user profile avatar

Izza Virani

1x

Finalist

General information

Gender
Female
Ethnicity
Asian

Hobbies & Interests

  • Reading
  • Japanese
  • Fashion
  • Music
  • Singing
  • Baking
  • Dance
  • Advertising
  • Acting And Theater
  • Advocacy And Activism
  • Community Service And Volunteering
  • Travel And Tourism
  • Food And Eating
  • Choir
  • Coffee
  • Mental Health
  • Psychology
  • Social Sciences
  • Media Studies
  • Communications
  • Marketing
  • Songwriting
  • Writing
  • Makeup and Beauty

Reading

  • Adult Fiction
  • Romance
  • Chick Lit
  • Self-Help
  • Academic

I read books daily.

Bio

My background is unique: although I am South Asian, a 1st generation American citizen, and the first child of two immigrant parents. I am a BIPOC female high school student in a predominantly white area, and I am constantly working to prove myself beyond the Asian stereotype placed on me by many in my community: I am more than just my academics--my voice is not just a grade. Although I will not be a first-generation college student, I am the first person in my family to go through the traditional 4-year college application process. My goal is to maximize every opportunity available to streamline this new process for my family and me, hoping to provide an example for my younger sibling when it is his turn to undergo this process. My passion lies with you—exploring the stories of those around me and understanding what makes you who you are now. I am confident in myself and my abilities, and I want to work to encourage others to realize their full capabilities. I especially aim to work to inspire those in the South Asian community to use their voices beyond the boundaries of academia and school that society has so long placed on our race. I want to inspire my community to speak out and be confident in our being as American Brown girls. Through my passion for the entertainment industry, I hope to push the boundaries of what a modern-day leading woman in Hollywood can look like, revolutionizing how we, as brown girls, carry ourselves in society today.

Education

New York University

Bachelor's degree program

2024 – 2028

Majors:
  • Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management

New Trier Township High School Winnetka

High School

2020 – 2024

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Master's degree program
Majors of interest:
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other, Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Communication, General, Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, Marketing, General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations, Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations
Medical school interest:
No

Career

  • Customer Experience Employee

    Plant Nursery · Chalet

    Jan 2022 – Present

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Media Production
Has nursing license:
No

Future Interests

  • Advocacy
  • Volunteering
  • Philanthropy
Creative Arts Scholarship
I cannot remember a time in my life without music. I’ve been singing since I was three, performing in musical theater since I was five, and participating in choir since I was six. Although I aspired to pursue a career in singing, I have since discovered a passion for entertainment journalism, relegating singing to a hobby. An artist who has profoundly influenced this new direction is Ta-Nehisi Coates. Reading his book *Between the World and Me* was transformative, reshaping my understanding of my identity and aspirations. Coates writes about the fear and violence that Black men face that was turned into contributions of Black people to American society despite their oppression. As a South Asian female, I face a different kind of discrimination, rooted in the stereotypes of the Model Minority Myth and Bollywood, expecting me to be smart, hardworking, obedient, and submissive, while simultaneously being sensual, foreign, and exotic. One of my favorite experiences in the arts has been performing in musical theater productions at my school. Although I hadn’t performed musicals since my children’s theater days, I was reminded of the sense of camaraderie, the thrill of being on stage, and the joy of bringing a story to life as part of a bigger ensemble. However, attending a majority white school, I often found myself as the only person of color on stage. These experiences reinforced my love for the arts and highlighted the importance of representation and diversity in the entertainment industry. Hence, my career aspirations shifted due to the cultural and domestic environment I grew up in. The Model Minority Myth, coined in 1960 by sociologist William Petersen, described the success of a few Japanese American families post-World War II. It rationalized their success by limiting their expression, depicting Asian Americans as hardworking, smart, and easy to manage. This stereotype has long deceived the South Asian community into believing that we could only be intelligent, diligent, and compliant, and holding jobs that embodied these values quickly became prevalent within our community. Even with the evolving attitudes of the new generation of South Asian parents, the burdens of these expectations and stereotypes still oppress young South Asians. Coupled with a scarce number of South Asians in the entertainment field, emerging young adults do not feel they have the opportunity to thrive in the industry. My journey into entertainment journalism is fueled by a desire to explore and address the lack of South Asian representation in the industry. I want to investigate how societal and cultural pressures influence career choices within the brown community and whether there is a correlation between the Model Minority Myth and this lack of representation. By examining the history, causes, and effects of the lack of South Asian representation in the entertainment industry, I aim to shed light on the challenges that South Asian Americans face in pursuing their artistic passions. As the entertainment industry becomes more diverse, it is crucial to amplify the voices and stories of South Asians and other marginalized groups. Inspired by Ta-Nehisi Coates, I aspire to be part of this change and use my platform to celebrate and support the talent of my own South Asian community, enriching our culture and society today.
Izza Virani Student Profile | Bold.org