#FirstTimeISawMe
When was the first time you saw yourself in the media? When was the first time you saw a film, read a book, watched a TV episode, or engaged in any other form of media and thought to yourself, "I've had that same experience!" or "wow, that character looks like me"? Authentic media representation is pivotal in promoting acceptance for underrepresented identities who are historically invisible in mainstream media or portrayed using inaccurate stereotypes. When you finally see a person or character in media who truly resonates with you, it is an incredibly powerful feeling.
In the wake of excitement surrounding media such as Crazy Rich Asians, Black Panther, the reboot of Queer Eye, and others, the Inter-Asian Council presents the #FirstTimeISawMe (#FTISM) campaign, a project we completed throughout the months of October and November 2018. We continue to celebrate moments of realization with the screen, and we highlighted the many stories of JHU students about how media representation has impacted them. This project served as a platform to explore the importance of authentically representing marginalized identities in film, TV, literature, video games, social media, and much more!
So where and when did these participants first see themselves? Click on any of the profiles below to read their answers! Check out where the hashtag originated from here; and the JHU Newsletter recap of our showcase here.
