Advocacy Spotlight: Dr. Anjhula Mya Singh Bais
This is the first in an occasional series of posts in which I’ll be interviewing incredible advocates about how they view advocacy and some of their current advocacy priorities. I can think of no better person to feature for this first interview than psychologist and humanitarian Dr. Anjhula Mya Singh Bais. Here’s our conversation.
How do you define advocacy?
Advocacy is the means by which people raise voice and awareness of inequity and injustice around them and take up a cause, this is accomplished in a variety of ways depending on the circumstances, culture, and context.
Advocacy can take on a very public facing role but increasingly, I find closed door advocacy to be equally if not more effective in certain situations.
How did you first become interested in advocacy?
My ancestral history is one of being the guardians and custodians of people. Conflict and dispute mediation are legacies that come naturally to us. This extends to advocating for just and equitable rule.
I would go one step further though and really think about the colourism, casteism and relevance of royalty. What are ways of being that are no longer relevant and what are ways to take inter-generational valour, courage, fearlessness and honour and reshape it so it is fit for purpose in the 21st century?
One immediate answer was human rights. Without it being labelled as such, my ancestors grappled with human rights issues of their day, my relative hung during the British colonial days in India for example as he fought for freedom and independence.
What qualities do you think outstanding advocates have?
Eschewing the need for popularity and striking the balance between taking feedback yet maintaining unshakeable belief in one’s self. The whole world will have you think you are mistaken, but outstanding advocates know what they know and do not have the urge to prove everyone right in that moment.
Undeterred by both criticism and praise, they stick to their path delivering unassailable results. They must also possess a different idea of time. Things are not necessarily linear, contentment comes from moving the needle an inch and that fortitude coupled with deep patience is a mainstay.
Imagine you are speaking to a group of children or youth. What would you say to them to get them interested in advocacy?
I would assume they have already started; to advocate is actually quite human. I would ask them for times when they stood up or spoke out on something they believed in quite strongly. It could be witnessing another child having their toys taken or being bullied. I would then ask them why they did what they did and why it was important.
In this sense, I would make them aware of the advocacy they are already doing. I would then talk about how individuals contribute to the collective whole. I like citing the Buddhist concept of dependent origination highlighting for example how many people it took to make the car you just received on your 16th birthday or the new toy you were presented on your birthday. This highlights simply and powerfully that we all rely on one another and have a responsibility.
What are some simple ways for someone to get involved in advocacy if they have never done so before?
Oral history and storytelling. To know where you want to go is to understand where you have been. Elders in the family are rich sources of this and so are war veterans, people in senior citizen facilities, homeless people.
Before diving into advocacy, understand the world around you. What are things people grappled with? Their pain points and injustices? History is a powerful source to shape what you subsequently wish to contribute.
Volunteering to teach and read is to advocate education accessibility for all, recycling is advocating for the planet. When we increase our consciousness, ideas will manifest right before us that have been there all along.
What are some of your current advocacy priorities?
Climate, women’s rights, inclusion, diversity and equity and the idea of parenting licenses. We expect trusted constituencies like health care workers to be trained and licensed to a high degree, we expect driving licenses of people who take the wheel, yet the most important job in many aspects (parenting) is unregulated with the cost becoming too much to bear. This is an idea worth exploring.
If you could only be remembered for one thing, what would it be?
I contributed in a significant way to the achievement of world peace.
About Anjhula
Described by the Sunday Times as “an activist, academic, and an aristocrat out to shatter myths surrounding mental illness and psychology”, Dr. Anjhula Mya Singh Bais is an international psychology trauma specialist and a Director on the International Board of Amnesty International. Named a super model by Vogue India, she graced the cover of Savvy Magazine under the condition that it was not air brushed and received its people’s choice award for being the role model women most believed in. Dr. Bais’s focus is at the intersection of the climate crisis, holistic mental health and spirituality. She was a thought leader and strategist inspiring on psychology, leadership, and human rights on her Lite FM radio show Mind Matters which had a weekly listenership of 1 million. Named a Fellow of the Apolitical Academy, Prestige Magazine’s 40 Under 40, and bestowed one of the highest citations from the American Psychological Association (Global Citizen Psychologist) Bais is an alumni of Lady Shri Ram College, University College London, Columbia University, The Chicago School and is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. You can connect with her via Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram or LinkedIn.
Thanks so much to Dr. Bais for sharing her thoughts about advocacy!
If you are involved in advocacy or if you know an incredible advocate, please contact me about doing an interview for “Advocacy Spotlight.” Also, please subscribe to my blog and feel free to follow me on X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram, “like” my Facebook page, or connect on LinkedIn. Finally, if you enjoyed this post, please share it with a friend. Thanks!