I underestimated how helpful it was growing up in a diverse state secondary school in east London, because conversations about the lack of representation in media and the effects on us were pretty normal.
These conversations were unfiltered and a bit chaotic but I’m am so grateful I grew up with that. It was good to know my thoughts and feelings re the lack of representation were not exclusive to me.
I think brown representation beyond caricatures was needed back then (getting better now but still ways to go) to educate non-brown folk. If all you see is content that feeds the stereotype beast then you’ll most likely project that onto people in the real world. As we’ve seen and experienced, it’s so dangerous.
2023 is bursting at the seams with content outside of the traditional format so there’s a lot of easily accessible and digestible content out there to help reframe old narratives. Thanks for writing this Poorna 💙 Congrats on your book being adapted for tv btw! 💪🏽🙌🏽🫶🏽
As a white woman I can only imagine what your experience has been, so thank you for helping to increase representation so that others don't have to go through the same thing. I am really looking forward to seeing your book on screen!
Thank you, Poorna. Reading from other women of colour to open up about these topics feels so good. I feel seen! There were many moments growing up when I struggled with my identity, especially as a teenager. I grew up in Germany as a Turkish/Greek Muslim woman, and the only character I ever saw on German TV who looked like me was Princess Jasmine, but she wasn't even a real character! Later on, my career choice of working in Technology also meant that I had to get comfortable working in a white, male-dominated industry. This often meant trying to walk a tightrope between safety and authenticity, a situation made all the more difficult because, early on in my career, there were not many female leaders I could relate to. Things are a bit better now, but it's embarrassing how slowly we progress. To end on a more positive note, you, Leyla Kazim, Giselle Buchanan, Kamila Shakur, Ezgi Basaran, Fariha Roisin and Elif Shafak are all fantastic writers I'm very grateful to be surrounded with in this space and, most importantly, with whom I feel like I can relate to. Thank you!
Oh I loved reading One Day so I'm excited there's a new adaptation and for your novel. One of my childhood best friends was South Asian and an absolute beauty and it makes me wonder if she ever felt this way and it makes me feel sad to think so. We are still in touch and she's a fancy lawyer now so I'll share this piece. I had my first fight (or rather I got punched in the eye by a boy and ran home crying) when I stood up for her when someone called her a racist slur when we were nine.
Thank you for this post. I watched Netflix's One Day in amazement and was enchanted by the leads and their chemistry. Seeing Ambika Mod cast as a lead character who was desired, who had her own desires and who lived her life free of the weight of race trauma and stereotyping was wonderful. I am a Gen-Xer like Emma and Dexter in the story and grew up outside India watching American and British shows and films. You put it perfectly in your post - not seeing yourself represented in media is harmful in insidious ways and limits not only our own dreams and hopes, but our erasure shapes how the world sees and treats us. I am so glad this is changing!
I underestimated how helpful it was growing up in a diverse state secondary school in east London, because conversations about the lack of representation in media and the effects on us were pretty normal.
These conversations were unfiltered and a bit chaotic but I’m am so grateful I grew up with that. It was good to know my thoughts and feelings re the lack of representation were not exclusive to me.
I think brown representation beyond caricatures was needed back then (getting better now but still ways to go) to educate non-brown folk. If all you see is content that feeds the stereotype beast then you’ll most likely project that onto people in the real world. As we’ve seen and experienced, it’s so dangerous.
2023 is bursting at the seams with content outside of the traditional format so there’s a lot of easily accessible and digestible content out there to help reframe old narratives. Thanks for writing this Poorna 💙 Congrats on your book being adapted for tv btw! 💪🏽🙌🏽🫶🏽
As a white woman I can only imagine what your experience has been, so thank you for helping to increase representation so that others don't have to go through the same thing. I am really looking forward to seeing your book on screen!
Thank you, Poorna. Reading from other women of colour to open up about these topics feels so good. I feel seen! There were many moments growing up when I struggled with my identity, especially as a teenager. I grew up in Germany as a Turkish/Greek Muslim woman, and the only character I ever saw on German TV who looked like me was Princess Jasmine, but she wasn't even a real character! Later on, my career choice of working in Technology also meant that I had to get comfortable working in a white, male-dominated industry. This often meant trying to walk a tightrope between safety and authenticity, a situation made all the more difficult because, early on in my career, there were not many female leaders I could relate to. Things are a bit better now, but it's embarrassing how slowly we progress. To end on a more positive note, you, Leyla Kazim, Giselle Buchanan, Kamila Shakur, Ezgi Basaran, Fariha Roisin and Elif Shafak are all fantastic writers I'm very grateful to be surrounded with in this space and, most importantly, with whom I feel like I can relate to. Thank you!
Oh I loved reading One Day so I'm excited there's a new adaptation and for your novel. One of my childhood best friends was South Asian and an absolute beauty and it makes me wonder if she ever felt this way and it makes me feel sad to think so. We are still in touch and she's a fancy lawyer now so I'll share this piece. I had my first fight (or rather I got punched in the eye by a boy and ran home crying) when I stood up for her when someone called her a racist slur when we were nine.
Very excited for your TV series, congratulations!
Thank you for this post. I watched Netflix's One Day in amazement and was enchanted by the leads and their chemistry. Seeing Ambika Mod cast as a lead character who was desired, who had her own desires and who lived her life free of the weight of race trauma and stereotyping was wonderful. I am a Gen-Xer like Emma and Dexter in the story and grew up outside India watching American and British shows and films. You put it perfectly in your post - not seeing yourself represented in media is harmful in insidious ways and limits not only our own dreams and hopes, but our erasure shapes how the world sees and treats us. I am so glad this is changing!