OTHER WAYS TO GET THERE

By SANDEEP PANESAR

For many second-generation South Asian Canadians, the expectation to pursue a career in medicine, law or engineering is a script passed down with love, sacrifice, and survival at its core.

A 2023 Angus Reid Institute survey found that 71 per cent of South Asian Canadian parents still consider these professions the most desirable for their children – a reflection of the community’s long-standing emphasis on security and prestige.

But for a growing number of creative professionals, rewriting that narrative isn’t just about chasing passion – it’s about reclaiming identity, building community, and making a mark in the world that maybe their loved ones thought they wouldn’t be able to make.

A 2019 University of British Columbia study revealed that second-generation South Asians are 2.5 times more likely than their parents to pursue careers in fields like media, design or the arts. Three such women – Amrita Kumar-Ratta, Taneet Grewal, and Baljit Singh – have each stepped outside the bounds of tradition, forging their own creative paths while navigating the cultural complexities of growing up South Asian in Canada.

Their stories offer both a reflection of the pressures many still face and a blueprint for what’s possible when those pressures are met with bold resistance, radical imagination, and even support from first-generation family members who believe in their grit.

Amrita Kumar-Ratta’s career is a testament to what it means to live and work at the intersection of passion, purpose, and community. Refusing to be confined by traditional job titles or linear career paths, she has crafted a multidisciplinary journey that reflects the full richness of her identity and interests. Her work challenges the notion that South Asian women must choose between intellect and creativity, academia and activism, or art and advocacy.

“I wear many ‘professional’ hats; I’m a post-secondary educator and community facilitator, I work in arts and culture as a storyteller, researcher, and creative consultant, and I am currently finishing my PhD in Human Geography with a focus on Geo humanities, health justice, and South Asian diasporas.”

While some may assume Amrita’s path was met with resistance, the reality was quite the opposite. “There was only ever one moment in my life during which I felt pressured to pursue a career in law...Mostly, though, I’ve always been encouraged by immediate and extended family to do something more creative. My nanaji was a professor of Hindi literature and theatre, and both my parents left the fields of Zoology and Physics to pursue dance/education and the history of science.”

For Taneet Grewal, however, the pressure of expectation came early and firmly. “From a very young age I was told that I would go to medical school and become a doctor, like my grandfather,” she says. “It wasn’t until I was in my mid-30s that I finally gained the courage to fulfill my dream of becoming an author.”

That moment came not by design, but by upheaval. “A year after my husband passed away, I was let go from my corporate insurance job. When this happened, it felt like divine intervention, a message from the universe that said very clearly, ‘You are a creative, you are meant to be a storyteller, a visionary, a voice for the voiceless.’”

And for photographer and creative entrepreneur Baljit Singh, the pull toward storytelling was always intuitive. “From a young age, I was drawn to storytelling, creativity, and the power of visual expression. Photography, film, and the arts allowed me to explore identity, community, and social issues in a way that felt deeply personal and fulfilling.”

For many second-generation South Asians, choosing a nontraditional career often means navigating not just external uncertainty, but also the quiet heartbreak of challenging deeply held family expectations. For Baljit, stepping into her calling meant confronting those tensions head-on, while still holding empathy for the sacrifices that shaped her upbringing. “My family was initially hesitant, unsure of what my future would look like. And I get it, they just wanted stability for their kids that they didn’t always have.”

Carving out a creative career as a South Asian woman often means navigating two parallel battles – one in the external world, where White-centric institutions define legitimacy and success, and another at home, where love is sometimes tangled with fear of the unknown. For Amrita, the weight of that dual navigation has been one of the most challenging aspects of her journey.

“The biggest hurdle has been trying to navigate and take up space in systems/structures that centre Whiteness at the same time as trying to explain to my parents what exactly I am doing and why.”

That tension – between societal invisibility and familial accountability – has shaped much of her professional resilience. “Being the eldest daughter (of the eldest daughter) in an immigrant and also single-parent household comes with so many struggles, which are only amplified when you are trying to find your place in a world that tries desperately to categorize, label, and discipline you.”

For Baljit, the challenges were structural and cultural. “I rarely saw people who looked like me in the rooms I was entering, which often made me question whether I truly belonged,” she shares. “Another challenge has been the need to constantly advocate for my value and worth. As a woman of colour, I’ve had to work twice as hard to be taken seriously. There’s an unspoken assumption that creatives – especially those from marginalized communities – should be grateful for any opportunity, even if it’s underpaid or exploitative.”

Taneet also acknowledges the emotional toll of an industry not built with her in mind. “Getting into the publishing industry and becoming a traditionally published author is still very difficult and can take years. When I see other writers celebrate their debut projects with book launches and their names shining in the windows of bookstores, I can’t help but wonder when it’ll be my turn.”

Still, each woman has carved her own strategy for navigating these hurdles. Taneet has found strength in community: “I’ve joined writing groups and made incredible friendships. Together, we lift each other up when the journey seems too hard.”

Rather than wait for permission or a seat at someone else’s table, Baljit chose to build her own. In carving out a space that reflects her values and vision, she’s redefined what leadership can look like for South Asian creatives. Her work isn’t just about representation – it’s about reshaping the very systems that once left people like her out.

“Cofounding my creative agency and production house, By The Kollective, has been one of the most empowering steps – I’ve created a space where other under-represented creatives feel seen, respected, and supported.”

For each of these women, redefining success has been essential, not just for themselves, but for the next generation.

Amrita Kumar-Ratta, storyteller, researcher, creative consultant.

“I don’t think ‘success’ as such matters to me so much anymore,” Amrita reflects. “The model minority myth has caused so much pain for our communities. I believe happiness is what’s more important – that’s success to me. I think I’m just out here trying to heal my inner child and break as many generational cycles as I can.”

Baljit’s journey reflects a growing shift in how success is defined within the South Asian diaspora – one that values purpose over prestige, and impact over titles. For her, choosing a creative path hasn’t meant abandoning ambition; it’s meant reshaping it into something more expansive, inclusive, and deeply personal.

“Success doesn’t have to come with a title like ‘doctor’ or ‘lawyer.’ It can mean building something from scratch, telling powerful stories, creating space for others, and doing work that reflects your community and values.”

For Taneet, reshaping the definition of success began at home. “An important part of that is breaking toxic cycles, and that starts with what I teach my daughters. Success is not a salary or a professional title or material possessions. I believe when you can let go of everyone else’s idea of success and ask yourself what success means to you, you are already on the right path.”

Each woman is unequivocal: their creative work is not a departure from their cultural heritage, but a direct extension of it – an act of honouring, questioning, and reimagining the traditions they were raised with. Rather than distancing themselves from their roots, they draw power from them, weaving ancestral memory, lived experience, and community into every story they tell and every space they claim.

“It has played a huge role,” says Amrita. “Everything I do is informed by where I/my family/my ancestors come from...It’s become my calling to tell (and facilitate the telling of) South Asian women’s stories and I hope that my work becomes part of a larger cultural archive that future generations can look to and see themselves in.”

Baljit agrees. “My cultural background is deeply woven into everything I do – it’s part of my lens, my storytelling, and my motivation... Especially when it comes to serious social issues in our community; mental health, grief, dowry, and the role of women in our society.”

For Taneet, reconnecting with her cultural roots has been more than a personal reckoning – it’s been a powerful act of healing and generational repair. What once felt like a source of shame in childhood has become the foundation of the stories she now chooses to tell, both for herself and for her daughters. “As a child, going to school smelling like Indian food or having oil in my hair were aspects of my identity I wanted to hide. As an adult, I embrace my cultural roots so that my daughters can, too... In my role as a professional storyteller, I get to share the beauty of what it means to be the eldest daughter of immigrants.”

While these journeys may have started with pushback, the tide is turning, even within their own families.

Taneet’s dad offers a dose of practical wisdom: “It’s good to have creative kids and I encourage mine to do what their heart tells them to do. If everyone is a doctor, then who is going to be the patient?”

Her mother’s advice is more emotional but equally resonant: “Trust your child and support your child in everything they do and give them your blessings.”

Similarly, Baljit’s mom feels that supporting your children is of utmost importance: “I want to encourage parents to support their children in the career path they choose and never impose their own opinions on them.”

Baljit, summarizing her mother’s sentiments, emphasizes the importance of openness and evolution. Parents, she says, must “learn to see creativity not as a hobby, but as a calling – and to celebrate it just as fiercely as any ‘respectable’ career.” And Baljit’s mother believes in letting her children do what speaks to them; she believes in letting them follow their hearts to see success.

There is no single path to fulfillment, but for many second-generation South Asian Canadians, it begins by stepping off the one carefully paved by generations before them – paths rooted in survival, stability and sacrifice. Choosing a creative career over a conventional one isn’t just a professional decision; it’s an act of courage, a reimagining of what legacy can look like. In doing so, Amrita, Taneet and Baljit are not only forging meaningful, impactful careers – they’re reclaiming their stories and expanding the boundaries of what is possible for future generations.

By speaking truth to their experiences, embracing their cultural heritage, and challenging expectations, they’re carving out space for the identities, narratives, and dreams that have too often been silenced or overlooked. Their work is a testament to the power of representation and the importance of community. And while their journeys may look different from those of their parents, they are no less rooted in love, resilience, and purpose.

This isn’t just about personal success – it’s about rewriting the cultural script, one bold choice at a time.

COVER STORY

OTHER WAYS TO GET THERE