Brown Pea, White Pod | Tasneem Chopra | TEDxYouth@PaduaCollege

Having felt like the ‘brown pea in a white pod’ since a small child, Tasneem speaks to the pervasive racism that infiltrates out everyday lives. Informing the audiences of numerous anecdotes and contemporary issues, Tasneem calls out those who single out marginalised groups in Australian society; specifically, Muslims and those who follow the Islamic faith. Tasneem urges us all to ‘stand up in the face of racism, despite the difficulty of doing so.’

A Cross Cultural Consultant, author & activist, Tasneem has made identity her business. How we are - affects who we are. Tasneem's passion for addressing social justice as a vehicle for shaping identity has seen her discuss the way identity is negotiated through racism, diversity and leadership. She has presented to varied audiences, from Supreme Court judges to journalists to kindergarten teachers. Born in Kenya, raised in Bendigo, and now a die-hard Melburnian - Tasneem believes there's a difference between the hyphens we use to define each other versus the labels.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx