Priya Addams Williams.
The MFA DE&I Council would like to see an industry where everyone can thrive, feel heard, supported, and safe to do their best work. Let’s meet the Changers who are sharing their own lived experiences to inspire us all to change for the better.
I recently celebrated two years running the Shift 20 Initiative at the Dylan Alcott Foundation. We focus on increasing representation and inclusion of people with disability in advertising and marketing, so the 20% of Australians with disability can meaningfully connect with comms and see themselves represented.
I often get asked what led me to this role, and the answer goes back to my own childhood. I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska – a mid-sized city smack bang in the middle of America. While there was a large and tight-knit Indian community, representation on our screens started and stopped with a single Indian local news reporter.
My understanding of what I could be and what I could achieve was shaped by my community, but also who I saw in the media – or rather, who I didn’t see. Careers I wanted to pursue like film, television and fashion felt like doors that were closed to people who looked like me.
One door that felt open just enough for me to push through it was advertising. I’ve spent my career working to ensure that our industry is representing voices and stories from diverse backgrounds. ‘You can’t be what you can’t see’ is something I very much experienced as a child, and I’m proud to run an initiative that is changing the face of who we see in campaigns.
But stories about people from diverse backgrounds can’t be written without those voices in the room. “Nothing about us without us” is a rallying cry for the disability community, and it’s one that we weave through everything we do at the Shift 20 Initiative.
A room full of well-intentioned people with no lived experience isn’t enough to craft stories and campaigns that truly resonate with who we’re trying to reach, which is why co-creation is so important.
We recently had a conversation with Heartbreak High’s own Chloé Hayden and EP Carly Heaton about how they brought to life the character of Quinni, who, like Chloé, is autistic. Part of the reason the show was such a runaway success was the representation on screen – not just of Quinni, but other characters from diverse backgrounds.
This representation was authentic to the actors themselves, but also ran through the writer’s room and production teams. When representation is embedded through an entire production, you feel it in the end result.
It’s the same reason Mindy Kaling’s shows are such a hit with the Indian community – we see ourselves represented authentically. If I had that representation as a young adult, I might not have told myself so many doors were closed.
If you want to start co-creating with community, here are a few tips to get started:
If you don’t have diversity in your teams, seek it out
There are specialist consultants across First Nations, disability and CALD backgrounds, and NFPs like Shift 20, the Unstereotype Alliance and Bus Stop Films have been working to create positive change in our industry for years.
Make it clear that you are truly open to feedback and input in the journey
Earlier this month we had Colin Killick from ASAN (Autistic Self Advocacy Network) in Washington DC present to our members – Mattel collaborated with ASAN on their first ever autistic Barbie, released earlier this year as part of their Fashionistas line.
Colin said that he appreciated how clearly committed Mattel was from day one to making this a genuine collaboration, not just a box-ticking exercise. ASAN staff felt clearly trusted to give their honest input on all aspects of the design, from the doll’s body through to her clothes and accessories, to make sure they genuinely reflected autistic people’s experiences.
If you want meaningful and honest contributions, make that known so people don’t self-regulate their opinions – something many of us have grown used to doing.
Give the process the time it deserves
We know the pressures everyone is under to deliver work on time, on brief and on budget. But if you want meaningful connection, ensure you’re allowing time in the process for it – otherwise it stops genuine co-creation before it has the chance to start.
Priya Addams Williams is Shift 20 Initiative Lead
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