Pens Down: South Asian American Artists Support Striking Writers at Disney Picket in Los Angeles

South Asian American allies showed up last week at the Disney Studious to support striking writers in Hollywood. The first South Asians in Solidarity Writers Guild of America West picket was organized on May 20 by the South Asian Writers Committee. Trailblazers like Mindy Kaling, Danny Pudi, Rizwan Manji, Sarayu Blue, Parvesh Cheena, Rajiv Satyal and Saagar Shaikh were seen at the picket. 

Sporting a pair of distressed jeans and a blue and white Writers Guild of America T-shirt, Kaling was seen protesting and posing with her fellow writers who have been on strike since May 2. Production on many shows has come to a virtual standstill, including the late-night talk shows. 

Kaling shared several photos in her Instagram stories. “Scenes from the South Asians in Solidarity WGA picket!” she wrote across the first photo. “Loved seeing our community out in full force! Old friends and new ones,” she wrote. 

Writer, producer, comedian, actress, voice-over artist, and podcast host Natasha Chandel was one of the organizers of the event. “We ate, we danced, we protested together, desi-style,” she wrote on her social media handles. Chandel, who had a “different experience than most South Asian Americans,” having grown up in Dubai, Toronto, and India, was surrounded by desis. “So yesterday was like an average Tuesday in Mississauga,” she wrote. “But it was heartwarming to hear so many feel they had never been around so many like-minded people, they had a community they never knew existed,” she continued. “It means we need more of this,” she added. “This might be a long fight but we are in it with all our fellow writers.”