Writing Portfolio

Sheena Pradhan

Published in Brown Girl Magazine July 2014Republished in India.com September 2014Republished in Masala Mommas January 2015

Pageant Diaries Volume 2: What Being Fierce Is All About

Last week, my walking coach decided that we need to pull more ferocity out of me. I

agreed. There is some piece of me that still gets shy at the end of the runway—that is afraid to

flaunt it all.

(morguefile.com/archive)

His advice—go into a high-end designer retail store. No, we are not talking about Zara,

Michael Kors, J. Crew or even Kate Spade—not the places that maybe I could afford if I

downsized on my apartment and saved some money. He he was referring to Miu Miu, Bergdorf

Goodman, Bottega Veneta, Dolce and Gabbana— the places that I normally don’t even walk into

so not to remind myself of how little money I have—the places where a single piece of clothing

costs the equivalent of six-months of rent.

My assignment was to walk down 5th Avenue after work when I looked like my usual

post-work-self and observe how I am treated at the store. Then I was to go in on a second day—

dressed and carrying myself in a fabulous way.

So I followed the first step, and I went in after work in a pair of green jeans and a grey

trench coat. My hair was unkempt with natural curls and I wore black Target flats. I felt a fear

grip me before walking into my first stop—Miu Miu. I couldn’t afford this store—what was the

point of this assignment?

I sucked up my doubts and waltzed in. I looked at some merchandise in the store and then

turned around and walked out. No one addressed me. After walking into a few more stores, I

started to carry myself a little more confidently. I love clothes, jewelry and sunglasses. That was

reason enough not to feel shy walking into these stores. The confidence that I carried myself with

—prompted the sales associates to address me more seriously.

(morguefile.com/archive)

The following day—I was dressed in business formal for a networking event I was

attending on the same day, so I walked into another slew of designer stores. To my surprise—my

fancy attire did not change the reactions of the sales associates to me. It was how I carried

myself.

It was about how I walked in. When I walked in on the first day and changed the way I

stood and the way I looked around—I suddenly felt like I fit in.

Standing in the middle of Tiffany’s I felt like Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at

Tiffany’s—the girl from the back country who moved to the city. New York City turned her into

a refined and poised lady.

I realized that it’s about embodying the luxury that those brands embody. It’s about

conveying luxury through who I am—that’s what poise is.

The fear that grips me at the end of the runway is the same fear that grips me when

walking into those stores. It’s the feeling that I don’t belong—that I’m trying too hard to be

something that I’m not. I need to let go of that fear and just be fierce.

But I finally realized after this exercise that being free of inhibitions is what being fierce

is all about.

Additional Photos:

(Don Gauthier, 2014)

(Fadil Berisha, 2014)

Published in Brown Girl Magazine July 2014Republished in Masala Mommas February 2015

Pageant Diaries Volume 4:Overcoming Inhibitions to Learning How to Be Myself

Sandwiched in the audience between a seasoned comedian and an unquestioningly

supportive friend, I anxiously awaited the MC to call my name at the Laughing Buddha Comedy

Club in New York City. After a series of losing his virginity jokes, an amateur comedian was

whisked off the stage and I was up.

I walked to the stage my nerves suddenly escaping me. I introduced myself as Sheena,

the pageant girl. I jumped into my routine of three jokes. Surprisingly, the audience seemed to

find the mere topic of pageantry funny. I rolled through my South Asian jokes more quickly than

I thought they would go and the series of humorous personal stories that I had thought up

beforehand. Towards the end of my set, I still had a couple of minutes left. I racked my brain for

something else… pageants. They might find pageants funny. At the mere mention of pageants, I

got a few more laughs. The MC asked the audience to applaud after my five minute set was

finished and I exited the stage with the MC making a joke about accidently touching my butt.

As the woman who was always the writer and artist, the stage was not a second home to

me, as I have heard other performers say. I feared that my lack of experience on stage may lead

to a lack of comfort on stage. What I found was not that I was uncomfortable on stage. On the

contrary, I was quite comfortable on stage. I have always loved public speaking. Through

competing in pageants, I have also realized that despite my introverted and creative interests, I

love the spotlight.

Being on stage doing standup, I realized that I needed to push myself further in order to

gain something from being on stage. I would not gain simply from being on stage in front of

people.

In standup, the key is relating to the audience. Part of the key of being successful as a

comedian on stage is getting the audience involved in the jokes that you tell. Similarly,

connecting with the audience in a pageant is important. It helps to make eye contact with the

audience and allow your personality and charisma shine through to the judges.

What began as an exploration of overcoming my fears and inhibitions has grown into a

journey of self-discovery.

The greatest thing that I have learned in the process of preparing for the Miss New York

USA pageant is learning how to be myself. In digging deeper into who I am, I have discovered

why I felt certain things from my past were “inhibiting me” to exploring my fears.

I battled low self-esteem for the majority of my childhood into my teen years. Even after

recovering from seemingly adolescent induced insecurities and feelings of not fitting in, there

has been a lingering fear of living for myself and making decisions for myself. In addressing

many of the insecurities that I have battled throughout my life, I can begin to move on to

embracing myself.

I am certain that this knowledge and comfort with who I am will continue to guide me

beyond Miss New York USA. For now, I am going to stay focused on winning the title of Miss

New York USA and how I plan to give back to the Miss USA organization after doing so.

Published in Nutritious Balance (www.nutritiousbalance.blogspot.com) July 2011

Eating “Green”

Get the most green out of your dollar with these LOCAL green vegetables (temperate U.S. climates)

Our nutritionists, dietitians and moms are always telling us to eat our greens. Greens are

known for iron but also great because they provide our diets with other fantastic nutrients, such

as fiber, vitamin K, vitamin A (not just in orange veggies), and many times also with Calcium,

Vitamin C and Potassium, too! We’ll call these our “green” nutrients in this article. This list was

formed to shine the light on some of the most nutritious greens that are also inexpensive, based

on average prices and nutrient content for the following vegetables. All the vegetables chosen

here are great because they can be grown in most temperate climates of the United States and so

can be found at Farmers’ Markets everywhere! Look for them when they are in season. All of my

top leafy green picks will be a bountiful amount of greens per bunch of greens purchased and

will be a great purchase for your money!

1.     Swiss Chard

Kale has been getting so much hype in the media that I wanted to find a leafy green that

is just as nutritious and cheap as kale! Swiss chard is higher in calcium and potassium. However,

it is slightly lower in vitamin A, vitamin K and vitamin C. It still provides an adequate amount of

vitamin A and K for an entire day in a mere cup! You may need two or three servings to get your

RDA (recommended daily allowance) for vitamin C, but that’s what fruit is for! Additionally, it

is just as cheap as Kale. Thus, Swiss chard is a great alternative to kale if you are getting tired of

that famous “super food”.

Our vivacious green is popular eaten roasted, boiled, steamed or raw. Swiss chard can

also be a great addition to any salad! Its colorful stems add a fun twist to any dish.

This crop can bear very high to low temperatures, drought and can be maintained into the

cold winter months (even in the Pacific Northwest! (wsu.edu). It is very affordable at stores and

can be grown right at home in your garden! Cheap, nutritious and delicious, what more could

you want.

(http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/swiss_chard/)

2.     Kale

Kale is no news to anyone who has been paying attention to health media lately. People

are even calling it a “super food”! There is a reason kale has been getting so much hype. Kale is

exorbitantly high in Calcium, Potassium, Vitamin C, Carotene, Vitamin A, and even a little

Vitamin K. This green is also very cheap for such a nutritious vegetable. I have seen it for as low

as 0.99/bunch at Reading Terminal Market in Philly! Kale is also great because it can be eaten in

a variety of ways: boiled, steamed, in soup, as chips, cooked with bacon, in a vegetable medley

or simply raw! Kale is also wonderful because it is in season for much of the year and can be

maintained late into the fall/winter before the next growing season. As much as I love kale, it is

only getting ranked as 2 on this list. You can get as close to your daily needs for those “green”

nutrients mentioned above, if not closer to them, from other greens like Swiss chard, without the

high amounts of vitamin A and beta-carotene in kale. But kale sure is versatile in the kitchen!

(http://glutenfreemommy.com/braised-kale-with-sesame-seeds/)

3.     Collard Greens

A southern classic-- collard greens are so delicious, nutritious AND cheap! They are

extraordinarily high in calcium, carotene, vitamin A and vitamin K. They also have a moderate

amount of potassium and vitamin C. They taste great cooked in butter, with bacon, creamed and

eaten with other vegetables. Collard greens get number 3 on this list because it is a great way to

reach your daily needs for the above mentioned nutrients. Collard greens grow in cold weather,

so are a great way to stay nutritious when other fruits and vegetables are going out of season.

Like Swiss chard, it can also withstand drought-- great vegetables to cure our

food/environmental crisis?

(http://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/entertaining/food-drink/easy-christmas-recipes-

00000000026280/page17.html)

4.     Mustard Greens

A little pricier than our first three choices, mustard greens are a delicious and nutritious

way to eat green vegetables! Mustard greens are a great way to get close or above the RDA for

all of the “green” nutrients. Mustard greens have a spicy flavor and can be cooked many

different ways like our above mentioned greens, but should be cooked for shorter periods of

time. It can be prepared more like spinach than other greens. In the northern hemisphere, mustard

greens are in season between January and April. A great vegetable to eat when virtually nothing

else is in season!

(http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/mustard_greens/)

5.     Spinach

Traditionally thought of as an iron rich green (Popeye ate it for strength), Spinach

defends its green name in being high in all of our “green” nutrients. Unfortunately, at an average

price of $2.32 per bunch, it is a little pricey for the small bunch of spinach that usually comes in

a “bunch”. It is, likewise, pricier than most other greens. It can be eaten fresh, sautéed, steamed

or boiled. Remember, spinach shrinks a lot! So you need a lot if you are cooking it! Spinach is

another cool season vegetable and is usually planted in August and harvested in September.

Look for it in the beginning of the fall at your local produce stand!

(http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/?p=154)

6.     Turnip Greens

The nice thing about turnip greens is that the turnips come with them! They are a little

pricier than mustard greens and spinach and so are ranked a little lower, but are just as nutritious!

Turnip greens are popularly cooked by sautéing or steaming, similarly to Spinach. They can also

be eaten in a salad. If turnips are planted in the summer, they are good by the late autumn to

early winter! Another great option for when very few veggies are in season!

(http://bloomfield-montclaircsa.org/?p=21)

7.     Broccoli Rabe (AKA: Broccoli Raab)

Broccoli rabe is a recent culinary discovery of mine and my favorite vegetable of the

moment! It is slightly pricier than the above mentioned greens and so is only making it in at

number 7, but is high in all the same nutrients as any leafy green (calcium, vitamin C, potassium,

vitamin A, carotene, vitamin K). Broccoli rabe has a spicy flavor that is delicious when sautéed,

eaten raw or on top of Italian sausage! It is also great in sandwiches and salad! Broccoli Rabe is

best grown in mild weather, 60 – 75 degrees F. It is usually harvested in the fall, but I have seen

it in early summer months. 

(http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/broccoli-rabe-olives-with-lemon-10000000671362/)

8.     Broccoli

This classic green is usually thought of as the go-to vegetable in many American

households, but it is not actually as nutritious as the above mentioned veggies and is pricey! Still,

Broccoli is high in fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K. It has its merits and if you are a

broccoli fan, it is a great part of any diet! Broccoli is popularly cooked by sautéing, steaming,

boiling or in stir fry. Broccoli is harvested in the fall and so look for it in the coming months of

fall!

(http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/1288)

9.     Cabbage

Cabbage is on this list because it is so cheap, always in season and can be grown under

various conditions! It is one of the only fiber-full vegetables that is only $0.79 per head. Plus, a

head of cabbage goes a long way! I was disappointed that cabbage isn’t as dense in nutrients as

any of the other vegetables on this list; however, it will give you a day’s worth of vitamin C and

vitamin K. It also provides a little bit of all of our “green” nutrients, but would take a couple of

servings to fill a day’s worth. It beat number 10 because of its super low price and its ability to

grow in every season! It’s usually cooked by sautéing or in slaws (such as cole slaw). It is also a

delicious addition to any ethnic meal! Locally grown cabbage can be found year round at your

grocery store or produce stand!

(http://www.magazine.ayurvediccure.com/the-nutritional-value-of-cabbage/)

10.      Asparagus

Asparagus was my favorite vegetable before I fell in love with… well all of the above

leafy greens. It is delicious and rich in vitamin A and potassium. Asparagus is delicious when it

is broiled, roasted or sautéed. Some people may boil or steam it, but that’s just not as tasty.

Asparagus is one of the first signs of spring as it is in season early in April! Delicious and

nutrient-rich, but asparagus is too pricey to make it any higher on this list.

(http://www.seriouseats.com/2011/05/in-season-asparagus-choosing-picking-storing-20110429.html)

Vegetables Nutrients

Fiber

(g)

Ca

(mg)

Fe

(mg)

K

(mg)

Vit A

(IU)

B-

carotene

(μg)

Vit C

(mg)

Vit K

(mg)

Swiss Chard

(1.67/pound)3.2 87 3.39 824 9186 5478 27 491

Collard

Greens

4.2 210 1.74 174 12171 7221 27.3 660

(1.72/bunch)

Kale

(1.77/bunch)3 108 1.35 342 20,432 12,260 61.5 342

Mustard

Greens

(2.00/bunch)

3 111 1.05 303 9,484 5691 38 449

Spinach

(2.32/bunch)3.6 204 5.35 699 15,722 9432 14.7 740.4

Turnip

Greens

(2.55/pound)

5.2 206 1.2 304 11438 6862 41.1 551.4

Broccoli

(2.99/pound)4.2 177 1.91 514 6800 4080 55.5 384

Cabbage

(0.79/head)2.8 72 0.28 294 120 72 56.2 163.1

Asparagus

(3.26/pound)3 34 1.36 336 1509 906 11.6 75.9

RDA or AI

25

(w)

38

(m)

1000

18

(w), 8

(m)

4700 3000No

RDA75 120

Explanation of Terms Used:

RDA – Recommended Daily Allowances

AI – Adequate Intake

The values above are for males and females between the ages of 19 and 50

All of the values of nutrients for each individual food is based on an amount of 150 g of the

vegetable, cooked without salt.

Raw or Cooked? In general, these vegetables are higher in nutrients when cooked than when

eaten raw. For more information on how nutritious these vegetables are when eaten raw, please

visit http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/. The prices of the produce mentioned above

was collected from a website of a local produce stand in the state of NY, from Fresh Grocer,

Philadelphia and Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia.

Extra info about nutrients: Minerals like Iron are needed in higher quantities for women than

men. Beta-carotene gets converted into vitamin A in the body and therefore can be considered as

a way to intake vitamin A.

References:Gropper SS, Smith JL, Groff JL. (2009) Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism. California:

Wadsworth.

Kinsley CG. “Plant of the Month: Swiss Chard.” Date Accessed 27 Aug 2011. Retrieved from:       http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/homehort/plant/swiss_chard.htm

“Nutrient Data Library.” U.S. Department of Agriculture. Date Accessed 23 Aug 2011. Retrieved from: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/