Representation is Powerful. Without it, I Doubted Success was Possible for Me.

Originally published in Chalkbeat New York on June 12, 2024
By Shamima A.

Shamima is a senior at Central Park East High School, a CollegeBound Initiative partner school. She will attend Babson College this fall. She aspires to be a business owner and start a clothing brand that focuses on inclusivity and equity.

As a Bengali girl from a low-income household, I didn’t see myself represented anywhere growing up. I always wondered when it would be my turn, when I would see a Bengali Disney princess or high-profile Bengali character on TV.

I remember being upset when people would say how small a country Bangladesh is on the map. It felt belittling.

Without seeing people who looked like me onscreen or in the books we read at school, I often felt like an outcast, like my dreams weren’t tangible.

Through my participation in college readiness and career development programs, I learned about myself and was encouraged to speak up. I was shown how valuable my perspective as a Bengali woman from a low-income family — an intersectional identity that has shaped me — was to various conversations and situations. That validation encouraged my self-advocacy. Whether it was at school, during group projects, or in interviews, I have found a way to advocate for myself.

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