The Good We Can - Episode 4: "You Do Belong"

Episode 4: You Do Belong - Naming and Healing Ethnic Loneliness

In this episode of The Good We Can, hosts Bill Anciaux and Heather Young sit down with Prasanta Verma—author, poet, and public health professional—to explore the emotional and spiritual dimensions of ethnic loneliness. Drawing on themes from her new book Beyond Ethnic Loneliness, Prasanta shares powerful stories, personal reflections, and practical wisdom on how identity, silence, and community intersect.

Together, we reflect on:

• What it means to truly listen and be listened to
  
  
• How internalized messages and social norms shape our sense of belonging
  
  
• Why faith communities have a unique role in cultivating hospitality and healing
  
  
• How storytelling can break cycles of disconnection
  
  
• Why Prasanta chose to end each chapter of her book with the same poem—and how it affirms dignity
  
  

Prasanta also gives us a preview of her upcoming visit to Sun Prairie United Methodist Church for a free community event on Sunday, September 28, 2025 from 2:00–4:30 PM, co-sponsored by the Sun Prairie Wellness Coalition.

🆓 The event is free, but please register in advance:
Go to sunprairieumc.org, click the About menu, then Upcoming Events.

☎️ Or register by phone: 608-837-5554
(Ask for Chris at the church office.)

🖥️ To learn more about Prasanta’s work and writing, visit prasantaverma.com
Follow her on Instagram: @prasantaverma
Subscribe to her Substack: Belonging and the Human Experience