As part of FII’s 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 Vedika Tuwani, who is the Partnerships Coordinator at FII. She is a graduate with a research degree in sociology. She is a very active person and loves to watch all kinds of sports. She is a baker and would make sure to feed everyone her experiments if they ever visit her. She loves watching tv series and films and is currently watching Game of Thrones on repeat. She loves travelling and is always up for adventure sports. She wishes to be a trained paraglider someday which she knows won’t do any justice to her fear of heights.
FII: What do you like most about being a part of the FII family?
Vedika: Where do I start, I love the whole team like a family, and the best thing I like about FII is the freedom to be part of all the teams, our game sessions and our ranting sessions every once a week. Most of all, I love how everyone is just there for each other. I remember my initial months in FII were a turmoil and it was the people who made it easier for me.
FII: What advice would you give someone joining the organisation?
Vedika: One piece of advice I would give to anyone who joins is that we are all learning here and it is okay to make mistakes, as a fresher or as an experienced person you make our team unique and it is not your skills but your personality that will make our content stand out. FII provides you with a platform and I think one should make the best of it.
FII: How would your colleagues describe you?
Vedika: I am not sure, but I hope they find me nice because they are extremely sweet and though we have met, I feel like I have so much to learn from all of them being one of the youngest members of the team.
FII: Which fictional character do you identify with and why?
Vedika: I don’t necessarily identify myself as any particular character, but I do believe I am the best of all worlds, so maybe a Bunny from YJHD when it comes to adventure and my love for travel, Monika from Friends when it comes to my people, I am definitely Red from Angry Birds because I have the same expression when I am angry which is quite often. In general, I adapt to fictional characters like they are all meant for me. So since right now I am watching GOT, I might as well resemble Arya Stark, I meant who doesn’t?
FII: What is something that you’re tired of hearing?
Vedika: Feminists are anti-men, every person I meet and tell that I work for FII asks me “Haan woh sab toh theek hai per tum feminist anti-men kyu ho” or “Acha do you even know what feminism is?” and I am like “Do you?“.
FII: Which feminist movement do you feel particularly passionate about and why?
Vedika : There are so many feminist movements all of which have been equally important and so choosing is a bit difficult. But I am extremely passionate about the ChipKo Movement. It made me realise that no matter how patriarchal society is, it is the women who can hold the fabric of any community. Without women, men cease to exist.
FII: What makes FII a ‘feminist’ organisation?
Vedika: I think the people, our ideas and the unity we all have not just for women’s issues but all other issues related to gender, sexuality, and intersectionality. More than that all of us are always in the process of learning through workshops, classes, and fellowships and some of us also take such classes together.
FII: What’s the most fun thing about your job?
Vedika: The most fun part of my job is how it challenges me to think deeper, come up with solutions and how every organisation is different from others.
FII: Do you remember when and why you decided to work at a feminist organisation?
Vedika : As a woman, I will be surprised if anyone says no to working for a feminist organisation, I have grown up watching my mom working in a male-dominated field and acing it. She taught me never to let my guard down when it comes to work-related friendships because we can’t trust anybody especially male colleagues so here I am in an all-woman team. Thanks, Mom.
FII: If you had a talk show, which feminist icon would you call and what would you ask them?
Vedika: There are many feminist icons I would call, such as Kamla Bashin, Frida Khalo, Simone De Beauvoir, Tara Bai Shinde and many others.
FII thanks Vedika 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 Instagram.
