Indusladies.com in San Francisco Chronicle

Hi,

Our community indusladies.com and our induslady Malathy have been quoted by San Francisco Chronicle in one of their articles titled "Indian women isolated in Silicon Valley".

Its not an exclusive article about IL, they have written about Indian Women who are on H4 Visa in the Bay Area. But in that article, they have written about the role that IL plays in encouraging H4 visa holders through the H4 forum, and also about Malathy for creating such an innovative website that helps people on H4. Hats off to Malathy for trying to bring about a change in the plight of women who are on H4. Hopefully this article gets the attention of people who are responsible in creating changes to the law that will make life a lot more easier for people who are on H4.

Quote about Indusladies from the article:

" Many women prefer the immigration forums and chat rooms on the Internet, where they can pour their hearts out anonymously. Malathy Jey, founder of Indusladies.com, a networking site for Indian women based in Austin, Texas, estimates that her site receives about 2 million page views a month.

Jey, 32, who worked as an IT specialist for Ford Motor Co. in Chennai, India, before moving to Austin on an H-4 visa with her husband, said she came up with the idea for the Web site during long days spent at home looking for things to do.
Indusladies.com offers relationship advice and recipes, as well as the opportunity for women to share their frustrations with the immigration process.

"I got married to an H-1B visa holder, which put me in H-4 visa status - yes, that dreaded H-4," wrote one of the users. "Being H-4, I can't work or earn a single dollar and all I can do is stay at home and stare at the four walls. "


Please refer to the following link to read the full article:
Indian women isolated in Silicon Valley

Thanks to all our H4 members who contributed to this article and to the reporter of SF Chronicle Ms. Anastasia Ustinova for mentioning about our website and also for bringing up the H4 visa holders' plight.

Thanks.

Hi, surprisingly 30 min after reading the same SF Chronicle article forwarded by my friend, I stumbled on this thread.

It is a good article and a familiar one too. I don't know if any one already mentioned "Hearts Suspended" in the comments. It is a documentary related to H-4s. Here is a copy-paste from a site I stumbled upon - meraticket.com.
Hearts_Suspended (World)
27Mins; English;USA; 2007


Synopsis: Hearts Suspended traces the filmmaker?s personal journey as she reveals how educated South Asian immigrant women struggle with depression, loss of self-identity, strained marital relations and other issues in the US on H4 (dependent spouse) visas, which deny them work-authorization. Through turmoil emerge spiritual strength, resolve and hope for change.


Director:Meghna_Damani

Meghna grew up in Mumbai. She has a Masters in Marketing and has been a journalist, model and advertising executive at JWT. Unauthorized to work in the US since 2002, her struggles inspired her first film. A Documentary Film Graduate of the New School in Manhattan, she lives in Jersey City.

http://www.heartssuspended.com/

Thanks

Dear Geetha,
It is an eyeopener to the plight of H4 visa holders. It clearly visualises the pain and anguish these women are undergoing. Perhaps more carrier minded girls would think twice before they agree to marry a H1B visa holder. Thanks for posting this thread.
Love,
Pushpavalli

Dear Geetha

How r u and ur family members........

thank u very much for sharing this with us..........

wow..hats off to indusladies.com!!

Am really moved looking at this. I dont know why, but I have always been away from advocating a US mapillai for women. This seems to make girls think twice before agreeing for a marriage with a US mapillai!!

Hi all,

I am currently an expat in India - and I see the same plight for several Indian and non-Indian women expats in India. So it is unfair to say a girl should not marry an H-1B visa holder!!! I am fortunate enough to work in a global company in the US, who transferred me to the Indian office. Similarly, I know someone who was working in India for an MNC who also got a job in the same company in the US. It is upto these women to make the most of their stay in the US - get involved in charity work or other similar activities, just like their counterparts in India.