Define yourself | Priyanka Yoshikawa | TEDxKyoto

Miss World Japan, 2016, Priyanka Yoshikawa shares her journey of being a Hafu in Japan's homogenous society. Rising above prejudices and finding her true balance to celebrate the cultural diversity of the two countries she is proud to represent -Japan & India and sharing her identity as a human.
　
Priyanka Yoshikawa is the first mixed heritage woman to be crowned Miss World Japan. A role model for youth, Priyanka didn’t let bullying in Japan due to her ethnicity stop her from pursuing her dreams and passion for modeling. Born in Tokyo, raised in California and in India until the age of 9, Priyanka is rooted in the cultural heritage of both India and Japan, is a Visit Kyoto ambassador, and aims to build a deeper bond between the two countries through tourism. As part of her humanitarian work, she is an ambassador for Smile Asia to promote treatment of facial deformities in children, and for the Balipara Foundation working for sustainable community development in the Eastern Himalayas. In 2017, Priyanka initiated her own enterprise ReR Co., Ltd. where she has pioneered content marketing and involves key influencers from across 117 countries across the globe. She hopes to be a successful entrepreneur and a key influencer of change in Japan and the world.

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

What is your identity?

I was asked this question
in every interview

after I won the title
of Miss World Japan, in 2016.

I had guessed there would be
some kind of reaction to my winning,

but I hadn't expected this question.

But this was not
the beginning of my story.

As I was forced to answer this question,

I remembered my journey
to figure out who I really was.

I did not enter Miss World Japan
to prove that I was Japanese.

I wanted to challenge myself
and to be seen as more than just a model.

Also, I thought it will give me
a bigger platform,

not just for my career,
but to do some good for the world.

Which led me to something bigger
than I had imagined.

Becoming a face and a voice
to mixed ethnicity.

I think at some point in our lives,
we want to discover our roots,

our unique identity
and our own individuality.

We are all individuals.

Whether we realize it or not,
we are all a mix.

But being a mix does not mean
we are lesser than a whole.

We can be so much more.

My name is Priyanka Yoshikawa,
and I am a "hafu" [half].

I was born to a Japanese mother
and an Indian father.

As a "hafu," I knew I was not
fully Japanese or Indian.

I was both, and quite simply,
I was just me.

Even though I am of Japanese nationality
and I was born in Japan,

if I told people in Japan
that I was Japanese,

they would not believe me.

And when I am outside of Japan,
they would often say,

"Wow, your Japanese is really good."

(Laughter)

Or, "Do you eat curry every day?"

(Laughter)

And when I am outside of Japan
and I say I am Japanese,

they wouldn't still see me as a Japanese.

They will have a confused
look on their face

and wait until I explain why
I don't quite look Japanese.

And trust me, these interactions
can get very tiring

when you get asked this
every day multiple times.

Sometimes, it makes me wish for a separate
nationality for mixed ethnicity.

So, yes, I was an outsider
in my own native country and abroad,

but I was comfortable being one.

Being raised in three different countries,
the US, Japan and India,

and parents who come
from two different countries,

I have had the privilege
to develop a global mind

and indulge in other privileges,
such as enjoy a sashimi

as much as I relish Kolkata Phuchkas.

Travel from Mount Fuji
to Eastern Himalayas,

enjoy diverse cultures and communities,

adapt more easily to changes
in my environment

and accept me being different.

But it was not so from the beginning.

Being of mixed race in Japanese society
can sometimes bring harsh experiences.

In school, my classmates treated me
like I was some kind of a germ.

In the hallway, if they
accidentally touched me,

they would wipe clean that part
of their body against the wall.

They would isolate me
and not include me in their conversations

or their social circles.

I tried to fit in, but it wasn't easy,
and I lost my confidence.

I don't have a single memory
of being happy at school in Japan.

I was always concerned
what others were thinking

even though I acted like
everything was OK.

I just waited for time to pass

and didn't stand up for myself
or fight for my happiness.

And I regret this still to this day.

Because no matter what age you are,

you deserve to be loved
and to be happy in the now.

In my heart, I told myself I might not
be the most popular girl in school,

but I will become the most
popular girl in Japan.

I have not cleared that yet,
but if I could tell 13-year-old Priyanka

that she would become Miss World Japan

and also be placed
in an International Pageant,

I think she would be proud of me.

Going into high school
where no one knew me,

I felt I could start over and fit in.

But I was trying so hard
to be someone who I was not,

I finally realized
I need to embrace myself

and celebrate my unique identity,

rather than changing my personality
or allowing myself to be bullied for it.

My mother taught me about balance.

To listen to my heart

and to enjoy the best of both worlds.

To love and respect both cultures.

The interconnectedness
and the independentness.

And to be empathic,
not just towards people around me,

but most importantly, towards myself.

I was an average student,
and I had terrible grades in junior high,

and I had no special skills.

But my mother would tell me
that I was smart and talented,

and she would encourage me
to pursue my dreams and passion.

And what I learned was,

at times, you need to adapt yourself
and blend into the place you are at,

but you don't want
to lose your personality.

You need to celebrate
your cultural diversity,

being who you are and look at the way
you want others to see you.

So, I believed in this message,

and through an honest
exploration of who I was,

I discovered I wanted a bigger stage
from which to further my desires

to make the world a better place.

Before winning my Miss World Japan title,

I had someone very close to me

telling me that I wouldn't be selected
for Miss Japan, because I was a "hafu."

But that did not stop me.

I was willing to push myself,
work on my inner confidence

and to be anyone that I chose to be.

I was more than ready

to put all of my energy
into turning my dreams into reality.

With this determination,

I was the first "hafu"
to win Miss World Japan

and build my own successful
enterprise because of it.

Today, in the incredible
world that we live,

there are many more "hafu" like me.

I have realized that we are bound
by stereotypes and prejudices

which can limit us
and mask our true selves.

And as someone who has
a key influence in shaping perceptions,

I feel that it is my responsibility

to encourage rising above these forces,

to recognize each
and one of us for who we are,

human beings.

If someone is telling you
who you are not,

don't be afraid and hide yourself.

You define yourself. Others do not.

No one should tell us
what our happiness is or who we are.

Your identity is not always
about where your come from

or where you are born.

I am a Japanese-Indian,
but that is not my identity.

Identity is much more
than a country or blood.

Identity is who you are.

In life, we face many obstacles,

but only the ones who will challenge
themselves to overcome

will be able to move forward.

Your journey might not
be the one you wanted,

but you will grow in the process

and gain many things
you have never imagined.

You don't have to be a Miss World
to have your own place in this world.

You are born free
to be who you want to be,

and the sky is your limit.

Thank you.

(Applause).