Minority Voices: how they are making a stand for anti-racism in Singapore
Highlighting cultural diversity in Singapore, discover how Minority Voices is tackling difficult subjects to educate and empower
Text: Tiff H. First Published on 7th March 2021 and updated on 21st June 2021
Sharvesh Leatchmanan and Veena Tadikonda, co-founders, Minority Voices / Photo Credit: Charlene Winfred
It’s often hard to fathom such a thing as a safe space on social media, given that cyber bullies can easily hide behind their screens as they go ‘full keyboard warrior’. Yet, that’s exactly what online enterprise Minority Voices was created for — to offer a professionally monitored sanctuary for minorities by minority groups in Singapore and to shed light on some of the stories of everyday racism and discrimination.
The enterprise highlights these experiences both on their website and their Instagram as a bid to give a platform to the unheard and to uplift the marginalised. While it is true that Singapore is a melting pot of cultures and racial harmony is celebrated, that doesn’t mean that racial prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping doesn’t happen. One of the ways to highlight these issues sensitively is by giving them a voice so we can all listen, learn and vow to do better. The platform has received more than a hundred submissions from people sharing their stories of discrimination over the past week. The Founders noted there has been an overwhelming response most recently to any content on racism that the organisation has ever put up on social media. Sharvesh Leatchmanan, co-founder of Minority Voices explained to CNA in the last week that likes, comments and shares have been way off the charts compared to any of the other content they have put up in the past couple of months.
The Soothe spoke to Sharvesh earlier this year to find out more.
You launched Minority Voices last year. How did it come about?
My co-founder Veena reached out to me via a mutual friend to talk about a local racist video she’d seen online. Our conversation organically shifted to us sharing our own experiences with racism in Singapore, and in a moment of solidarity, Veena suggested that we collaborate on a project together to highlight issues we’d experienced, but never talked about. Our conversation ended with the creation of the @minorityvoices Instagram account. One day later, on May 6 2020, Minority Voices was officially launched.
What is your mission?
Our mission is to facilitate an ongoing conversation in Singapore on topics such as racism and discrimination globally, while also creating a supportive community of diverse minorities with intersectional identities. Our vision for the future is a society void of discrimination, and equality being our reality, not just an aspiration. Thankfully, the reception to Minority Voices has been overwhelmingly positive. We didn’t really expect to gain any traction, let alone receive almost 11K followers in the first nine months.
How does the platform work?
The platform is based on individuals submitting their stories and experiences with racism and/or discrimination through our website. We only accept stories from ethnic minorities in Singapore and run all stories submitted unless the story itself is discriminatory to other minority groups. In February, we were exploring medical racism and discrimination within the healthcare industry. As such, we only accepted and ran stories that followed this theme.
Sadly, the issues you cover can often provoke a backlash. Have you experienced anything like this?
We did receive backlash for running a story that lacked introspection and reeked of light skin privilege and casteism. Due to our own blind spots, we were unable to identify the post as offensive. Many of our followers reached out to us saying that they were disappointed we ran the story and that we should take it down.
When something like this happens, we issue an open apology and hold ourselves accountable. We do have a responsibility to be open and honest with our followers and don’t want to send out any wrong information. Likewise, we are all still learning. Both Veena and I are privileged in our own different ways and we need to constantly check that and look past our own circumstances to empathise with others. We are committed to our own learning and unlearning so that we’re able to run Minority Voices in an equal and equitable manner.
You launched before the George Floyd protests in the US. Did you see a rise in discussion/discourse surrounding racism in Singapore as a result?
The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement helped start a conversation surrounding racism in Singapore. However, there were people who used this to compare the racism minorities in Singapore faced to that of the experiences of black people in America. As such, people suggested that racism in Singapore was ‘not as bad’ as America and that minority folk should not complain or make a fuss about it.
Many said that although it is important to support and show solidarity for black people, it is also important to recognise what’s going on in our own home nation. I guess in hindsight it was a double-edged sword. There was more conversation surrounding racism, but as much conversation invalidating the experiences of minorities in Singapore.
Nevertheless, I am grateful for all of it despite the negativity. I would never compare my experiences as a racial minority in Singapore to that of a black person in America, but that does not mean we should not care about the issues people here experience.
What tips do you have for those who want to be more proactive in being anti-racist in Singapore?
Read and educate yourself on the effects, impacts and other structures of racism. Remember how you participate in the thoughts, beliefs and actions that uphold racism (whether you intend to or not); how you ‘forget’ that racism exists; and identify internalised racial attitudes you may have.
Take risks to challenge racism when you see it or realise when you are participating in it. Interrupt racial stereotypes when you hear them and support people of colour and minorities in your personal and professional settings when they speak out about their experiences.
It will sometimes be tough to identify how something you are doing may be harmful. People of colour and minorities have justified anger about racism, and they may reject you harshly because of it. If this happens, understand that this is the product of their treatment at the hands of a racist system. Don’t take it personally, rather, help them by staying in the fight against racism. More information is available on Minority Voices BEING ANTIRACIST post on Instagram.
Are there any books or other websites you can recommend that tackle these issues?
Singapore:
The Myth of the Lazy Native by S.H. Alatas
The Singapore Dilemma by Lily Zubaidah Rahim
Negotiating Language, Constructing Race by Nirmala Purushotam
A Subaltern History of the Indian Diaspora in Singapore by John Solomon
https://tuition.substack.com/about
https://wethecitizens.substack.com/
Overseas:
How to Be An Antiracist by Ibram x Kendi
Black & Blue The origins and consequences of medical racism by John Hoberman
Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
Why We Can’t Wait by Martin Luther King Jr
How can we all get involved?
Follow us on our Instagram page @MinorityVoices. If you’d like to share a story/experience, go to minorityvoices.net/share-your-story. To collaborate with us please email minorityvoices.sg@gmail.com.
About Sharvesh Leatchmanan
Sharvesh is a counselling major and a trained storyteller whose artistic work tackles topics of gender, sexuality and masculinity in Indian myths, legends and folklore. He is actively vocal about racism and champions diversity and inclusion in all aspects of life. He plans to pursue a Master’s Degree in Gender, Race & Sexuality in Canada and aspires to have a career in policymaking, specifically related to anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion.
