People say a lot of things and society tell us how we are supposed to live. When it comes to people of color, society usually doesn’t have anything good to say. As a writer/creative person of color, it is our job to breakdown the things society is telling us and find the truth.

As an Asian-American woman, I dealt with the mentality of coming to the United States and achieving our goals by blending in and keeping White people around us comfortable and happy my whole life. Many of us come here on visas and have to stick to a job that we hate where we are undervalued and overworked for years just so we can get our green card. My father had to do this. In this type of situation, I completely understand why we as Asian-American immigrants want to stick to the “model minority” myth, and keep our head down so we can get through the rigorous, complicated, messy immigration system without diminishing our chances.
Unfortunately, this mentality tends to stick with us long after the first generation. Even after we have our green cards and citizenships, we continue to live this way in the United States because society and culture tells us the it’s the only way to survive in America.

As a writer and a creative person, it is impossible to succeed at your craft without letting go of this limited mentality. Just because society tells us that no matter what our citizenship papers say, we will never be “American” because of the way we look, doesn’t mean we have to believe it. I grew up with many people around me who told me I had to fit a certain mold to succeed in America. I grew up all around the world, so it was difficult for me to accept when people told me who I should be. For example, when they assumed I was good at math and would let them copy off my test or that they could walk all over me because I was supposed to be submissive. The more I learned about myself and about the world I lived in, the more frustrated I grew with these microaggressions. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized I was a citizen of this country and this country belonged to me too. Just because I was born outside the country didn’t mean that it belonged to me any less. I had to start making a place for myself and stop letting myself be treated as a second class citizen or an outsider.

Once I realized that this country belonged to me as much as anyone else, I realized how important my stories were for this country. There are other people out there who have had the same experiences and background as me in this country. If I had known about them and their stories, I would have been much more confident in my identity as a child and young adult. This is why I realized I needed to write and get my stories out. My culture and experiences need to be normalized in this country instead of exoticized. Other Asian-Americans and Indian-Americans need to know that this country belongs to them too. We don’t have to fall into racist systems and structures created in this country to keep people of color down and pitt people of color against each other. There are other ways to live. We can disrupt the status quo. We can start our own business. We can vocalize our experiences. We can create art based on our experiences. All of these are valid ways to exist. This doesn’t mean that we won’t experience racism. It just means that it will become harder for these systems to keep us down over time.

When your boss over burdens and undervalues you at work, you can speak up or quit your job. There are plenty of jobs out there. If your professors/colleagues try to undervalue your art because it doesn’t suit their preconceived notions of what art is supposed to look like, stay confident and fight back. If people talk to you like you’re dumb just because you speak with an accent, speak up or stop entertaining them. They’re just upset that they can’t speak multiple languages like you. Yes, it takes a lot of work to change the way you live in a country that continuously tells you that you don’t belong. But, by refusing to accept what we are told, by refusing to accept the status quo, we can de-program ourselves and change the narrative around our existence.
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By refusing to bow down to the system, we can create better opportunities for our community and create better art. This is why I keep writing and encouraging women of color to own our narratives. It is by owning our narratives that we can begin changing the narratives around our race, culture, and society.

Thank you for reading! Please feel free to share your perspectives on this topic in the comments below. I’d love to hear your experiences with these issues as a woman writer of color.

You can sign up for my newsletter at the bottom of the page for updates on my writing and my events.

Next Wednesday’s blog will be more #browngirlwrites stories.
Until then…

​
Happy Writing! :)


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One of the biggest barriers I face as a woman writer of color, is being undervalued for my skills. In the United States, women of color make less money in their fields compared to white men and women in the same positions. I have approached many clients who did not think that despite having an MFA in writing, my skills were worth paying for. I’ve had clients tell me that because a project was their idea, and that my writing was just a way to get their idea down in a useful format, they didn’t feel that I needed credit or compensation for my work. I’ve also experienced small and large companies offering me “internships” which were basically glorified “volunteer-ships.”  

It took me time to learn because all of these were things I wasn’t taught in school. I wasn’t taught that the freelance world will treat me differently for being a woman of color. I wasn’t taught that even after being a master of my craft, I would still be undervalued in the industry for it. Luckily, one of my professors did teach me about internships. She told me to be careful when applying for internships because they are often a way companies try to get free labor. The U.S. Department of Labor has strict guidelines as to what constitutes an internship. An internship cannot directly financially benefit a company and it cannot be work that it supposed to be done by a regular employee. Also, in the state of Georgia, an unpaid internship has to be for class credit. If you are doing an unpaid internship and it isn’t for class credit, you are just a volunteer in this state and a few other states around the U.S. I saw many of my classmates and friends get taken advantage of with these “internship” opportunities. These were things I had to learn the hard way.

I’ll be honest with you, I have over $100,000 in student debt because of my MFA. For me, it was worth it because my undergrad degree was free and my MFA allows me to do things that you can’t do without an MFA. It took me some time to realize that my $100,000+ debt means that I am worth over $100,000. This degree was an investment in myself that increased my worth in the market and I can’t let anyone tell me otherwise.

Now you don’t have to have a degree to be a writer, you just have to write everyday and get good at it. If you don’t have a degree, you have to calculate the number of years you have put into the writing profession to realize how much you are worth. Even if you are just beginning your writing career, don’t let clients low-ball you and squeeze more work out of you for less pay.
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It has taken me months to learn my worth. For some people it takes years. So, I consider myself lucky. I’m still trying to figure out how to show my worth to clients, but I have noticed that once I quote a price and stand firm on it, many of the cheaper clients disappear. This leaves more room for clients that do know my worth. In the beginning this means I get less clients, but over time it means I end up with a portfolio full of clients that all know my worth. It’s a work in progress but, knowing my worth as a professional keeps me from getting taken advantage of by clients or companies that offer unpaid “internships.”
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So please, ladies, don’t settle for clients who try to squeeze every last penny out of you and then some. Don’t let clients tell you that your job is not worth credit or compensation. Don’t let clients tell you that anyone can do your job because they can’t. That’s why you were hired. Writing is a skill that takes years to develop. Not everyone can do it well.
Know your worth as a writer and a woman of color.

Thank you for reading! Please feel free to share your perspectives on this topic in the comments below. I’d love to hear your experiences within the industry as a woman writer of color.

You can sign up for my newsletter at the bottom of the page for updates on my writing and my events.
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Next Wednesday’s blog will be more #browngirlwrites stories.
Until then…


Happy Writing! :)


Find me on social media. Links at the bottom of the page 👇🏽

Also, if you are a writer of color living in the Atlanta area, come join us in this Facebook group!

1. What is your profession?
I am a blogger and freelance writer but also pursuing a career in higher education.

2. Why and how did you get into this profession?
For me, writing has always been involved in my profession. Whether it has been tutoring, blogging, or writing in my diary, the art has always been right by my side. It’s what helps me get through the day and grasp an understanding of who I am. I am my true self when I write.

3. What did you hope to get out of this career as a professional and on a personal level?
I want to make an impact with my writing. Meaning, I want someone to read my work and get a break through or it sparks a conversation. I want to be remembered as a writer who was not afraid to write about things others are sometimes scared to write about and discuss.

4. What is something unique you bring to the industry as a writer?
My perspective and voice are what makes me unique as a writer. There aren’t that many Black plus size female writers sharing their experiences about their bodies. Because we are a rare tribe, I find it important to share and write my encounters so other women like me feel like they are not alone.

5. What do you wish you would have known about your profession before you started working in it?
I wish I would have known that acquiring opportunities requires networking. Had I known this, I would have attended more conferences, lectures, workshops, etc. earlier in my career.

6. Do you feel you are compensated fairly for the work you do?
Right now, I’m much more about gaining exposure as a freelancer so I’m not necessarily upset if I do and do not get compensated for my work. Ask me the same question in a few years and I’m sure my answer will have changed.

7. What are some obstacles you have faced in your profession as a woman of color?
I find that it’s harder to get our foot in the door, specifically when submitting to publications. At times, I often feel that publications want to hear from women of color but don’t take a chance on them and their writing. Even if the subject matter is the same, everyone’s experiences are different. Why not have more than one perspective out there so the world sees multiple views? I think editors need to not make it so difficult for people, especially people of color, to share their work.

8. What are some opportunities you have come across in your profession as a woman of color?
There are several opportunities such as being a contributor for The Mary Sue or writing for Blavity. These opportunities have come to me by being a part of a Facebook group that posts nothing but jobs for writers. I think every writer should be in a similar group for networking and job purposes.

9. What advice would you give to women of color who want to follow your career path?
Don’t be afraid to share your story. It’s yours and no one else’s. It’s unique in spite of what people may say. Put your content out there, even if you just start with a blog, podcast, YouTube channel, etc. You never know who is reading, watching, or listening.

10. Anything else you would like to add.
Be your authentic self, even if it makes other people uncomfortable.
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Thank you Dominique for sharing your wisdom and experience with us! 

You can find Dominique's work at www.dominiquesjohnson.com and follow her on Twitter @thedominiquesj

If you have questions or thoughts about this interview please feel free leave a comment below.

You can sign up for my newsletter at the bottom of the page for updates on my writing, my workshops, and my events.
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Next Wednesday’s blog will be more #browngirlwrites stories.
Until then…


Happy Writing! :)


Find me on social media. Links at the bottom of the page 👇🏽

Right before I attend a big event, I have a conversation with my mom or my husband about whether I should wear Indian clothes or Western clothes to the event. It takes a lot of time and some serious decision making to come to a conclusion based on practicality, representation, and the type of event it is. Sometimes, my husband asks me why I don’t rock a bindi like other Indian women on a regular basis and I just brush it off with “it’s just not me.”

Every time I put on a lengha, spend 3 hours trying to wear a sari, put a tika in my hair, or put a bindi on my forehead, I’m putting my culture on display. A culture I no longer actively live in. With that salwaar kurta, I’m also wearing my ancestors who created these traditional garbs centuries ago, I’m wearing my mother who is my most solid connection to home, I’m wearing my aunts who carry these traditions with grace, I’m wearing my cousins who wore their beautiful lenghas with pride as girls then marked their womanhood with their first sari, I’m wearing my father who instilled in me the ancient values with which these clothes were sewn together.

While you might accessorize your outfit with shiny earrings and a cute clutch, I accessorize my anarkali with an ancient family legacy that can be traced down to the beginning of civilization and the responsibility of carrying that legacy with grace. So, yes I’m proud of where I come from and I don’t take it lightly. The next time you ask me why I don’t wear my traditional clothes more often, know what you are asking of me. You are asking me to carry thousands of years of culture and traditions on my back in a foreign land almost completely wiped clean of its own ancient cultures through genocide, so I can look cute at someone’s party. You are asking me to replace my Western clothing with an entire country of over a billion people of varying traditions and languages and be the spokesperson for all of them.

I am the bridge. I belong to two cultures, but I don’t fully belong to any one culture. I have one leg of my salwar in America and the other in India. Sometimes I put on a pair of jeans and blend into American society to take the burden off of me. Other times I reveal the full depth of my identity by ripping of my jeans and replacing them with clothing sewn specifically for me by hands that hold ancient secrets in my place of birth. My true identity is not a secret. I just chose how much of myself to reveal and when based on my ability to carry the weight. As an immigrant, it is my burden to explain to others and validate for myself that I where I come from is just as important, if not more, than where I am going.
I don’t take this responsibility lightly. There is nothing light about my mom’s pure silk turquoise sari with gold borders. There is nothing light about my beautiful pink embroidered lengha choli decorated with mirrors, beads, and ancient wisdom.

Yes, my traditional clothes are beautiful to look at. I carry them as well as I can with all the pride with which I carry my culture. Maybe, in the future, I’ll start wearing a bindi more often when the burden and responsibility of carrying my ancestors on my body feels lighter. When I am able to pass this great responsibility down and share it with my future generations like my mother did with me. When the foundation of my bridge grows stronger to fully support the weight of the two worlds I carry. 

Thank you for reading! Please feel free to share your perspectives on this topic in the comments below. I’d love to hear your experiences with carrying the responsibility of being the bridge of multiple cultures.

You can sign up for my newsletter at the bottom of the page for updates on my writing and my events.

Next Wednesday’s blog will be more #browngirlwrites stories.
Until then…

​
Happy Writing! :)


Find me on social media. Links at the bottom of the page 👇🏽