TANYA SELVARATNAM ON THE POWER OF PURPOSE

Tanya Selvaratnam’s creativity defies boundaries. Over the course of her career she has worked in film, theater, literature, the visual arts, and politics. She has collaborated with several organizations and companies as well as public figures such as Solange Knowles and Zoe Kravitz. In addition to being an Emmy-nominated producer, she has received acclaim as a writer, actor, and author of the book, The Big Lie. As a trusted DO School advisor, she was generous enough to share some of the secrets to her longevity and productivity with the DO Community!

How did you initially start out organizing, producing and fundraising?

In high school, I got involved with the anti-apartheid movement and was the student representative on the divestment committee. Two friends were exchange students from South Africa, and I learned a lot from them. I helped organize rallies on the steps of the library. The high school did eventually divest. Then in college, I helped start Students for Creative Action (SCA). We were a bunch of misfits, not because we behaved badly but because we didn’t fit in easily at Harvard. We staged protests, while having fun, performing theater and music.

After school is when I took my biggest leap as an organizer. In 1995, I was asked to join the Steering Committee of the NGO Forum at the Fourth World Conference on Women in China. I was a youth coordinator and produced Youth Arts & Culture Events. Looking back, I don’t know how I did it but I would ascribe much of it to the camaraderie and solidarity of the team, many of whom became life-long friends and allies.

You have been working in the area of social justice for many years. Why do you think is important to retain a sense of purpose in the long run?

From a young age, I wanted to contribute towards making the world a better place in the limited time I have on this earth. I always wish I could do more. There is endless suffering, inequality, and injustice that goes unchecked because of systems set up by and for corrupt men and their needs. We all have to do our part to take these systems down. And if we can’t tear them down, then we have to infiltrate them from the ground up. And to keep oneself going in the midst of this work, friendship and community are always important.

What were some of the campaigns that you worked on that you were most proud of?

My most formative experiences were working on the Women’s Conference in China (that laid the groundwork for changes in laws and policies regarding violence against women, workplace reforms, etc.) and the WHO Kobe Conference on Women and Tobacco (that paved the way for changes in laws and policies regarding tobacco control and public health reforms).

Most recently, I’ve been focusing on The Federation, which I co-founded with the artist Laurie Anderson and the producer Laura Michalchyshyn. The Federation is an unprecedented coalition of artists, organizations, and allies committed to keeping cultural borders open and showing how art unites us.

What would you say to people who would like to add purpose and meaning to their work, but are struggling to align this desire with the constraints of their jobs or lives in General?

No one is too small to make a difference, and no difference you make is too small. Identify your passion and figure out how you can contribute. Seek out mentors and allies. Do what you can, and don’t be hard on yourself. Be a warrior for good. As Flo Kennedy, the lawyer/activist, said, “Don’t agonize. Organize.” Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the environmental activist after whom the Parkland school is named, said, “Be a nuisance when it counts.”

What do you think the corporate world needs to do differently to be able to have a higher sense of purpose in their day-to- day activities?

Self-interest needs to be secondary to collective interest. It’s one thing for a corporation to apologize for its bad decisions and shoddy oversight that harm the world. It’s another thing for a corporation to actually remake their way of doing business. Society has evolved in such a way that financial power supersedes people power. It’s going to take a long time to undo that construct, but I am optimistic that reform will come, and hopefully all over the world once the despots die or are deposed.

In the U.S., we are experiencing seismic shifts, not only with regard to attacks on women, youth, vulnerable groups, but also with regard to the surge of people’s activism. I hope I’m alive to see the day when the younger generations and more women and enlightened men take over and lead the way.

You have managed to bring very different people and organizations together to work on a common goal. What do you think is behind your success in this area?

Being inclusive. Listening to a diversity of opinions. Be clear with intention and tangible goals, connecting the dots between various entities and individuals. Constantly assess and adjust based on practice and performance. Bringing positivity and fun into a campaign even when the issues are difficult.

How do you measure impact in your work? Do you think we as a society need to rethink our conception of impact?

The way I seek to make impact is through art. I often remind myself of a quote from James Baldwin: “The precise role of the artist is to make the world a more human dwelling place.” While art alone can’t change the world, it can inspire people to change the world. So, when people take a campaign I’ve worked on and incorporate it in a way that fits with their mission and capacity, that is impact. Likes and Followers on social media might increase one’s virtual profile, but impact is action. The campaigns I work on aim to give people the tools to envision and realize a more humane and healthy world.

What are some of your future plans and how can the DO community support you?

The Federation is collaborating with For Freedoms, one of our participants, on their 50 State Initiative to begin in September 2018. The Initiative is identifying at least one partner in each state to bring people together through the power of art to engage in civic discourse. Art actions can take the form of Town Halls, Exhibitions, Billboard Activations, and more.

I’ve been a huge fan of The DO School since its inception. The DO community is the perfect example of how people can be galvanized to innovate social impact. The DO community can spread the word, contribute ideas and expertise, and participate. Do you know a potential partner in states like Alaska and Nevada, anywhere? Do you know a potential funder to pay for the billboards? Please reach out to me: tanya@wearethefederation.org.