👀 It's not my place to tell this story

#247 | How about you take my microphone instead

Hey there!

My family is loud. Every family gathering is a cacophony of shouty voices all vying for attention. Each one of us believes we're the hottest thing since sliced bread. Well, minus me, that is. I'm the family wallflower who's perfected fading into the shadows. 

I like it this way. It's given me perspective and allowed me to question things that others simply accept as the norm. I am painfully aware of the privilege that comes with a certain surname and fair skin.

Back in my university days, I participated in protests and stood in solidarity against injustices I've witnessed. As I've grown older, I've come to realise that what truly matters is getting out of the way of everyone fighting the good fight. Listening to them. Using my privilege to amplify their voices. Sharing their stories with my tone-deaf, privileged network even when it feels like I'm screaming into the void.

Voices like Yogesh Maitreya's.

Yogesh is a poet and writer from a marginalised community who uses the written word to call out the caste system in Indian society. Yogesh's own experiences growing up in a segregated neighbourhood and witnessing the struggles of his community deeply influence his powerful storytelling. He questions the very language in which these stories should be told, grappling with the delicate balance between his cultural heritage and the broader reach of English. His work embodies the fight for dignity, representation, and social change that reverberates throughout his community and society as a whole.

Yogesh is also the founder of Panther's Paw Publications, a publishing house that publishes only Dalit writers and amplifies the voices of marginalised communities. 

If we're very clear about one thing at Just One Thing, it's this - we have no business telling stories that fall outside our lived experience. What we will always do is point you to the fearless tellers of these stories so they can awaken, engage, ignite and advocate through their lived experiences. 

We hope you'll celebrate them. Just like we do.

Nikita