Birds, Planes, and Superwomen

Birds, Planes, and Superwomen

“I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people” (Maya Angelou). With her influential legacy as a civil rights activist, Maya Angelou emphasizes that anyone can be a hero; the title of “hero” isn’t reserved only for the powerful figureheads of society, rather, it is for any philanthropist who works towards improving this world. By Angelou’s definition, heroism is not as rare as imagined; from firefighters rushing into burning buildings to activists fighting for civil rights to even toddlers sharing lunch, modern heroism is everywhere. Just as each of these characters displays heroic conduct, admirable “heroes” must embody righteous values—may it be courage, integrity, persistence, intellect or other traits—throughout their legacy. Those worthy of hero’s status are individuals who perform continuous acts of goodwill while inspiring others to follow their footsteps.

IISuperwomanIIhttps://www.wmespeakers.com/speaker/lilly-singhIronically, Lilly Singh started off with none of these traits. Lilly Singh was born in 1988 in the ghetto areas of Scarborough and spent her childhood in Toronto, Canada. For her cultural background, Singh’s parents immigrated to Canada from Punjab, India. As a cheerful, colorful tomboy, Lilly Singh always had big dreams, believing she was destined for greatness. Unfortunately, in 2009, that vibrant dream was shattered into a million colorless shards; Singh was left unemployed and severely depressed with no motivation to even live, let alone change the world. After a terrifying night of mental paralysis (as a result of depression), Singh finally made the life-changing choice to pull herself out from her misery. Although Singh often relapsed back into depression, she eventually learned to love and accept herself. In 2010, Singh embarked on her YouTube journey, filming comedy sketches in hopes of putting a smile on each of her viewers’ faces. Since then, Singh has only been climbing up the totem pole of life. Currently, Lilly Singh is an internet superstar; she’s an award-winning Canadian Youtuber, comedian, author, and actress with over 2 billion views. Singh is widely known by her YouTube channel (called IISuperwomanII) and her social campaign for female empowerment (called #GirlLove). Lilly Singh’s encouraging “can-do” message inspires others to work hard to reach their dreams and to stand up for their beliefs. Behind Singh’s impressive internet voice and unique story, she holds the determination to achieve success and the passion to promote her values, conquering adversity and spreading positivity all the while; as a figure who embodies virtuous traits and a persisting message, Singh's legacy is an inspiration to all.

Lilly Singhhttps://www.emmagannon.co.uk/2017/04/14/ctrl-alt-delete-podcast-73-lilly-singh/Lilly Singh’s inextinguishable determination drives her relentless hustle for success. The first instance of her determination is found in an interview with The Globe And Mail, where Singh shares her story regarding her recent move to Los Angeles: "'It really did pain me to move to L.A., and I wish I could have stayed in Toronto, but it was getting to a point where, two or three times a month, I'd have to fly to L.A. to do something, or I'd be missing some opportunities to do something, because they're like, “Oh! You need a visa. We'll just find someone else"'" (Houpt). Singh describes her “pain of moving to L.A.,”—it emotionally hurts her to leave—and her “wish to stay in Toronto” reveals her deep desire to continue thriving in her beloved hometown. Moving from Toronto to L.A, Singh leaves behind her comfortable, familiar hometown, plunging into a new, foreign environment simply to increase her opportunities. Regardless, Singh’s determination to succeed allows her to endure that discomfort and pain. While moving does not require immense labor, Singh ultimately proves that she is willing to make significant sacrifices in order to achieve success. In her book, How To Be A Bawse, Singh writes how her perseverance transformed the lowly beginnings of her enormously successful social campaign, #GirlLove: “I continued ironing out my #GirlLove Challenge until my manager called me with some bad news… I wasn’t going to collaborate with one of my biggest inspirations… Over the next week, I contacted every influential woman I knew, from Grace Helbig to Shay Mitchell… The #GirlLove became a global phenomenon—young girls across the globe were complimenting each other on social media using the hashtag #GirlLove… and in 2016 I hired a team and launched #GirlLove as a full-fledged social campaign…” (Lilly Singh, 173-173). Here, Singh describes how her failed collaboration attempt transformed into an immensely successful social campaign; she creates sweet, metaphorical lemonade out of life’s bitter lemons. When Singh faces rejection, she has two options—keep trying or give up. Rather than choosing the latter, Singh persevered, contacting “every influential woman she knew” and hustling to bring her vision to life. It is not only due to her willpower to succeed, but also to the hard work she inputs that she reaps the fruits of her success—a beautiful “global phenomenon” where “young girls across the globe compliment each other.” Singh created her successful campaign to promote virtuous equality and to fight the immoral sins of sexism; she utilizes her firm resolve to better the world. Armed with unwavering determination and diligence, Singh, earns her success and title as an admirable heroine. 

#GirlLovehttps://medium.com/rta902/exposed-im-obsessed-with-lilly-singh-and-her-genius-empire-33b9a84e0f21As an unabashed feminist, Lilly Singh spills blood, sweat, and tears, promoting the cause in which she believes in—female empowerment; her undying passion motivates her to better the world for all people through fighting the unequal, unjust tradition of sexism. In addition to her simply being a female comedian in the male-dominated industry, she started her own social campaign, #GirlLove, to further promote female empowerment and gender equality. In 2016, Lilly Singh partnered with ME to WE Charity, selling Rafiki bracelets (handmade by Kenyan mothers) in an effort to send Kenyan girls to school: “‘True power lies in helping our brothers and sisters. It has been so humbling to see the impact we made last year on these young girls in Kenya with our first #GirlLove Rafiki. [...] These girls work so hard and I'm so proud of them. They're going to do such amazing things’” (ME to WE Charity). Singh believes in female empowerment and clearly stands up for this belief. By providing invaluable education to those who need it, Singh effectively helps these Kenyan girls; Singh exemplifies her claim that “true power lies in helping our brothers and sisters.” After establishing Kisaruni Secondary School in Kenya, Singh describes her “pride” in the “hard work” these Kenyan girls have put in, as they are now empowered with the education needed to “do amazing things.” All of this could not be possible without Singh’s passion and devotion to her feminist beliefs. Additionally, Singh recalls empowering young women in rural India as UNICEF’s goodwill ambassador: “‘... so many diverse and impactful initiatives to help improve their community,’ Lilly said. ‘It was also incredibly inspiring to see free karate lessons for girls that not only build their self-confidence, but teaches them self-defense tactics to help them face the real-life threat of violence and harassment,’ she added” (States News Service). As the disgusting effects of sexism are shown to be severely prevalent, teaching girls self-defense is a powerful and useful tool—unlike random motivational, happy-go-lucky speeches—that will effectively empower them. These “self-defense tactics” empower these young women with the technical combat skills and confidence to resist oppressive discrimination and to fight for themselves. Singh’s goal towards realistically protecting and empowering these young women proves her deep passion and commitment to her values. Lilly Singh not only verbally advocates feminism, she readily takes action to make a difference in the cause she believes in. As the creator of #GirlLove and the goodwill ambassador of UNICEF, Singh travels the world preaching gender equality, effectively fighting sexism in her own unique way; her passionate crusade against sexism deems her a model feminist.

A Trip to Unicorn Islandhttps://www.tubefilter.com/2015/05/18/victorious-lilly-singh-iisuperwomanii-unicorn-island-app/Due to her unwavering determination to succeed, unapologetic passion for feminism, and positive, empowering message, Lilly Singh embodies every aspect of an admirable philanthropist. Singh is willing to sacrifice her comforts in order to reach greater ends of success. Her undying perseverance has proven to override any challenges that stand in her path, no matter how daunting they may seem. Additionally, Singh not only verbally advocates women’s rights but dedicates herself completely towards the cause she believes in. Rather than bashing sexism, Singh chose to promote feminism, unveiling her positive approach to this issue. Lastly, Singh utilizes her determination and feminist passion to promote goodness, bettering the welfare of all people. Lilly Singh’s “work harder” and “stand up for what you believe in” lessons may seem cliché, but these are the exact traits that define her as an admirable heroine. Speaking of admirers, I am one among millions of fans. I am a child of immigrants, and while that does not seriously affect my well being, you’d be surprised by the ways my predetermined physical and cultural aspects have shaped my decisions, standards, and behavior. As a successful South Asian woman in the male-dominated entertainment industry, Singh’s unapologetic attitude inspires her fans to triumph over all stereotypes—even unspoken ones—that stand between them and their dreams; her legacy teaches that if we put in the work, we can and will achieve our dreams, no matter who we are or where we come from. As a hero must embody their society’s values, Lilly Singh embodies many of the values I hold close to heart. Her never-ending endeavor for success inspires me to similarly strive for greatness. Her victorious conquest of depression reminds me that I, too, can overcome any obstacle, no matter how impossible they seem. As a feminist myself, Singh’s brazen dedication to female empowerment encourages me to fight my own battles against the ignorant, sexist pigs of this hellish world. Although I don’t seek to reach the top of our Grand Social Hierarchy of Humanity, I aim to follow Lilly Singh’s example in other ways—working hard to overcome challenges and growing the courage to defend personal beliefs. As Maya Angelou defines, I aim to be a “hero” who makes this world a better place, even I’m not extraordinary. 

Lilly Singh epitomizes a real-life Superwoman, overcoming daunting obstacles, promoting equality, and spreading positivity as she soars. Look up, because you might just catch a glimpse her saving the world… “It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Superwoman.”

Works Cited

Houpt, Simon. "LillyTube; With two billion views on YouTube, a new book and brands knocking down her door, Scarborough-born Lilly Singh is the new queen of media - and offering a lesson for Canadians looking to ride the wave of cultural disruption, rather than being swamped by it." Globe & Mail [Toronto, Canada], 25 Mar. 2017, Accessed 21 Dec. 2017.

Kielburger, Mark; Kielburger, Craig. ME to WE. WE Charity, www.metowe.com; www.we.org. Accessed 1 January, 2018.

"LILLY SINGH APPOINTED UNICEF'S NEWEST GOODWILL AMBASSADOR." States News Service, 15 July 2017. Accessed 21 Dec. 2017.

"Lilly Singh." Accessed 21 Dec. 2017.

Singh, Lilly. “Draw My Life | Superwoman.” Online video clip. YouTube, 27 June, 2013. Web. Accessed 1 January, 2018.

How To Be A Bawsehttps://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Bawse-Guide-Conquering/dp/0425286460Singh, Lilly. How To Be A Bawse: A Guide To Conquering Life. New York: Ballantine Books, 2017. Print.