The Introduction: Welcome to my Distorted World
3/11/20244 min read
Welcome. I’m very glad you’re here. You’re part of a revolution, in every sense of the word. You may not feel this way just yet, but you will.
The Earth’s revolution in orbit around the sun takes about 365 days, 6 hours and 9 minutes. Most of us human beings structure our lives around this revolution, organizing our time endlessly for maximum fulfillment.
At one point in time, human beings co-existed in the same world. They used art to tell stories and communicate with one another. I believe we used to look to each other to better understand ourselves within and the mysterious world we share.
We tell stories to connect, to reflect, to share every single possibility this extraordinary experience of life can fill into our souls.
Today, when you turn open a book, play a song, or open up the Netflix app, you might think you’re escaping your current reality.
In fact, you’re expanding it. You’re exploring possibilities, you’re connecting with humanity, you’re learning about the world because human beings from your world created it and they’re reflecting their world back to you.
This is where a problem arises.
Now, we are so absorbed in our own individually created versions of the same 365 days, 6 hours and 9 minutes that we understand less of each other than we do of ourselves.
Our world’s are distorted. And it’s dangerous.
I can’t remember how old I was when I first realized almost nobody on my TV screen looked like me, or that the ones that did were often the same generalization of everyone who sort of looked this way - a caricature, a stereotype, or merely a face in the background.
From Apu, to the jokes that the Taxi driver is my uncle, to the assumption that I’ll grow up to be a doctor. My distorted world, clouded by the way white people see us in theirs.
These aren’t the stories of heroism, triumph, determination, resilience, beauty, and love, told by my Asian relatives.
Where are the films about their experiences? Year after year, films are released and episodes are aired recycling similar storylines with similar faces with the similar representation of Asian people in their world.
In 2021, The Hollywood Reporter accounted that Asians and Pacific Islanders Account for Less Than 6 Percent of Speaking Roles in Hollywood Films - according to the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, which took a look at the most popular films from 2007-2019.
The Geena Davis (queen) Institute conducted a study on Asian and Pacific Island representation on screen, published in the summer of 2021. They share that “seventeen percent of female API characters are verbally objectified and 13.0% are visually objectified in the top 10 grossing domestic films from 2010-2019.”
https://seejane.org/wp-content/uploads/api-study-2021-8.pdf
According to the 2016 Canadian Census, 17% of Canada’s population is made up of those of Asian and Middle Eastern ethnic backgrounds. The majority of non-official languages spoken in Canada originate from these regions. We are the largest group of visible minorities in Canada. We are the majority of the minorities.
The Asian continent, with such a rich culture and history in western world, with such significant contributions to the way things are - we have gone unrecognized too often. So much has been taken from us without respecting where it came from. And on top of that, we’ve been treated as less than in the media.
As an avid consumer of storytelling, this made a huge impact on the way I viewed myself and my place in this world, which I only became aware of recently.
Our material world turned storytelling into profitable industries of mass production, adopting the man-made norms determining who is granted power and who is not. It is often decided by businessmen whose kinds of stories are shared.
Consequently, diversity has become a trend, a quota, a risk, a bold statement.
Specific communities of people have been minorities in sharing their stories here in North America.
As such, the majorities have portrayed us in ways that are untrue, inauthentic, and harmful to both our self-image and the ways the world sees us. Or, they’ve just ignored us. Proving to us that we’re invisible to them.
Growing up South Asian in Canada, I’m no stranger to the feeling of invisibility. This feeling was amplified when I began working in the film/TV industry professionally, as an actor. Now, I’m lucky if I can watch a movie or a show without pointing out the blatant lack or misrepresentation of my people.
So I created My Diistorted World. Just to talk about it.
My Diistorted World is designed to revolutionize the way we are represented in stories.
It serves as a tool of empowerment for us, and education for others, through sharing our unique, incredible stories.
In doing so, we hope you can connect with us, yourself, your community, the Earth we live on, and the universe all we’re part of.
“Stories are a communal currency of humanity” ~ Tahir Shah
We’re clearing up the distortion in each of our individual little worlds by destroying the harmful stereotypes instilled in us. We want to remove the cloud of physical differences to reveal our vast similarities and shine a light with the utmost compassion for one another.
This is the revolution. Bridging gaps. Creating opportunities. Dismantling ancient structures that created this disconnect. Taking back how we are seen.
We’re simply making voices heard. In communication is connection and when we connect, we can make lives better across the Earth.
We place a spotlight on Asian stories through blog posts, podcasts, videos, and social media; highlighting stories of Asian artists and analyzing the representation of them in mainstream media.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” ~ Maya Angelou
Sending you peace, love, and the warmest welcome,
My Diistorted World