If you can see it - you can be it. But what if you can't see anyone like you?
Eleven high-profile Aussies tell-all to host Yumi Stynes on how they forged a career in the spotlight despite facing racial prejudice, discrimination and a lack of visible role models in SBS's electrifying new podcast, Seen.
This interview series talks to trailblazers in media, arts and culture, science, sport and beyond about the importance of being seen.
Hosted by writer, TV presenter and podcaster, Yumi Stynes, Seen offers riveting storytelling and personal experiences that help us understand the importance of diversity in media.
I was so excited to find these wonderful people, and to unfurl their stories as best I could and allow their stories to speak, Stynes said.
It's an important question to ask: are these voices being heard less or not at all because of things beyond their control? Like race, ability or disability, religion. Are they being given fewer opportunities or more obstacles because of that?
The series chronicles experiences of how it feels to be the first - the first person of your colour, faith, sexual orientation or ability to succeed in your chosen field - and how the world reacts to that success.
Deeply personal and moving stories are told by a stellar line-up of guests including disability activist and writer Hannah Diviney; NITV and Channel 10 star newsreader, Whadjuk Noongar woman Narelda Jacobs; and retired Australian rugby sevens Olympian and trans man Ellia Green.
In the podcast Hannah Diviney talks about how as a young girl with cerebral palsy, she used to stare at herself in the mirror for ages because she was worried that if she didn't, she might disappear. She literally couldn't see herself anywhere else, but in the mirror, Stynes said.
Another astonishing guest on the podcast is writer, activist and broadcaster Yassmin Abdel-Magied who faced an avalanche of online trolling in response to a social media post in 2017.
Yassmin and I have known each other for a few years and when her situation reached a real crisis point, there were a lot of people like me watching in utter dismay, thinking, This is what happens to women of colour who are mouthy' , Stynes said.
You don't have to say the wrong thing, you just have to say anything. That interview was like a therapy session for me and a chance for us both to look back and go, What the heck was that?'
Stynes hopes the stories from Seen will broaden people's idea of what a diverse and multicultural Australia looks like.
I think it cracks open the scope of what we view as Australia' or Australians', so if you want to widen your understanding of who makes up the population of this wonderful country then the podcast introduces some inspiring Australians that you'll be glad you met.
The first episode of Seen is available now on the SBS Audio app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast apps. Listen to Seen here
Seen is the first new podcast series published since SBS's recent rebrand to SBS Audio and the launch of their new digital offering. The series was pitched to SBS by podcast agency Audiocraft as part of SBSs annual podcast call out.
For a PDF of this media release, click here.
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If you can see it - you can be it. But what if you can't see anyone like you?
