Ash Prasad is a South Asian Indian immigrant, author of How to Write Inclusively: An Analysis & How To Guide.
Ash's life and world view changed during college when she took a class called “Ethics of Diversity,” which addressed the philosophical harms of injustice. It made her realize she wasn’t as privileged as she thought she was and it made her view the world in a different way.
Building her career as a senior consultant, her heart has always been in anti-racism work. When she felt stifled, she started researching Oregon's history and learned South Asian Indians had settled here 100+ years ago. Realizing that she didn’t know this history upset her.
“I also learned about the Sepoys, 1.3 million South Asian Indian soldiers who fought for the allied forces...But what do you see, when you see a war movie today? We only see one perspective.”
Learning this history set her path to becoming a screenwriter. When she saw there weren’t any books about how to write inclusively, Ash decided to write How to Write Inclusively: An Analysis and How-To Guide.
Ash notes it’s more than hiring a chief diversity officer—it’s about hiring people in all roles, cast and crew.
We talked about examples of shows that got it right—“Sense 8," about radical empathy, includes a diverse cast and is written by trans women. Of course there’s “Black Panther” and Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” and “Us.” Others are “The Half of It,” with a Chinese woman as the lead and a lesbian love story; “Money Heist,” and “Dark.
“I never saw myself until ‘Never Have I Ever’ on Netflix. It was comedic, representative, and I could see myself at 16.”
I raved over the “One Day at a Time” reboot with Latinx characters.
Hollywood has plenty of examples of problematic movies and TV shows, such as the transphobia in “The Silence of the Lambs” and “The Crying Game.” Although Bollywood is more diverse, there’s a lot of colorism. The leads are usually light skinned, while dark-skinned people play one-dimensional villains.
“It’s fine to have a villain or antagonist on our screen. But how are you writing that person?...are you telling the human story?"
We talked about the need for all organizations to create atmospheres of belonging.
“Are we creating safe spaces? Are you allowing that if someone has a complaint, something will be done about it? Unsafe environments create continued trauma.”
“I have never felt like I belonged in any of my roles, whether I was a full-time contract or external consultant. I’ve never felt like I’ve belonged in an organization, and that needs to change.”
The story of grit and resilience inspiring Ash is about her ancestors. “I think about what they went through...I can’t imagine getting on a boat as a pregnant woman. That’s where I come from. But a lot of my family history was lost in servitude and colonization.”
“I have three master’s degrees, and my sister is a Ph.D. The world we’ve been able to create just two generations later is really amazing. It’s my homage to thank my ancestors.”
You can find more information about Ash, including her e-book about inclusivity and her coaching and facilitation services, on her website.