As part of FII’s new Meet the Team series, we are featuring former and current employees who have worked with or are working with us currently since the inception of FII. Feminism in India as a digital intersectional feminist media platform would not exist if not for these incredible individuals who have helped build this organisation to make what it is today.
Today, we’re chatting with Eesha, who is a Features Writer with FII Hindi. Previously, Eesha has interned with us and also worked as the Content Creator (Hindi). She completed her graduation in Psychology (Hons) from DU in 2018. Writing has been her passion since she was a child, and she realised after college that it was her true calling. She has a certificate in Creative Writing from Sri Aurobindo Center for Arts and Communication, Delhi. She has also worked with TheLallantop.com as a writer. She loves writing in both English and Hindi. Besides writing, she loves to pick up new languages on a whim, listen to music, watch movies, and daydream.
FII: What do you like most about being a part of the FII family?
Eesha: FII is an incredibly positive and inspiring workspace. I’m proud to be working with this small team of brilliant and badass women. I’ve learned a lot from my teammates in my stint at FII so far, and I aspire to be like them one day.
FII: What advice would you give someone joining the organisation?
Eesha: Make the most of this opportunity. Working at FII is a learning experience you wouldn’t want to miss. This experience will not just equip you with more professional skills than you could have thought but shape your worldview and help you in being a better version of yourself.
FII: How would your colleagues describe you?
Eesha: My colleagues probably think of me as that weird girl who screws up a lot, and not without reason LMAO. On a serious note, I really would like to know what they think about me. I hope it’s good things!
FII: Which fictional character do you identify with and why?
Eesha: I identify with Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter. I was just like her when I was in school. I was a loner, like her lost in my world of imagination, seldom interacting with anyone. I used to get bullied and picked on a lot, and my teachers used to be concerned about me, but my close friends knew me better and valued me for who I was.
FII: What is something that you’re tired of hearing?
Eesha: I’m genuinely tired of hearing that feminism is redundant as we’ve already achieved equality. Give me a break! Look around you and tell me where equality is. Not on public transport, where we get harassed and leered at every day. Nor at the workplace where we are marginalised, exploited, and spoken over. Definitely not at home, where abuse often happens at the hands of a family member. Injustice doesn’t cease to exist just because your privilege doesn’t make you see it.
FII: Which feminist movement do you feel particularly passionate about and why?
Eesha: I don’t think there’s any single movement with which I identify. The beauty of feminism is that it means so many things to so many people, and it is this diversity of thought and experience that attracts me most towards feminism as an idea. I think all of us must educate ourselves more about women’s movements and marginalised struggles in India so we can gain some more perspective beyond our privileged notion of feminism.
FII: What makes FII a ‘feminist’ organisation?
Eesha: FII is a feminist organisation because it is all about inclusivity. We try our level best to incorporate an intersectional approach in everything we say and do. We work hard to prioritise and amplify the voices of the marginalised, and believe in ‘passing the mic.’ We also believe in checking our privilege and unlearning our biases and prejudice. At FII, we take our feminism and social justice very seriously.
FII: What’s the most fun thing about your job?
Eesha: Doing voice-overs for videos is a lot of fun. It’s something I’ve never done before. I also love writing articles on topics about which I feel strongly.
FII: Do you remember when and why you decided to work at a feminist organisation?
Eesha: I never consciously thought about it, but I think a feminist organisation is best suited for me because I’d much rather work with people whose politics align with me. In a feminist space, there’s more inclusivity, diversity, and sensitivity to issues, which probably wouldn’t be the case in a conventional workspace. Choosing a feminist and inclusive space is very good for your mental health, as you don’t have to deal with toxicity you’d encounter elsewhere. It is something I highly recommend.
FII: If you had a talk show, which feminist icon would you call and what would you ask them?
Eesha: I’d love to invite Rana Ayyub. She’s such a badass and one of the bravest journalists in this country. She also does a lot of humanitarian work. I want to ask her about the secret of her energy and strength. I want to know how she does what she does without completely breaking apart physically and mentally when she receives so much trolling and hate for that as well.
FII thanks Eesha for her timely and valuable contribution to the organisation. We are incredibly grateful to have her as a part of our team and appreciate her for her deeply insightful work. She can be followed on Facebook. Read her articles in English here and in Hindi here.
