Black and Asian Love: Mental Health, Racism, and Resilience

BlindianProject Named as Emerging Voice in Psychology Today

In April 2022, Psychology Today featured my work on Black and Asian relationships — conversations often missing from mainstream narratives about love, culture, and mental health.

From Black and Indian Roots to a Global Dialogue

The interview traced how the BlindianProject began: from my Ugandan-American roots, to meeting my Telugu wife in Dublin, to realizing how rare it was to see couples like us represented. The “Black and Indian” foundation quickly expanded into a much wider mission — building spaces where Black and South Asian couples could share their stories without fear, shame, or isolation.

The Mental Health Toll of Black and Asian Relationships

We spoke about the real challenges these couples face. For many South Asians, simply introducing a Black partner to their family can bring anxiety, conflict, or even estrangement. These moments reveal deeper layers of institutional racism, colorism, and colonial inheritance. And while every story is different, the mental health toll is real — from depression to the double lives some people lead to maintain family approval.

Beyond Romance: Black and Asian Solidarity

At its heart, the BlindianProject is more than a relationship platform. It’s a living archive of Black and Asian connection — from intimate love stories to shared political struggles. We’ve hosted workshops for universities and corporations, explored parallels between anti-Blackness and caste, and highlighted untold histories across the African and South Asian worlds.

Share Your Story

As I told Psychology Today, visibility matters. Safe spaces matter. And naming the forces that keep us apart is the first step in dismantling them.

If you’ve lived these connections, I’d love to hear your story. Share it with us, explore our BlindianProject Histories archive, or follow our ongoing work on Substack. Together, we’re building the next chapter.

Jonah Batambuze is a, Ugandan-American interdisciplinary artist and founder of the BlindianProject, a global platform remixing Black x Brown identity through art, history, and storytelling. His work moves across installation, film, writing, and education—challenging systems of erasure while building new cultural blueprints.

Batambuze speaks and facilitates internationally on topics including Black South Asian solidarity, caste and colonial legacies, diasporic memory, and cultural resistance.

For speaking engagements, workshops, or media inquiries, contact: jonah@blindian-project.com or visit jonahbatambuze.com/speaking.