Hands down the most honest speech I’ve ever delivered in my career. And I’ll continue the honesty here 👇🏽 This has been one of the hardest years of my career as a creative. There have been so many moments where I’ve questioned whether I belong. Whether my voice matters. Whether the stories I want to tell are “commercial” enough. Whether I should make myself smaller, safer, more familiar. Entertaining is 10% of my job, the mental gymnastics make up 90%. I’ve gotten so used to doing what I call a “whitewash pass” on my scripts before sending them out. I’ll remove Punjabi or Hindi words. I’ll change names. I’ll soften cultural references. I’ll catch myself wondering if a character needs to be South Asian at all. Not because I want to tell a different story, but because it feels like it might be the only way to get someone to read it. And I am waiting for someone to prove me wrong… any day now. That’s a heartbreaking realization to have as a writer. Not to mention, as an actor, it’s so sad that my friends and I literally have conversations like, “okay if they already have that supporting role as a person of colour, then I probably don’t have a chance because they won’t have two POCs, right?” I know I’m not the only creative who feels exhausted right now. It can feel like every “no” is trying to convince you that your perspective is too specific, too different, or too risky. Please don’t confuse the limitations of a system with the limitations of your talent. Your story is worthy. Your voice is worthy. And every time you choose to keep creating anyway, you’re making it a little easier for the person who comes after you. And that’s what I’ll do. I’m going to keep pushing. It is so exhausting and mentally taxing… but I feel so strongly I must continue. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to audition for a role that is literally written as a white man in the script. Wish me luck!!! Fingers crossed lmao 😩
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