Leona Maple /// We All Live at Different Intersections /// Season5:E115

Imagine checking a box asking you to define your ethnicity and yet there is no box that accurately represents you.

Many people have experienced this issue when filling out forms of all kinds. It's the lack of versatility and accurate descriptions in those boxes that fail diverse individuals. Our guest Leona Maple discusses her personal life and the struggle of juggling all of her cultures and religions when moving to a place where it wasn't normal; like living a double life. She addresses the pressure to conform and mold into those around her.  She stands today embracing her diverse background. Her conversation of safe spaces, career, and explanations on intersectionality make for a conversation filled with passion and knowledge. Her ability to relate and articulate hard topics of conversation reflect her natural ability as a writer and embodies the mindset we all strive for.

 

“We can only do so much, so do what you can.” -  Leona Maple
 

Leona Maple (she/her) is a South Asian queer intersectional feminist and diversity consultant. She is all about making space for her fellow BIMPOC (Black, Indigenous, Mixed, and People of Color) folx and queer folx, through building communities and streamed shows aimed at growth in these marginalized communities, as well as through consulting work.

Leona’s first brush with intersectional feminism was in a Facebook group, where other women of color educated each other on important concepts to reduce each other’s emotional labour. Since then, she has eagerly researched and read countless articles on intersectionality, including works by bell hooks, Kimberlé Crenshaw, and WEB DuBois.

Leona’s passion for building safe spaces for BIMPOC and similarly marginalized communities stems from experiencing the healing effects of these spaces herself, in a BIMPOC only group that would meet in person in a private room. Having an opportunity to let your guard down as a woman of color is incredibly rare. Now, Leona actively seeks out people of color – and questions when this community is missing from a space. She is most proud of building a thriving BIMPOC community with Welcome To The Party, where Leona was a community discord moderator. She now runs Vibrant Legends with the Dicey Amazons.

In addition to her experience in inclusion and diversity, Leona also has a communications background. She graduated from Simon Fraser University with a BA in Communications in 2019. Her degree gave her opportunities to examine the crossroads of intersectionality, feminism, and communications. She has worked with magazines, marketing teams, nonprofits, and small businesses on a wide array of things – press releases, marketing, event management, social media marketing, consulting, writing, and publishing.

As a member of her local South Asian community, Leona is intimately familiar with South Asian diaspora’s cultural behaviors, Hinduism, Indian history and culture, and much more.

 

Topics we discuss:

• Emotional Labor
  • Constantly explaining to others
• Cancel Culture
• Handling and managing Criticism 
  • From Family
  • From others
• Juggling cultural identities
  • Managing identity and what it means
• Intersectionality
  • “Can't divorce your identities”. 
  • Resistance to the idea
• Her Business
  • Giving compassion especially when it is hard

 

References:

• W.E.B Dubois
• Dogpiling
• Doxing
• Model Minority
• D & D (Dungeons and Dragons)
• Desidirada

 

Credits:

Lead editor + Producer: Ruf Holmes

 

Music:

Main Theme: "Eaze Does It" by Shye Eaze and DJ Rufbeats, a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.