-old wear his favorite Diwali pajamas on regular days—because why not celebrate everyday joy?
“Your kids can feel connection without obligation. They don’t have to sit through something just because we did.”
Culture Isn’t Performed—It’s Lived
Ami shared one moment that felt especially powerful: her son, proudly wearing his Ary + Maan pajamas for pajama day at school, explaining the meaning of the little diyas on his print. It wasn’t a special occasion. It wasn’t Diwali. But it was culture—alive, visible, and proudly worn.
“It was representation that felt organic. Indian design in a Western context. It didn’t have to be one or the other.”
This is exactly why Ary + Maan exists: to help families express culture comfortably, joyfully, and often—without needing a holiday or permission.
What Culture Looks Like Now (and What It Could Be)
For Ami, food has become one of the most meaningful ways to pass down culture—because it’s hands-on, sensory, and deeply rooted in both history and love. In her home, recipes evolve, spices blend, and dinner becomes a place where two cultures don’t compete—they collaborate.
She also touched on another under-discussed topic: the why behind traditions. After marrying someone outside her religion, Ami found herself doing deeper research, questioning rituals, and asking whether certain practices still felt meaningful.
“We’re not just repeating what our parents did. We’re reclaiming it—and deciding what we actually want to carry forward.”
On Being Seen, Fully
Perhaps the most beautiful thread throughout our conversation was the idea of visibility—not just in fashion, food, or festivals, but in being your full, authentic self. Ami reminded us that you don’t have to pick sides. You don’t have to shrink parts of yourself to fit into one cultural box.
You can be both. And more.
And you can raise kids who feel that freedom, too.
Why This Story Matters
At Ary + Maan, we design pajamas, yes—but really, we create pathways for culture to be lived, worn, and celebrated in everyday life. Ami’s story is one of resilience, creativity, and cultural joy—a reminder that honoring your heritage isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence, choice, and authenticity.
📺 Watch the full interview on YouTube
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