Rakhee Jethwa

Working on the life story of civil rights activist and UN Ambassador Andrew Young was such a gift. I got to delve into mountains of archival and study the strategies of the CR movement in a way I was never taught in school. It was especially meaningful at a time when our current government is dead set on taking away our rights. There’s much I’m still processing from my time on this project but something that sticks out to me is that fighting fascism and building movements are messy, exhausting and non-stop. It’s not something you do when you have a few hours free here or there. There’s a lot of work and sacrifice that happens by people whose names you’ll never know. And dialogue and relationship building matters - especially with those who oppose you. The film “Andrew Young: The Dirty Work,” executive produced by Rachel Maddow airs tonight Oct 17. It retraces Andrew Young’s story — in his own words (he’s still alive at 94 years young!) — as a trusted friend to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., behind-the-scenes architect of the Civil Rights Movement, and living legend who carried Dr. King’s dream forward into Congress, the White House, and beyond. Watch [Friday/tonight] at 9pm ET on MSNBC Hopefully it will be streaming soon 🤞🏽 Director - Matt Kay Producer - Me Archival Producer - Lauren Fulton Associate Producer - Myah Overstreet Editors - David Herr, Richard Lowe, Jason Pollard Dir of Photography - Stephen Bailey Exec producer Rachel Maddow, made with Left/Right and Surprise Inside

I helped story produce the last two episodes of the 4-part investigative series, Quiet on Set. It was chilling to work on, especially as a kid who loved watching Nickelodeon. So many child stars in Hollywood have experienced trauma, whether directly by the hands of adults who were supposed to care for them or indirectly, because there were not enough protections in place. The individuals who participated in the series and told their stories did so with tremendous risk and bravery. Nobody wants to relive painful memories. But I hope it helps change how children are treated in Hollywood, close loopholes, and increase protections. Grateful to have been part of and learn from an excellent team of journalists and producers who worked with careful attention, empathy, and great skill throughout the process @maxine.productions @the_emmanator @lkalikow —— Former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell shares publicly, for the first time, the story of the abuse he suffered at the hands of Brian Peck. #QuietOnSet reveals an insidious environment rife with allegations of abuse, sexism, racism, and inappropriate dynamics with its underage stars and crew.⁠ All four episodes now on @streamonmax

I produced and wrote episode 8 for season 2 of Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi — the ep is titled ‘On The Tip of my Kreuong.’ Kreuong is a mix of aromatic ingredients at the base of most Cambodian dishes. After having spent some time in Lowell, MA my amazing co-producer and friend @edward_columbia pitched an idea about the Cambodian community there. Together, we researched and developed an episode that tells an American story about refugees fleeing genocide in the late 70s, arriving in Lowell with nothing but the clothes on their backs and the recipes in their heads. After having survived horrific circumstances they rebuilt their lives and began opening businesses in what was at the time a dying New England town. Today, Lowell is a thriving city, in large part thanks to generations of working class immigrants. It also appointed the country’s first Cambodian mayor 🙌🏽 My favorite projects are the ones where I receive an education and get to help tell the incredible stories of individuals you never would have heard of. Working on this was emotional but also a lot of fun and deeply inspiring. I hope you enjoy it! And, if you haven’t tried Cambodian food, you will find some excellent recommendations in this episode 💛 🎥 Huge thanks to our amazing camera team who captured this community beautifully @hunnyham @codydotnet @hdemiw @micvassallo_ 🎬 @gubird for being an awesome collaborator and helping to bring this episode to life. ✂️And John Cianfrani for his editing and storytelling prowess. All episodes out now on @hulu ! The entire season is 💯, made by some of the most talented producers and directors in the biz. And it will make you drool for days 🤤. Check it out and lemme know what you think! 🙏🏽🍜

Girls Gone Wild: The Untold Story is streaming on @peacock now! As a teen I remember seeing the infomercials for Girls Gone Wild popping up on late night TV, “Call this number now! See sexy college co-eds on spring break!” Images of young, drunk girls on a beach or at a party, flashing the camera. I remember thinking, ‘wow those are some dumb sluts.’ I didn’t realize it at the time, but what went on was much deeper and darker than the videos led you to believe. Like so many of us, I was programmed to see women this way - we’re either sluts or good girls. Working on this series revised that moment in history for me. This wasn’t a time when social media and OnlyFans allowed people to post images of themselves and directly profit from it. These women rarely made a dime, yet their images were used to make millions for a few individuals, under the guise of fun and empowerment. Each day I worked on this project, I found myself stunned, wondering “How the f*ck did we let this happen?” The series unpacks what we buy into as a society, celebrity culture, the absurdity of the legal system, who gets to have power over our bodies and so much more. Unfortunately, this is still painfully relevant today. We heard story after story from women whose lives were wrecked. Even 20 years later they and their families suffer from a brief moment on camera when they were 18 (sometimes younger), often coerced and inebriated. This was difficult to work on, but so meaningful. I hope you’ll watch it. None of it would exist without @scaachi koul’s incredible journalism, including a 9-hour interview with the creator of Girls Gone Wild, Joe Francis. I personally could not have mustered through it without our insanely talented and fiercely compassionate team. Director Jamila Wignot Showrunner @sangrewnur Co-Producer Naz Hakim Story Producers Rakhee Jethwa and Lizzie Blenk Editors Jon Miller, Jane Jo, Richard Lowe Line Producer @dankuv Post Producer Ruth Horn Axelrod Archival Hilary McHone Alex Grace And so many more!

A year ago I got a call from show runner Chris Cowen asking if I’d be interested in filming a soccer series in Saudi Arabia. At the time, I knew next to nothing about soccer OR Saudi Arabia, but somehow he thought I’d be a good fit, lol. Turns out, a deep curiosity and an ability to tell stories can get you pretty far. Over the past year, with an incredible team, we captured the growth of soccer in Saudi Arabia, catapulted by superstars like @cristiano , @neymarjr and @karimbenzema . I was invited into the lives of world class players like @roberto_firmino , @st_maximin , @fabinho , Saudi star @frr9_ and one of my faves Talal Haji, a gifted young player you will be hearing about a lot in the near future. Much gratitude to all the managers and coaches for putting up with my relentless requests :) Check out Saudi Pro League: Kickoff on @netflix and @netflixmena ! @wearewhispertv 🙌🏽

Happy Birthday to my favorite high tea-camping-earthquake-escape room-horror movie buddy. You’re an impeccable human and growing up to be a pretty cool guy (and excellent golfer). Love your curiosity and openness to new experiences. Never lose that spirit. And although you’re taller than me now, just remember, I will always be cooler than you 😁

Jeddah ➡️ Taif

We’ve got a camper, y’all! Took a road trip through Shenandoah, set up camp, met some farm animals and pulled off a pretty good breakfast over the fire. And my nephew said he wants to go camping again so I’d say it was a success 🚙🌞🌿🏕️🐓🦆

Shortly after midnight on June 1 my Baa (grandmother) turned 103 and took her last breath. In her last hours she was surrounded by birthday balloons, her 5 living children and many grandchildren. It was a beautiful way to leave this earth. She lived on 3 continents and witnessed civil wars, revolutions and a lot of loss. But she always managed and found a way forward. I continue to learn things about her that blow my mind. She rode horseback, she was a sword fighter, a midwife, she started over twice in a foreign place and raised 6 kids on very little. I’m sure there’s a lot I will never know about her, but I’m eternally grateful for what she’s done for our whole family. To think how far we’ve come in 3 generations is remarkable. My life is a breeze compared to what she and my ancestors endured. In Hinduism we believe in reincarnation. There is a point where beings can reach ‘moksha,’ when your soul has evolved and you’ve been liberated from the cycle of life and death. I’m not certain about anything, but I think she’s given more than most people will in this lifetime and I’d like to imagine she’s at peace now. 🕉️💛

Happy BIG 10! To a gal with a fierce spirit and soft heart. Whose weirdness, wit and sarcasm makes me proud. And an impeccable fashion sense to boot. Love you so much. HBD my little B 💖🎂💃🏽✨🐝

On Christmas Day my sister and I took an unexpected flight to Kerala to help my mother, who was hospitalized during a trip. Thankfully, she’s home now and healing well. It was a scary and stressful couple weeks, though. Dealing with bureaucracy in a foreign country and arguing with airlines during a crisis will drive anyone insane (props to my sis @rupaje for sharing in the madness 😫). Sometimes it seems like their goal is to make your life difficult, and then there’s some whose generosity just blows you away. Despite all of the challenges, we were able to salvage a few days in Kerala. It’s incredibly lush, hospitable, my body relished the humidity. And the food! 💯 (Sorry to my Gujarati peeps, but the south has us beat). My mother and I, who share a birthday on New Years Eve, even had a little celebration w my sis in beautiful Wayanad. It was not how I expected to ring in the new year. But that’s ok. To be honest, nothing has gone as expected the past 10 years. It’s been a constant practice of letting go and riding the proverbial wave. I think I’m getting better at it. I’ve been pummeled enough times, it was either drown or learn how to ride (to be clear I’ve never actually been surfing - I’m talking the waves of life ;). The theme that’s shown up the most for me the past year is, ‘can you hold all of it?’ Can you hold the sorrow, the fear and the joy, all at the same time? Can you dance the dance? For a long time I thought life should look a certain way as you get older - a house, a family, more income. All those things are fine, but I’ve been forced to see things differently and I’m grateful for that. Im grateful for being pummeled, and defining my own life. I feel stronger for it. Ive become a better dancer and a better surfer. I’m more grateful for my family (blood and non-blood related) than I’ve ever been. People have let me down immensely and others have consistently shown up - and I can honestly say I feel compassion and love for all of them. When the next crisis shows up, I hope I don’t let it consume me, but leave a little space for joy and celebration. And I wish that for you too. 💃🏽🌊💛

still searching for the adult version of that jumpsuit.