“When people say multiculturalism doesn鶹APPt work I feel like they are trying to rub out my existence”
Sarah Brown
In a special episode of her Better Angels podcast, 鶹APP President Sarah Brown talks at length to British comedian Nish Kumar about his shows, his activism and changing attitudes since the UK voted to leave the European Union.
Nish Kumar鶹APPs latest comedy tour is called 鶹APPActions speak louder than words, unless you shout the words real loud鶹APP.
It demonstrates how activism is as important as being funny to this 31-year-old who grew up in a British-Indian family.
In a special interview episode of her Better Angels podcast, 鶹APP President Sarah Brown talks to Nish about his comedy, his childhood and the ways in which he is pushing back to tackle racist attitudes in the UK and unlock his own activism.
Nish confesses that he is struggling with how to give his audience what they want to hear about today鶹APPs issues but also to do more personally as an activist 鶹APP particularly on the issue of the UK voting to leave the European Union.
He says: 鶹APPI鶹APPm not sure I ever believed that comedians have the power to change 鶹APP or certainly not that I have the power to change anything, because I鶹APPm largely performing to people that already agree with me.
鶹APPNow I鶹APPm at a point where I鶹APPm wondering is that enough 鶹APP what is my responsibility going forward. I鶹APPm genuinely wrestling with that.
鶹APPHow do you convince people that things are so bad that it鶹APPs not just enough to come and watch a political comedy show 鶹APP but taking that energy out into the real world?鶹APP
Sarah gives him some food for thought about how to better focus his activism by stepping back and looking at the underlying issues.
Nish gets particularly animated when it comes to the subject of identity in Britain today.
鶹APPOne of the things that really angers me and really frustrates me is this idea that multiculturalism as a project is dead,鶹APP he says.
鶹APPOr, in some cases, people seem to believe that multiculturalism is responsible for all of the problems that we have.
鶹APPBecause when people say multiculturalism doesn鶹APPt work I feel like they are trying to rub out my existence.
鶹APPI feel very strongly that I love this country and I鶹APPm 100% British 鶹APP but I have a huge affinity for India because it鶹APPs where my parents come from and it鶹APPs where a huge part of my family lives.鶹APP
When he grew up in the 1990s, he says, that view was accepted 鶹APP but there has been a steady erosion of that stance.
鶹APPThat idea is constantly under attack,鶹APP he says. 鶹APPMe and so many of my friends are living proof that it鶹APPs perfectly possible to be a British Asian 鶹APP it doesn鶹APPt mean I have any sort of disloyalty to my country.鶹APP
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Sarah talks to politicians, entertainers, activists and world leaders about their inspiration, their hopes and their dreams at a time of enormous international upheaval.
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