The BlindianProject and I have been iterating a set of workshops & presentations to liberate our communities over the past two years, and the way they have developed has been so beautifully organic.
We started providing these services at the beginning of the pandemic to corporates and universities, predominately focused on anti-Blackness. As we witnessed a sharp increase in violence against Asians and Asian Americans, we noticed a shift. The speaking requests we received were more diverse and brought together multiple ERGs (employee resource groups) or student unions. We needed to change the story to make it more inclusive and focused on solidarity building. So, back to the drawing board we went.
History is such an underrated subject. But when you know what you're looking for and where to look, it's much easier to connect the dots and craft narratives. We focused on shared, interconnected histories that removed walls amongst people of the Global Majority. And by being vulnerable and infusing the conversations with personal experiences, we made people feel more inclined to share their personal stories.
Yesterday, I spoke with colleagues at the mental health charity Mind as part of South Asian Heritage Month. We covered a lot of ground and touched on several uncomfortable topics. But, as you can see from people's faces, we all left feeling invigorated and ready to take on the world.
If you want to learn more about our work, please visit our website, www.blindian-project.com
For additional information on our workshops, email: BlindianProject2020@gmail.com
Comments