Technicultr

Margaret Fontana of ItalianAmericanGirl.com

Jessica Faye Carter — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:25:40 +0000

Margaret Fontana is on a mission. A first generation Italian-American, Fontana is the founder of ItalianAmericanGirl.com, and the founder and president of Italian-Americans in Social Media. She’s making good use of social technologies, using the tools to educate others about Italians by debunking myths and celebrating her culture. We caught up with Fontana and asked her about her new initiatives.

Technicultr: What is ItalianAmericanGirl.com?

Margaret Fontana: ItalianAmericanGirl.com is an Italian-American cultural site I created a few years ago to start expressing my experiences & point of view about growing up as a first generation Italian-American.

TCu: When did you launch the site and what kind of response have you received so far?

Fontana: The site launched September 2008 and the response from the Italian-American community was overwhelming. The site is heavily trafficked and I receive on large amount of feedback, emails and comments on the site and also on Facebook and Twitter.

TCu: Why do you think it’s important to have a site geared toward Italian-Americans?

Fontana: I believe its important to give the perspective of being Italian-American from a first generation Italian American. What I think is Italian-American is definitely not what a lot of Italian-Americans think is the norm [within our community]. I have strong opinions on the topic due to the large amount of negative press Italian-Americans receive today—including in mainstream media.

TCu: What types of resources or services does your site provide?

Fontana: The Italian-American Girl site provides and endless amount of cultural, educational, mainstream trending and community resources. My goal for the site was to provide an umbrella of information from all the Italian-American resources available but I wanted to focus and filter the correct information.

TCu: What are some examples of Italian or Italian-American traditions that you have (or plan to) feature on the site?

Fontana: Growing up as a first generation Italian-American keeps me closely tied to my cultural traditions, we’ve featured videos and articles where we discuss the process of producing your own wine or home made sauce. (Yes, I said sauce.) But along with actually talking about the traditions and process, I like to delve deeper into the meaning of what that tradition means to me. I always say, “What 35 year old do you know who gives up a Saturday night to make this year’s batch of tomato sauce?” I do, it’s a part of my life and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

TCu: What are some of your future plans?

Fontana: The future of the Italian-American Girl site is expanding where our audience will begin to see more video and educational content. I’m extremely focused on taking the site to another level which will include television & mainstream media outlets.

Should Social Networking Sites Collect Ethnic Information?

Jessica Faye Carter — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:13:44 +0000

COMMENTATORS

Don’t Ignore Race

Mikhail Lyubansky, Ph.D, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

A Risky Strategy

Detavio Samuels, GlobalHue

Assuming Ethnicity

Jessie Daniels, Ph.D, Hunter College

Checking the Box

Midy Aponte, The Sánchez Ricardo Agency

Culture Abroad

Cindy King, Cross-Cultural Marketer

Interested in sharing your expertise? Contact us.

This is our first Expert Roundtable, where we invite scholars and professionals to share their opinions on issues related to culture and technology.

We’re fast approaching the conclusion of the 2010 U.S. Census and public and private institutions alike are waiting expectantly to see the level of growth that has occurred in the U.S. population generally, and in many cases with particular attention to the various multicultural populations in the U.S.

But in the land of social media most sites do not collect information on user ethnicity. MySpace is the only site that does collect demographic information from its users; Twitter collects none. In between are sites like Facebook and countless others that offer to collect some information about their users.

On one hand, the decision to collect information is one that is subject only to the founder’s wishes and applicable law. But at the same time, with increasing research on social media user demographics and online behavior, attempts to ascertain user ethnicity (without asking the users), and a burgeoning opportunity for companies and non-profit organizations to connect with hard-to-reach demographics, there is evidently interest in the data and certainly more at stake than simple identification.

We’ve asked five experts to weigh in on whether social networking sites should collect ethnic data. Their responses are below.

Don’t Ignore Race

Mikhail Lyubansky, Ph.D, is a clinical psychologist and lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. His blog for Psychology Today, Between the Lines, provides perspectives on race, culture, and community.

There’s a school of thought that the best strategy for dealing with the problem of racism is to stop paying attention to race. The argument is basically that by paying attention to race and racial dynamics, we perpetuate the construct of race itself, giving it legitimacy it does not deserve.

This argument is usually advanced by white neoconservatives, but this is not always the case, as evident in this interview with Morgan Freeman, who literally says that the answer to racism is that we have to “stop talking about it.”

Read the Rest of the Commentary

(to show/hide commentary, click on previous link)

Now, I’m a big Morgan Freeman fan, but on this particular issue, I couldn’t disagree with him more. I think we need to keep talking about race. If anything, we’re not talking about it enough, at least not about the things that really matter, like say educational inequities, health disparities, and our racially biased criminal justice system.

I’m hardly alone in this point of view. Here for example is an excerpt from the American Sociological Association’s official statement on this topic, titled The Importance of Collecting Data and Doing Social Scientific Research on Race:

Some scientists and policymakers now contend that research using the concept of race perpetuates the negative consequences of thinking in racial terms. Others argue that measuring differential experiences, treatment, and outcomes across racial categories is necessary to track disparities and to inform policymaking to achieve greater social justice.

The American Sociological Association (ASA), an association of some 13,000 U.S. and international sociologists, finds greater merit in the latter point of view. Sociological scholarship on “race” provides scientific evidence in the current scientific and civic debate over the social consequences of the existing categorizations and perceptions of race; allows scholars to document how race shapes social ranking, access to resources, and life experiences; and advances understanding of this important dimension of social life, which in turn advances social justice. Refusing to acknowledge the fact of racial classification, feelings, and actions, and refusing to measure their consequences will not eliminate racial inequalities. At best, it will preserve the status quo.

The ASA statement pretty much sums it enough for me. Since when has ignoring a social problem made it go away? Is there even one historical example of social change that was achieved, not by activism and struggle but by pretending the problem wasn’t there?

To be sure, it is unlikely that we will ever associate Facebook, Twiiter, and Linkedin with racially progressive scholarship, but having these data available to social scientists would allow large-scale modeling of a variety of different online behaviors, including social networks. As just one example, access to racial data would allow social scientists to better understand what contributes to racial segregation and, in turn, better understand the factors that might predispose racial inclusion. With access to data, the possibilities for greater understanding and, ultimately, for social change, are limited only by our imagination. Without the data, we are left to wonder and, perhaps, to assume that virtual communities don’t have the same racial dynamics and prejudices as the real world. They do, of course — online communities show the same patterns of racial segregation as are observed off line — a fact that we know only because we have some racial data from the social media sites.

There is, I admit, some trust involved in taking this perspective. We have to trust the social media sites not to use the data for nefarious purposes. Given our nation’s history, I can certainly see why some may be reluctant to do so. And yet, we do have laws protecting against discrimination and, laws aside, one can reasonably assume that the social media sites are profit-oriented and that they are more likely to increase profits by creating and maintaining a racially inclusive platform.

Ultimately, of course, though we can make reasonable guesses, we cannot be certain what the social media sites will do with the information. Racial data are a tool. Like any tool or bit of information, there is always the possibility that it may be misused. I get that. But even so, despite Morgan Freeman’s claim to the contrary, this is not actually a morally ambiguous question. We live in a society in which race impacts people’s lives in ways both profound and mundane. To ignore this reality, to pretend that it didn’t exist or that its existence is not worth tracking and studying is to invalidate not just the experiences but the very lives of millions of Americans. Personally, I’d much rather see them as they are.

A Risky Strategy

Detavio R. Samuels, is a vice president and group account director at GlobalHue, a full-service marketing communications agency with total market and cultural expertise.

Collecting ethnic information on social media sites would be a tremendous win for marketers, advertisers, social media sites and consumers; however, any established social network that would do this now would be ignoring cultural truths that exist today, which may leave them open to a potential negative backlash that may not be worth it. It is necessary to analyze this question from multiple perspectives in order to truly understand the risk and reward of embarking on such an initiative.

Marketers & Advertisers. Collecting ethnic information from social media networks would be extremely beneficial for businesses, particularly those who understand the complex ethnic and cultural landscape of America, and thus recognize that a one-size fit all approach to marketing and advertising no longer works. Collecting this information would allow these businesses to microtarget, increasing effectiveness as they ensure the delivery of relevant products, services and messages.

Read the Rest of the Commentary

(to show/hide commentary, click on previous link)

Social Media Networks. Knowing the ethnic makeup of one’s user base would generate a competitive advantage and thus higher revenues for any site. As the number of businesses like those mentioned above (those that actually “get it”) begins to increase after the unveiling of the 2010 Census (when we all learn, again, that population growth in this country is being driven by the multicultural segments that will become the majority by 2042 or sooner), more and more advertising dollars will be allocated to those sites that reflect and provide access to the new multicultural America in a way that allows brands to generate a deeper connection.

The World Macro (Us in Aggregate). Having ethnic information would be extremely elucidating for us all, as it would provide a truer picture of who we are. Even within ethnic segments, there is no one consumer and an individual’s web experiences are such pure forms of uninhibited interests, hobbies, etc., that the truths revealed from watching online behavior would help break down incorrect assumptions and paint a much more diverse representation of “stuff Black people (and all other people) like.”

The World Micro (Us as Individual Users of Social Media). From the consumer standpoint, collecting ethnic information is both a blessing and a curse. On the positive side, it would save individual consumers time and money as businesses are better able to deliver messages, products and services that fit their specific ethnic needs and realities. On the other hand, collecting ethnic information could be problematic – a landmine social media networks would do best to avoid. These sites have already set a precedent of not asking for our ethnic information, and to change midstream could generate a major backlash as consumers grow more protective of their digital profiles (look at what happens every time Facebook changes something regarding privacy and profiles – now imagine race as the topic. . . you get the picture!) and weary of how “big brother” uses their personal information, even if it’s ultimately for their own benefit. In addition, asking now may specifically damage trust between these social media sites and multicultural users, who are already skeptical of major organizations and institutions This very public adjustment (there would be no hiding it) would prompt multicultural users to question what’s changed to make their ethnicity so important all of a sudden. This, on the heels of a growing sentiment that multicultural behavior in social media is not to be studied because they use social media just like everybody else (see my response to the Farhad Manjoo article).

And it is this final thought – the potential backlash from consumers – that leads me to the recommendation that, despite the wealth of benefits for all involved, established social media sites should not collect ethnic information. It’s unfortunate, but they just may be too late to the game to ask us now to “check the ethnic box.” The recommendation changes, however, for any new and upcoming social media site that has the ability to do it right from the start and, in turn, build a competitive advantage. In this instance, I suggest they offer users the option to submit their ethnicity when they create their profile, along with an additional option on whether or not this information is displayed.

Assuming Ethnicity

Jessie Daniels, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Hunter College. She is the author of White Lies (Routledge, 1997) and Cyber Racism (Rowman & Littlefield, 2009). She blogs at Racism Review.

It seems like we share more and more of our personal information online. Advertisers want access to this information so that they can target their marketing to particular groups, or “market segments.”

So, it doesn’t seem all that surprising that social networks are now interested in either explicitly asking for racial identification or figuring it out through data mining the information they’ve already collected on us. Is racial or ethnic identity “private” information that we should be concerned about sharing? In my view, racial and ethnic identity in social networks is less an issue of privacy and more about the assumptions in place that make that kind of identification necessary.

Read the Rest of the Commentary

(to show/hide commentary, click on previous link)

The fact is that social networks, like the culture more broadly, discourage racial or ethnic identification. Instead, in the current era of “color blindness” people are told that it’s “not polite” to mention race.

What polite colorblindness covers up, though, is the assumption that everyone’s white until they say otherwise. At a recent blogging conference I attended, an African American woman told the story of being online for years before anyone knew she was black. Why? Because her name is “Heather” and people just assumed she was white.

Does this assumption of whiteness matter? It does if your experience puts you outside white identity and you’re looking for your own likeness in popular culture.

As just one, small example, I’m a big women’s basketball fan of both the college and professional teams. And, I especially love watching a sport where black women excel. But, when it’s “March Madness” (college ball) or the summer during the WNBA season, it’s almost impossible to find mainstream news coverage of my favorite teams because ESPN and my local news outlets are filled with wall-to-wall coverage of the mens’ teams. When I do manage to find a WNBA game on television, it’s always a little startling to see the ads because they’re geared toward a black female audience. When I see those ads, I’m reminded once more how white and male-centric the rest of the culture is.

One of the great things about social networks is that people create their own images and can adjust that skewed, mainstream lens. It’s part of what I enjoy about social networks like Twitter. In these spaces, I can connect with people from racial and ethnic backgrounds that are different than my own who have a different take on the dominant culture. But what I’ve learned online is a lesson that many of us learned offline, too – that racial identity doesn’t necessarily map onto political views or marketing preferences.

Checking the Box

Midy Aponte is the Founder and CEO of The Sánchez Ricardo Agency, a communications firm in Washington, D.C. that provides strategic counsel on Digital Media and Multicultural Public Relations to businesses and non-profit organizations.

I used to avoid checking that box. I would skip it passive-aggressively, or click on “other” just to tinker with results. Triumphantly, and with a defiant “Gotcha! You can’t peg me!” smirk on my face, I would place my pen down, or click submit, and send “the box” on its way into the ethersphere. Incomplete. Empty. Silenced. Hmph! As if I am going to let myself be “boxed in”… grumble, grumble, grumble…

That was then.

Now, I relish in my identity as a Latina business owner. The diversity of thought, rich cultural perspective and purpose driven work ethic engrained in my character results in an ability to push the envelope further. To innovate and bring forward a powerful exchange of ideas to which currency can be easily linked.

Read the Rest of the Commentary

(to show/hide commentary, click on previous link)

Allowing social media to collect data on the ethnicity of users who self identify, not only benefits companies which data is being collected for – marketing of a product, focus group testing on messaging, research on diverse talent recruitment for corporations – but it empowers users of diverse background from whom information is being sought. Marketers Take Note: Advocating for the collection of users’ ethnicities in social media also lends said users’ a powerful voice to review information from which opinions are formed and reactions are generated–then amplified.

One of social media’s many advantages lies in its ability to form instant networks of like-minded individuals whose passions, education, interests, issues (and businesses!) fully align with others. Therefore, the more data that is collected, sliced, and diced a hundred different ways, the higher the probability users themselves will navigate the system for their own business interests. An African-American marketing freelancer in NYC might easily find a freelancer via LinkedIn in St. Louis to partner with on a crowdsourcing opportunity for a major brand product. A Latina owned public relations firm might identify a fresh crop of recent Hispanic engineering graduates from throughout the country to develop a speakers’ bureau on the importance of Latinos in S.T.E.M. fields for a client. Asian-American bloggers can quickly research Facebook pages for other Asian-American bloggers for the purpose of cross collaboration and business development.

The opportunities are endless. However, one thing is certain. A “checked” box sends a clear signal–I am present.

Culture Abroad

Cindy King is a cross-cultural marketer and international sales strategist. She blogs on cross-cultural and social media skills for international business.

From an international perspective I think the leading social media sites would have to be very careful if they were to collect information on ethnicity. Their international audiences are too large to ignore and this could have different impacts elsewhere in the world.

For example, in France there is a law prohibiting the documentation of this sort of information, which makes multicultural marketing in France extremely delicate. In this environment, the French public might consider the collection of this information as inappropriate because they’re not used to it and have always been informed of the dangers and not the benefits.

Read the Rest of the Commentary

(to show/hide commentary, click on previous link)

Other cultures would also probably react differently to the possibility of entering information on ethnicity. Some may indeed use this information in ways that would be considered inappropriate to others. Discrimination can be nuanced and perceived in different degrees by different people.

So although as a multicultural marketer I think it is a great idea, it’s something that would have to be integrated intelligently for a seamless integration worldwide.

Using Social Media to Engage Multicultural Communities

Jessica Faye Carter — Sat, 15 May 2010 16:25:55 +0000

I recently presented at the Web 2.0 Expo – San Francisco on culture and social media. My specific topic was on using social media to engage multicultural communities. The presentation deck is below:

Lexus Uses Social Media to Engage African-Americans

Jessica Faye Carter — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:59:47 +0000

Lexus recently announced a social media campaign geared towards African-American consumers, featuring Universal Motown recording artist (and recent Harvard grad) Ryan Leslie. In keeping with its emphasis on social media, Lexus also used pitchengine along with traditional media sources to publicize the initiative:

…Lexus will debut its commercial for the launch of the newly redesigned GX. The commercial features Universal Motown recording artist Ryan Leslie, who has formed a strategic partnership with the luxury automaker. As an emerging artist armed with a Harvard undergraduate degree, Ryan Leslie embodies the style and sophistication of the Lexus brand…

In addition to the television commercial, the campaign will be accompanied by various digital components online including exclusive downloads and contests. This African American marketing program with Ryan Leslie represents a break from the traditional for Lexus, as the innovative use of social/digital media tools such as Twitter and Facebook will serve as the driving force behind the conversation.

via Lexus Celebrates the Life, Work, and Acccomplishments of Inspiring African-Americans – via Lexus – pitchengine.com.

As enterprise-level social media continues to grow, we fully expect to see similar types of innovative campaigns targeting various multicultural groups. You can take a first look at the Lexus commercial below:

Click here to view the embedded video.

In Case You Missed It: LatISM-DC Conference

Jessica Faye Carter — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:03:40 +0000

LatISM, a group for social media professionals of Hispanic and Latino origin, hosted a conference in Washington, DC on December 11-12, 2009 as part of its LatiSM National Heritage Tour. The DC conference featured speakers on a variety of subjects, including Web 2.0, Gov 2.0, brand building, mobile technology, social media 101, and social good.

For participants unable to attend in person, the conference included a live Tweet Party which allowed users to connect to the event virtually. LatISM has also held conferences in New York, NY and Orlando, FL. LatiSM’s YouTube video is below:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Middle Eastern Tech Poised for Growth

Jessica Faye Carter — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:34:51 +0000

The Middle Eastern tech world has been around for some time, but recently there has been some solid activity that points to increased technological growth on the horizon. Here are some updates you may have missed (these are primarily focused on the Arabic tech community, a subset of Middle Eastern tech):

1. Yahoo’s acquisition of Maktoob. Yahoo! recently acquired Maktoob, an Arabic internet services company for $80 million, expanding its presence substantially in the Middle Eastern market. Maktoob (“letter” or “written” in Arabic) was founded in 1998 and offers email, search, gaming and related services with a reach of 16.5 million users. Yahoo!, which already had approximately 20 million users in the Middle East, plans to offer Arabic versions of its homepage, mail, search, news, sports and other features.

2. Innovation. New sites are launching that combine technology and the culture of the Middle East. Ardroid is an Android community for Arabic users, and the search engine I’m Halal allows users to filter out content that is objectionable to those practicing Islam. Kzalek, currently in beta, is an Arabic desktop client for Twitter. I’ve long observed that technology “puts down roots” and prepares itself for growth by interacting with and adapting to local cultures. These sites are good indicators that technology is poised for growth in the local environment. The presence of tech news blogs like ArabCrunch and Next Web Middle East is another key indicator.

3. Foursquare in the Middle East. Foursquare, the popular mobile social network, includes two Middle Eastern cities, for those who enjoy playing: Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Tel Aviv, Israel. More to come soon?

4. Downloads. Negotiations have begun to bring downloadable content (like iTunes) to the Middle East.

It’s fascinating to see how technology continues to grow and adapt to different cultures globally. Here at Technicultr, we discuss multicultural communities online. If you are interested to learn more about the Middle Eastern tech world, we recommend ArabCrunch and The Next Web’s Middle East edition. It looks like those blogs will be busy with technical news for a long time to come.

On the Radar: Soompi.com

Jessica Faye Carter — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:03:39 +0000

Our newest feature, entitled “On the Radar” highlights popular social media sites that aren’t (yet) household names. Today’s featured site: Soompi.com.

Soompi might be one of the largest sites that you haven’t heard of. Founded in 1998 (and led by CEO Joyce Kim, an attorney), the site features the latest news and updates on Korean and Asian pop and entertainment. It’s an English-language site and boasts a global membership, including members in Singapore, Australia, and Malaysia.

According to Quantcast, Soompi averages over 200,000 monthly visitors in the United States and over 500,000 international visitors each month. With those kinds of numbers, you’ll probably be hearing alot more about Soompi soon.

Western Union’s ‘World in Motion’

Jessica Faye Carter — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:47:14 +0000

Western Union recently launched a microsite within Facebook called “World in Motion,” designed to help immigrant workers become acclimated to different cultures and locales around the world. Features include the “Wall”, where members engage in discussions, a “Stories” section where members can submit stories about how the word “Yes!” has impacted their lives, an “Event” area, and a “Support” feature where users can post links to restaurants, places to work out, job opportunities and the like.

The site seems is a natural extension of Western Union’s Yes! campaign, a $250 million initiative launched earlier this year that targets international workers:

‘The campaign is based around our customer, people on the move in pursuit of their dream,’ she said. This dream generally includes wiring money back home to family. ‘There are 200 million international migrants, people who left home…North Africans in Europe, Mexicans in the United States…’

via Western Union Says ‘Yes’ to $250 Mil. Effort | Brandweek.

You can take a quick look at the microsite below:

YouTube to Offer Univision Content Online

Jessica Faye Carter — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:03:39 +0000

YouTube’s Hispanic audience has grown 80% this past year and the company has taken notice: on Monday, the influential social media site announced a deal to make programming from Univision’s networks available on YouTube:

YouTube described the deal, the latest in a series of agreements with owners of professionally-produced programming, as one of its most comprehensive agreements for TV content. The agreement is nonexclusive and includes short clips as well as full-length TV shows from Univision’s three networks, Univision, TeleFutura and Galavision.

via YouTube + Univision = TuTube – Bits Blog – NYTimes.com.

YouTube has previously reached agreements with companies like CNN, TNT, ABC, and Warner Music Group; this recent deal appears part of a trend by YouTube to make professional programming available through its site.

The noteworthy aspect of this transaction is that Univision plans to offer full-length shows on YouTube, something which major American networks generally shy away from on YouTube; they tend to offer such content on Hulu.com or on their own network sites.

It will be interesting to see whether this portends a shift in television interaction with social media, or whether it’s a one-off transaction.

CitySaheli: Social Networking for Savvy South Asian Women

Jessica Faye Carter — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:50:39 +0000

If you haven’t heard of CitySaheli, just wait—you will. It’s a cool, new social networking site for the modern South Asian woman. Features include Hip & Happening (for events, nightlife, giving back, cultural info), Lookin’ Good (fashion and beauty), 9 to 5 (careers) , I Do! (weddings), Chit Chat (forums), and Baby (for new moms, launching this week). CitySaheli is geared toward South Asian women, but there is definitely something for every woman on the site.

I caught up with Monica Sangani Gupta, one of CitySaheli’s co-founders, to find out more:

1. How did you come up with the idea to start CitySaheli?
We are two close college friends that both worked for largest investment banks that failed – Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers. When each bank failed, it sort of shook up the way we saw things and we decided we wanted to do something different.

We wanted to provide a service that wasn’t already out there. After living in NYC for over ten years, we realized that we were often see as go-to resources. From wedding advice to work advice or planning a birthday party, we always had an abundance of valuable information.

The South Asian community thrives on referrals and relies on advice from one other and we realized there wasn’t very much out there for South Asian women like ourselves. And it came to us: we decided to take the many ideas we would typically share with friends and use the Internet to share this information with thousands of women like ourselves.

In addition to providing information, the website’s mission is to provide a platform for its readers to discuss and share ideas, particularly those relevant to South Asian women.

2. Describe CitySaheli in your own words.
CitySaheli’s literal translation is city girlfriend. Saheli (pronounced sa-hail-ē) means girlfriend in Hindi and we thought the name typifies what the site strives to be: an online “urban girlfriend.” CitySaheli is an online publication that talks about fashion, careers, events, wedding, health and beauty for South Asian women. The site allows readers to sign up for daily newsletter across all the categories. .

3. What differentiates CitySaheli from other women’s sites?
CitySaheli’s spin is the site provides a South Asian twist, and appropriately so since it is primarily targeted toward the South Asian woman and those interested in South Asian culture. CitySaheli currently provides information in five distinct categories: Hip & Happening, Lookin’ Good, I Do, 9 to 5 and Chit Chat.

The website includes, for example, information on karaoke bars with Hindi music, the latest South Asian art gallery exhibitions, the benefits of yoga and ayurvedic treatments, and planning a South Asian wedding.

4. What are some of the features offered by the site?
The site offers a daily newsletter as well as a chat room where women can share ideas. Since the site is primarily targeting the NY area population, there are also events that CitySaheli organizes. We also periodically provide promotions for our readers on certain services and products, and hope to provide even more in the future.

5. Do you have a favorite feature on the site? If so, what is it?
Our favorite feature is the wealth of information that has become available on the site. We love how the site isn’t just about weddings or about the newest beauty cream, but rather it’s a combination of so much more. My business partner and I did a lot of research on what our target demographic wanted to hear about and we listened. With any online publication it’s crucial that you provide your readers valuable information and it’s what we pride ourselves on.

We want the site to be a community where South Asian women share ideas, and as the sight grows, we expect more women will contribute. It’s become a great resource for South Asian women.

6. How has CitySaheli been received in the South Asian community?
We have received an overwhelmingly positive response from the South Asian community. It’s great getting emails from friends, or women we don’t know personally, saying how much they enjoy CitySaheli. It is great knowing that you are providing valuable information to your readers. We also have had a positive response from those who would like to contribute to the site. There are so many ideas that we can implement through this platform and we are glad that the community has received it so well.

7. What is the most interesting or funniest feedback you’ve gotten about the site?
We had a male reader ask why we can’t include men as well!

8. What are your future plans for CitySaheli (that you are comfortable disclosing)?
A section for new and expecting mothers is launching this week. CitySaheli Baby will be a great platform for women who are interested in ideas for their baby and advice with a South Asian twist. We are planning to launch in other metropolitan areas within the United States, United Kingdom and India.

Below is a quick look at the site: