Seen is a podcast series about people who have carved a space for themselves despite being told they don’t belong, and are absolutely nailing it in their fields.
Over eleven episodes host Yumi Stynes goes deep with guests including activist Hannah Diviney, presenter Narelda Jacobs, artist Atong Atem, writer Michael Mohammed Ahmad and many more. Each sharing the transformative moments when they felt truly seen.
Follow Seen in the , Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you get your podcasts.
The first episode launches on Tuesday March 7, with new episodes weekly.
Host: Yumi Stynes
Created by: Bernadette Phương Nam Nguyễn
Executive Producer: Kate Montague
Producers: Bernadette Phương Nam Nguyễn and Cassandra Steeth
Junior Producer: Alison Zhuang
Sound design and mix: Ravi Gupta
Theme music: Yeo
Art: Evi-O Studio
Transcript
Narelda Jacobs: I couldn't I couldn't say things that I wanted to say. I couldn't share my opinions.
Michael Mohammed Ahmad: When you're out in some of these country towns in Australia and they say, What's your name? You kind of look around and say, ‘Is it safe to say Mohammed?’
Hannah Diviney: Like, even to the point where I was as a kid, I would stare really hard at my reflection in the mirror, afraid that if I looked away, I'd disappear.
Yumi Stynes: I'm Yumi Stynes, I'm a TV and radio presenter, author and podcaster.
This is Seen. A podcast about cultural creatives who in spite of arriving in a role-model vacuum, rise to excellence anyway. I've been in this industry for over 20 years and back when I started, you’d be absolutely kidding yourself if you thought you could do this kind of work if you weren’t white.
Shyamla Eswaran: Yeah, I guess my bullies dubbed me cockroach, and I asked why and they said, because your skin's brown like a cockroach.
Yumi Stynes: I like to think we’re living in a slightly different time from when I got my first TV gig at Channel V… That we’re living in a time where difference is… I don’t know, actually welcomed and appreciated?!
Ray Ahn: It got to a stage where playing bare chested was um, a trademark ours. We'd all play bare chested. Because my dad said to me, well, don't be shy about it. You might as well let people know who you are.
Yumi Stynes: In this podcast you’ll hear from people who despite being told they don’t belong, have carved space... And are absolutely nailing it.
Ray Ahn: I didn't know at the time, but what that was I guess, doing, was, it was normalising the powerful Asian person.
Yumi Stynes: We’ll hear from incredible writer and thinker Yassmin Abdel-Magied.
Yassmin Abdel-Magied: I went through the worst experience. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. But I survived.
Yumi Stynes: Visual artist Atong Atem.
Atong Atem: For me the future is one in which, like, the conversations that I've had to have aren't necessary anymore.
Yumi Stynes: And activist Hannah Diviney.
Hannah Diviney: I think we just need to show disabled people that they can be visible in all arenas of life.
Yumi Stynes: As well as presenter Narelda Jacobs, musician Ray Ahn, writer Michael Mohammed Ahmad and more. Because no matter who you are, or what you want out of life… You deserve the validating and humanising magic of being seen.
Shyamla Eswaran: In the moment, it was so confronting because I was like, I can't hide in front of this person. But now when I look back on it, like, I felt so seen.
Yumi Stynes: This podcast is called Seen. I’m Yumi Stynes. You can listen on the SBS Audio website or app, or wherever you get your podcasts.
End.
