GEN-ZiNE Issue 2 - Multiculturalism: Stirring the Melting Pot

GEN-ZiNE

Volume 1.

Issue 2.

multiculturalism: stirring the melting pot

GEN-ZiNE 1

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Letter from the Editors

06 This Is America

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Trump's Presidency

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CONTENTS

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International Feminism

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Neither Here Nor There

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Religion: Barrier to Entry

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Cultural Appropriation

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Representation in Hollywood 3

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GEN-ZiNE

Multiculturalism: Stirring the Melting Pot

WINTER ISSUE EDITORS

ANUSHKA JOSHI EDEN BURKOW SAM GIBBS

CONTRIBUTORS ARJUN JOSHI ANDREA MARIN

GRAPHICS ETSY.COM

HOW TO REACH US ANUSHKA JOSHI anushkaj@usc.edu EDEN BURKOW eburkow@usc.edu SAM GIBBS gibbss@usc.edu

WWW.GEN-ZiNE.COM

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© 2019 by GEN-ZiNE, Inc. All Rights Reserved Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. GEN-ZiNE is a registered trademark of Publisher. Printed in the United States of America.

From the Editor's Desk Welcome back to GEN-ZiNE. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAA

As you embark on the second issue of this cultural critique, I would like the chance to reintroduce ourselves.

I am a cultural creator and I strive to be a lifelong learner. Given the fact that this work ended up in your hands––I would like to honor you as such as well. I am joined on this journey by my closest friends who push my thoughts, warm my heart, and help further grow my intellect and character.

They are willing to sit down and dig into the tough conversations that are easily swept under the carpet – creating a space for validation and adding dimension within one another.

I approach my daily interactions through a critical lens, and sometimes convince myself that I am too critical of society. But, I will never manifest into a bystander. GEN-ZiNE serves as my safety net in allowing me to express myself and become a vehicle for change. I have made it my responsibility, because if I cannot stand up for what I think is right, I cannot expect anybody else to.

Change is hard. And change is even harder when it does not affect you. Make it a part of your civic duty to think about lives that don’t necessarily pertain to your own. Go in

with an open heart and wide eyes— you may find that you have previously glazed over other people’s experiences right in front of you.

This is the Multiculturalism issue. The goal is to dissect the United States as a melting pot society, and explore our values transnationally. Multiculturalism is the mix and support for multiple cultural and ethnic groups within society.

Think about who surrounds you: Do you have a diverse portfolio of perspectives surrounding you?

Are you aware of their upbringing and how it shapes their thinking?

Have you thought about how your choices impact their lives?

Dive into the multicultural society we live in, if you have not already. Listen to the new voices around you--they have something to say.

Celebrating Diversity, ANUSHKA EDEN • SAM

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THIS IS

If we flash back to the discovery of the Americas, we start at the very beginning of America’s long history of discrimination. The taking of America by Europe led to the mistreatment and violence against the indigenous Native Americans that had inhabited the land previously. Native Americans were forced to assimilate into the new “American” (really European) culture.

This meant the spreading of Christianity and the upheaval of the tribal values that the Native Americans held. The White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant European came to be the common American, as many Europeans came across the sea to start the New World. As different European countries colonized, a mixing of nationalities and identities came to define America. But one thing remained: the tendency to discriminate against those with a “different” appearance and culture. Being a true American really means being from Europe, but the white part of Europe, not the “ethnic” part.

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In the late 1800s, to the early 1900s, many immigrants came to America in search of the American Dream. What they got instead were ghettos and slums, and work that paid squat. These immigrants were forced out of nicer areas and herded into small, crowded spaces with poor living conditions. They were told to stick to their own kind, and they followed. This led to the creation of places like “Little Italy,” and the historically known Jewish Lower East Side. These are revered as cultural artifacts and wonders now, but back then they were places of squalor and humiliation.

Clearly, America was confused about who belonged. It still is. Just read the daily news, and there is a new group being targeted for simply existing almost everyday; Jews, Muslims, members of the LGBTQ community, Black people, Mexicans, Transgender people, anyone from the Middle East, the list goes on.

This begs the question, who really is an American? And honestly, I’m not too sure.

AMERICA

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America was founded on a mixing of identity and culture, but quickly moved to shutting out anyone who had too much. We speak of America as a “melting pot,” but we have to question that because of the current values and actions being toted in America today. A melting pot can be defined as a blending of cultures, identities, values and more.

On the surface, America is a physical melting pot, consisting of thousands of different people from different backgrounds. America started as a land of immigrants. The “true” Americans were the Natives.

This definition has changed to mean one thing: white, native English speaking, and probably Christian. If America was founded on immigration and “melting pots,” it doesn’t make sense that a true American could only be defined as one thing. America is not a melting pot. It never really was. Although there are many cultures present, they are not blended in any way. And they never will be. Simply because

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anyone with an accent is seen as not belonging, and immigration is seen as something alien and wrong. America is toted as melting pot to boost our own ego and demonstrate how great we are; we are the land of the free! We promote liberty and justice for all! The singing of the national anthem at American sports games drowns out the cries of Black Lives Matter and Love is Love. There is not really a point to having a national anthem if we struggle to define what the nation of America really is.

Oh America, one of the most powerful nations in the world is weak at the hands of those who built this country: immigrants. Immigration is being limited and cut off and changed to mean something terrible and violent. It also creates an attitude of superiority in the hearts of those who believe they are “true” Americans. We are being told to question who has a right to live in this country and threatening anyone who does not fit the new American mold. America’s national identity is being warped to define those who are in power only, not the majority of who makes up this country and works tirelessly everyday, supporting the economy. We need to change the conversation to view immigrants as the founding fathers of this country––they are, and should be seen as such.

SAM GIBBS

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Trump's Presidency Living in Donald Trump’s America means being subjected to values and morals unlike any other president we have ever had.

Whether it be irrational tweets or simply ignorant public speeches, Trump’s actions incite aggressive, narrow-minded opinions that greatly affect marginalized groups. Additionally, the policies and laws Trump has enacted further promote this attitude of, in blatant terms, white supremacy. White supremacy, in this set of conditions, refers to the favoring of dominant racial, social, and economic groups within society (read: white) over groups that have less power and dominance. People of color and people of minority groups are not being listened to and their priorities are being “othered”-–-further alienating them from society. It is clear to see, through Trump’s policies, that he’s othering many groups of people who are of color and of minority groups.

1. The Muslim Ban: On January 27, 2017, Trump signed an Executive Order that banned foreign nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries from visiting the country for 90 days, suspended entry to the country of all Syrian refugees indefinitely, and prohibited any other refugees from coming into the country for 120 days. This ban effectively shut out all people from these countries, and as stated above, these are majority Muslim countries. The administration feels as if these people are a threat to the United States, simply because of false claims citing their origins/ beliefs in terrorism and other forms of violence. The Muslim Ban is

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discriminating against an entire religion because of the actions of a small, niche group. A policy like this can only ignite fierce hatred in the hearts of Americans who follow and support Trump. This further damages the relationship between white Americans and Muslims that are already within the United States and puts them in a place of marginalization and fear.

2. The Order on Immigration: On January 25th, 2017, Trump signed an Executive Order that gave deportation authorities more power in deciding who they can arrest or deport. The order prioritizes those who are considered “criminal.” Criminal is

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defined as anyone who has been charged with a criminal offense, despite having not been convicted, anyone who is believed to “have committed acts that constitute a chargeable criminal offense”, meaning the authorities believe they have broken any law even if they have not been charged. The order also allows the targeting of anyone who, believed solely by the immigration officer, poses a risk to national security or public safety. This expansion of power gives immigration authorities the right to do as they please without repercussions, and target individuals mainly of Mexican descent who are seen as a “threat.” The language of the order puts in a place of racial discrimination, as those who are seen as criminal is loosely defined. The discussion is centered around the USMexican border, and targets Mexican immigrants.

This order further marginalizes and incites aggressive beliefs towards Mexicans because of the power it gives immigration authorities and the scope it gives the American people to see all Mexicans as threats or as criminal. The executive order allows arrests without real probable cause; ICE can arrest solely on their own judgement, which is likely skewed because of Trump.

3. The Bathroom Debate: In February of 2017, Trump rolled back protections for transgender students that had allowed them to use the bathroom that corresponded to their gender identity. This rejected the Obama administration’s policies that nondiscrimination laws require schools to allow transgender students to utilize the bathroom of their choice. That directive, as stated by the Trump cohort, did not properly take into account the “primary role of the states and local school districts in establishing educational policy.” The rights of transgender students are often overlooked and cast aside. The tumultuous way in which society handles the treatment of transgender people is only further instigated by policies like this one. Yes, maybe it isn’t a federal power to enforce bathroom usage within schools. But it’s within the federal government’s power to protect all Americans and their rights to live. By rolling back this directive, the Trump administration is basically saying transgenders don’t deserve protection and their safety is unimportant. This is extremely harmful to transgender people and puts them in a place of vulnerability. It also inspires a belief that transgender people are not “human,” they are “alien” and do not need to be treated as fair and equal.

These are only a handful of the damaging and divisive policies that Trump has enacted and will continue to put into place. We must, as members of the generation that are seen as future changemakers, understand and fight against policies like this; that put marginalized groups of people further into the category of “other.” The time is now and Trump’s first term is almost up.

SAM GIBBS

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INTERNATIONAL FEMINISM

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Feminists around the world are fighting for equality, justice, and liberty. Some countries are vocal about domestic violence, constitutional rights, and sexual harassment, while others fight for property ownership, against abortion laws, and obedience to husbands.

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We honor the rebellious campaigns within our respective countries, but might not practice the same feminist habits for our sisters around the world. Furthermore, we may even honor their oppression without knowing it. But we can’t be fair-weather feminists.

At the Power Women Summit in fall 2018, I had the honor of meeting Masih Alinejad, an Iranian American journalist who lives in exile in New York City, after being expelled from Iran for her criticism of Iranian authorities. She goes by Masih, meaning Messiah––a leader or savior of a particular group or cause and she acts as such to women in Iran.

She fights against the compulsory hijab, and taught me about what it means to be an International Feminist.

The hijab is a veil worn by Muslim women, but in Iran it is compulsory and is used as an oppressive mechanism. In many other Islamic countries and communities, it is a choice, but after the Iranian Revolution in 1979, it has become law for women to wear the Hijab. The fight is not against the Hijab itself, but rather against the oppressive culture it permits. Individuals have the right to their body and their appearance and this should not be a matter for the governing regime to enforce. The Supreme Leader of Iran uses the western #MeToo movement as a way to justify the compulsory hijab as a way of protecting women from sexual harassment. He fights against Western Women and says that their deviant lifestyle is what causes sexual assault.

But the degradation of women does not come from the image that women put out for themselves, but rather it is that Iranian women are banned from singing in public, cannot attend public sports events and need a husband’s approval to get a passport or travel outside the country. By deviating from the compulsory Hijab, it places many women at serious and immediate risk of unjust imprisonment, while sending a chilling message to 12

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others to keep quiet while their rights are being violated.

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In 2014, Masih started an online movement that sparked nationwide protests against the compulsory hijab. She was living in London, and posted a photo with her hair down, and women from home commented saying, “Masih, don’t post these pictures, we envy you”. When she returned to Iran, she posted a photo without her scarf, driving in her car, proving that she could be free wherever and whenever she wanted. Shortly after, My Stealthy Freedom was born, a campaign that more than one million women have since joined her on the journey to freedom.

When people from other countries visit Iran, they wear the Hijab to respect the culture, but what many do not realize is that they are respecting oppression––something many would refuse to do in their own countries.

By not conforming to traditional values and combining our voices globally, we can achieve change locally.

Masih encourages and embraces a global sisterhood. Wherever you are, practice local feminism. When we travel to a new country, we obey their laws. But in conversation with

Masih, she points out that in America, slavery was a law, and it would be ridiculous for foreigners to honor that culture.

In Iran, they are not just overthrowing the regime, but women are launching cultural revolutions. When feminists go abroad, we need to stand up for freedom everywhere, and actively critique the cultures around us, rather than passively be a hypocrite. As Americans, it is our privilege to exercise our freedom internationally and keep growing our sisterhood.

ANUSHKA JOSHI Masih just released a book The Wind In My Hair: My Fight for Freedom in Modern Iran.

Check it out.

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Neither Here Nor There:

Reflections From the Diaspora All my life, I’ve been identified by people as “basically white” or “not super Indian,” because I don’t practice Hinduism or conform to the Type-A stereotypes like Apu from “The Simpsons” or Raj Koothrapali from “The Big Bang Theory.” On the flip side, my non-Indian friends have gawked at or joked about my love for Bollywood cinema and Indian food (I will swear by my mom’s biryani), and I more or less accepted the jokes as well-intentioned ribbing. But recently, my cousin was ranting about the marginalization of people of color at her university. She addressed how they are a rare presence in Greek Life (and more to the point, not expected to be a part of it), how other friends have claimed, “The only Indian thing about you is that you’re brown” and yet strangers view her as Indian because her parents work in Silicon Valley. These points finally spurred me to ponder the jokes my own peers had made about me growing up, and I came to a disturbing conclusion: the performances of race and culture are constructs of white people and the West.

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For those who don’t know what that means, “performance” is acting out a culture that you come from, whether you truly identify with that culture or not. For example, as the son of Indian immigrants, speaking Hindi, following the Hindu religion, and participating in Indian cultural activities like Raas Garba and Karnatic singing would all be performing that Indian identity.

Because I do not do any of these things, I am not performing my racial identity, and thus I am not perceived as a proper member of the Indian community.

I don’t say this because it’s another example of “white people say silly things sometimes.” I say this because it is a problematic and deeply damaging concept to POCs around the world. This concept that the cultural mainstream is white, heteronormative, Christian, and male, is a troubling concept because it erases the beauty and uniqueness of other cultures and philosophies. It pits the “assimilated” POCs like me against those who are more “in touch” with their mother-culture, and for what? At the end of the day, people of color are marginalized whether they assimilate or don’t; while the assimilated can avoid judgment of their “foreign” traditions and customs, their skin color will always mark them as outsiders in the

mainstream. Culture may often involve the dynamics of sociopolitical groups and artistic movements, but at the end of the day a culture exists because individuals buy into it. Why are we defined as “too white” or “too Indian” for these groups? Why does it matter that we choose the traditions that work for us, and more importantly, who earned the right to judge others for their culture? It’s outrageous that POCs and their children are forced to choose between their heritage and acceptance because it’s a false choice. Only we as individuals can choose what we identify as authentically “our” culture.

This is something that resonates with me as I am caught between these two worlds as an Indian-American from Missouri, the heartland of the United States. I don’t speak the languages of my parents or grandparents, I don’t practice the religion of my caste, and I’m not a participant in dance and music from India like Raas or Classical.

But on the other hand, I’m not a Christian, I’m not white, and I was raised in a household that fit the stereotypes of academic discipline and overachieving. These characteristics live side-by-side in my heart, habits, and identity. Growing up, I hated the feeling of embarrassment when I explained why I’d brought an Indian

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snack from home, or when I told my parents that I did in fact want food like pizza and burgers over something more traditionally Indian. Having to explain our preferences in food and music, which are the building blocks of any culture, simultaneously alienates first-generation children like me from peers and parents alike, and leaves us uneasy in either world we inhabit. Whether it’s because we don’t speak the language or follow the religion, we feel ill at ease when attending poojas (prayers), holidays, and birthdays in the culture of our grandparents and nominally more “authentic” peers. By the same token, we are treated to moments of jarring discomfort in our country of residence at birthdays or holiday parties because we question if we were somehow deprived of an important experience in our childhoods, when in actuality we weren’t raised any better or worse than our peers, just differently.

This is something that I’ve felt build over all 20 years of my life, but I finally have the words for my frustration. At the end of the day, you have to know the individual by their story and thoughts. Don’t assume our socio-economic status because of our skin color, don’t question our intelligence because of our accent, and most certainly don’t question our politics and social attitudes by the presence of a yarmulke, hijab, or bindi. I am an American, but that does not mean I will ever renounce the Indian roots of my family. I live in both worlds, and that is beautiful.

ARJUN JOSHI

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Religion: Barrier to Entry

Marriage and Judaism.

The two go together like peas in a pod… if you’re Jewish, you marry someone Jewish. This is because intermarriage poses the greatest threat to the future of Jewish survival. And I’m sure many who affiliate with any religion can also relate.

Since I was a little girl, it has been implied that whoever I marry, will be Jewish. Without question, it’s the unspoken truth of the Jewish standard and my Jewish heritage.

Recently, I was asked if I still plan on marrying a Jew. And without hesitation, I quickly said “yes!” But now I have been thinking: What is so wrong with other religions that intermarriage has become such a threat?

Being born and raised in Los Angeles, I am tolerant of this issue.

Though, I feel it on a microscopic scale.

However, people around the world experience harsh penalties of indulging in relationships with people of different religious affiliations.

The discrimination I face for a relationship with someone of a different religion is trivial, while others suffer greatly from the discrimination they face.

As tolerant as I am to all of this – has the societal expectation and pressure of marrying someone Jewish made me less likely to engage in a conversation with someone of a different religion? Have I not been as 18

open as I should be because of my religious identifier?

How has my religion hindered my interactions?

Religion is both a physical and social marker of who we are today. We can physically associate ourselves to our religions in the ways we dress, from hairstyles to accessories. We can socially associate ourselves to our religion by allowing our thoughts to stem from our religious beliefs, and observing each day the same as a person of the same religion. Religion can be worn and seen, and at the same time can be hidden within us. But ultimately, it all comes down to those uniform set of values that separate us.

Religion is supposed to unite people, not divide people.

The term translates to “to bind, to connect,” therefore the purpose of religion is to unify us and connect us with others. Religion does not cause separation between people; its people are the ones that do.

However, Religion poses a threat to our growth because of its external and internal barrier. And, while every religion has a set of values and expectations of its people, it’s time for people to engage, share and learn from one another.

It is an injustice to humanity to NOT engage in interfaith conversations in a multicultural setting because these conversations are what foster a sense of community with the unfamiliar. While our religions shape our foundations, these conversations challenge us and substantially make a difference in our individual growth.

So, while I’ll probably still end up marrying a Jew, I can stand to say that I will not allow someone else’s religious affiliation to dictate my interactions.

EDEN BURKOW 19

Cultural Appropriation

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In the age of social media, the term cultural appropriation seems to be thrown around quite a lot. Much too often there is a new viral image or video of a poorly judged fashion line or college-themed party. But what actually constitutes cultural appropriation? When does cultural borrowing cross the line into culture appropriation and when does appropriation cross into blatant bigotry or mocking? A white girl at Coachella could defend her Henna and Bindi for her “love of the culture�. How does that compare to Marc Jacobs putting runway models in dreadlocks or Nikki S. Lee 20

appropriating herself as a chola in her photography series, The Hispanic Project?

For starters, context matters and religious or sacred symbols to the respective culture are not a fashion trend. When the history and sacredness of these symbols are replaced with monetary value and easy accessibility, it is no longer a celebration of that culture but an exploitation of it. Examples of this would be Gucci putting Sikh Turbans on their runway models or Victoria's Secret using Native American headdresses for a lingerie collection.

These are corporations that have a massive influence on the way youths try to look and dress. If they can consistently get away with it by issuing a shallow apology tweet every few collections and still profit millions, they are giving individuals below them the permission to do it as well. Hence the hundreds of Native American, Rastafari and Geisha Halloween costumes seen every year, despite constant backlash on social media.

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People tend to cry “political correctness” every time this conversation resurfaces, claiming that, as America is supposedly the world’s melting pot, we should embrace the celebration of other people’s cultures instead of taking offense to it. If you ask people in Mexico if they are offended by Americans “celebrating” Cinco De Mayo, most would actually say no. There is a higher degree of natural intimacy and social harmony across Latin American social culture––compared to that in the United States––that allow us to casually poke fun at one another without consequences. That being said, those actually living in Mexico do not have to deal with being an oppressed minority in another country. Around the world, but especially in the United States, there is a power imbalance in the way cultures are exchanged.

Immigrants or citizens with an international background are subconsciously asked by the collective norm to tone down cultural customs such as language, clothes and social practices in order to integrate and assimilate as Americans. Immigrating to Pennsylvania from Venezuela when I was 5 years old, I was immediately aware of my place in society as the “other”. I spent the next 10 years trying to suppress who I was and where I came from–feeling embarrassed about my mom’s heavy accent, buying lunches instead of packing home cooked meals, forcing my parents to spend money they didn’t have on some basic brand so I could fit in with everyone else, and laughing with my peers as they joked about me being “illegal”. Now I look back at all of this, holding in so much guilt for disrespecting my culture, family and myself, and feel a duty to reclaim my culture as mine. Not 21

to say it can’t be shared, but those within the culture should be given the agency to dominate the conversation and do the sharing. This prevents harmful stereotypes from being perpetuated and empowers groups of people to control how they want to be seen.

In order to make progress with this issue that only seems to be getting more normalized every day, we must recognize cultural appropriation as a stem of rooted racism and white privilege in this country. We have to think about why different cultures are embraced in mainstream media and culture only when white people decide it’s trendy for them. Calling out individual cases of cultural appropriation followed by scripted social media apologies without recognizing that this is a systemic issue will not stop it from constantly occurring. You can’t see someone’s intentions, only their actions. Thus, social media makes it very easy for us to demonize and “cancel” individuals who have done it. Instead, we have to recognize their place in a much larger system of oppression and educate them on it, educate younger generations on it, and slowly start to dismantle a system that diminishes cultures that are not profitable to those with power.

ANDREA MARIN

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REPRESENTATION in

HOLLYWOOD

When I was 10 years old, I remember watching TV with my dad, and him having a viscerally irritated reaction when the Metro PCS commercial featuring two Indian men came on.

For those of you who do not remember, or are unfamiliar with this ad, it featured two Indian men employed as tech-help jockeys in a dingy room. CBS describes the advertisement as filled with “belly dancers backing two dorky, fasttalking Indian American computer wizards, it's veritably stuffed with flat, racist stereotypes”. One could argue that the ad is critiquing racism through ironic satire about Indian stereotypes, but most viewers just see it as making fun of Indians instead. I never understood the gravity of that advertisement until I realized it wasn’t a one-off––rather it embodies the deep rooted issue of race in television and movies.

It’s no secret that the media we consume influences the way we perceive ourselves and others. But did we realize that the movies and media we grew up watching marginalized and “othered” many groups of people? Whether a lack of presence on screen, or an inaccurate one when portrayed, Hollywood perpetuates discriminatory norms. Iit’s time to put an end to that cycle.

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Ironically, the people who view films most frequently are also the ones erased from the big screen. According to a study by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the most frequent movie go-ers are minorities––Asians, hispanics, African Americans and lastly caucasian. Yet, the top 100 films each year rarely reflect these consumers or our very own melting pot society.

The Annenberg Inclusion Initiative is the leading think tank in the world studying diversity and inclusion in entertainment. In their 2017 report about inequality in 1,100 top films from the past decade, they found that 70% of the characters on screen are white, 12% black, and 6% hispanic and asian. There is an inverse relationship between who goes to the movies, and who appears on screen.

There are two blaring issues with this. For one, we are far from proportional representation, which is what I’m fighting for.

Another issue, which should concern filmmakers, is that they aren’t making the movies that truly resonate with their audiences. If the primary audience is constituted by minorities, box office success is inevitable by creating more films with underrepresented characters. Diversity sells, yet Hollywood remains white.

There is an epidemic of invisibility in film, and the numbers are staggering.

In the top 100 films of 2017, 43 films lacked a Black or African American female. 65 were without Asian or Asian American females, 64 without Hispanic/latina females, and 94 movies were without a single LBGT female character.

I don’t know what world filmmakers are living in; it’s certainly not mine.

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There is a direct correlation of who the storytellers are to what stories are being told. Across the 1,100 popular films in the past decade and 1,223 directors, only 5.2% (64) were Black or African American, and 3.1% (38) were Asian or Asian American. These numbers explain limited exposure to diverse and original films. We tell the stories we know, but we need to diversify the voices who have access to large audiences.

But how?

To achieve gender equality in speaking roles by 2020, the Inclusion Initiative has proved how easy it can be: just add five. By adding five females to scripts each year, we will achieve gender equality quickly. Diversity is also stalled behind the scenes––there are not enough diverse directors whose stories are being heard. To break this cycle of marginalized voices, we need to create a new cycle.

As a consumer it feels like we are perhaps detached from the creation of films, but really the power is also in our hands. Cash is king, and by supporting inclusive films (such as Black Panther, Crazy Rich Asians, Coco, To All The Boys I've Loved Before, Pacific Rim: Uprising, Ocean’s 8, A Wrinkle in Time all in 2018!), it lights a fire under executives. Diversity sells, and the financial potential is sure to motivate executives to catch up with the times.

Behind all of the numbers are people. My friend’s Asian American mother and I gushed over Crazy Rich Asians. She recounts that the last Asian American majority movie cast was 25 years ago. That is more than my lifetime to go without seeing yourself on screen––and I’m glad I didn’t have to wait that long. Crazy Rich Asians for her was a breath of fresh air.

The media we consume affects us on a micro (individual) level and a macro (societal) level. It dictates what we value, and how valued we feel. At some point we will achieve representational inclusion and the stories we tell will not revolve around the color of someone’s skin. Rather, we’ll collectively connect to the stories for what they are, rather than who they are about.

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AFTER WORD Throughout this issue, you heard people share their concerns and experiences with hiding their cultures, feeling afraid to share them, or pushing them away for the sake of conformity. Our fears were confirmed by the politics of America, and it conditioned us—at least me— to believe that my culture was to be kept to myself and those who innately understood it.

But what I didn’t realize was that people want to learn, share, and understand each other’s cultures. I recently took my best friend to India with my family.

Yes, it was a culture shock, but she soaked up every inch of it, and embraced it with me. I was not only able to show her my roots, but I was able to share with her a part of me that not many other people have ever seen. Upon our return, our friends were so excited to hear about our trip, and she continued to spread and share a new culture. I feel more proud than ever, and excited to embrace my tradition because I know I’m not alone.

I just wish I had known it sooner. It was the affirmation that I never knew I needed, and by opening up my life to her, I was able to reconnect with my Indian roots in a way that I never want to let go of again.

In a personal sense, as well as a communal sense, sharing culture creates a more open and tolerant world. We can bond over differences and utilize our distinct backgrounds to learn something new. I encourage you all to share something about your heritage with your friends today. It’s empowering, and teaches us the trust and tolerance we all need to succeed and thrive in a larger community. It’s cool to have culture—never let anyone tell you otherwise.

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