Mindy Kaling
The woman of the week is Mindy Kaling. She is a comedian and writer is known for her role and script writing in The Office. Growing up seeing an Indian woman on screen, I felt really proud because she was dominating in a field that was not dominated by South Asians. She is paving the path for minority women to establish a career in the entertainment industry. She was first noticed when she performed and co-wrote an off-Broadway play called Matt and Ben and it was named one of Time magazine’s “Top Ten Theatrical Events of the Year”. From then on she appeared on The Office and also wrote for the show. She was commended for her natural humor and authenticity. After her career on The Office, she went on to write and produce her own show, The Mindy Project. This is one of my favorite TV shows because the main character is a woman of South Asian descent who is a successful doctor and it shows how she juggles her romantic life with her professional life.
Being a huge romantic comedy fan myself, this show fulfilled everything that I loved. She also managed to show the dynamic of the typical South Asian family and the struggles that came from it. Not only is the show relatable to women of color but to all millennial women. It shows today’s dating culture, like obsessing over one text message from a guy and overthinking for weeks. I admire her so much because she speaks her mind is not afraid of criticism. She stays true to herself and I think this is what brings in most of her success. Not only is she an actress, but she has also written two books, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)and Why Not Me?, both New York Times Best-sellers. The titles speak for themselves– she talks about body image and accepting yourself for who you are. Her books made me realize that no matter how someone looks, everyone is beautiful, and your superficial characteristics should not stop you from doing what you love. She is such a girl boss and owns up to everything she does. Her confidence is infectious and it has a good impact on her fans. Recent strides in her career include playing Mrs. Who in A Wrinkle in Time and having a prominent role in Ocean’s Eight, the all-female version of Ocean’s Eleven.