Occupational Therapy News July 2020 | Page 24

FEATURE EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
Occupational therapy and me
© GettyImages/nadia_bormotova
Somia Elise Jan, an occupational therapist of dual heritage, reflects on her
own personal journey to becoming a practitioner
Since global events in June compelled
occupational therapist Somia Elise Jan to
reflect more deeply on her own experience
of coming from a minority background, she
is urging the occupational therapy profession to be
more open, and for others enduring similar hardships
to share their experiences.
‘I am absolutely devastated by the current events
around the world with regards to race,’ she says. ‘I
simply cannot comprehend how, in this day and age,
you can still be brutally murdered, or targeted and
bullied, all because of the colour of your skin.
‘Unfortunately this is not a one off incident, it
is just one that has fortunately been caught on
camera. And I do say fortunately, because I think it is
forcing the world to open their eyes to racism that is
happening everywhere and every day.’
Somia is of a dual heritage: English on her
mother’s side and Pakistani on her father’s side.
She stresses: ‘I do not want to take anything away
from this powerful and overdue #BlackLivesMatters
movement, however it has forced me to identify with
some of my own experiences that I have perhaps
suppressed, both the positive and negative.
‘I think that this suppression is part of the problem
minorities face, and an important aspect of this
movement. We often accept that in some situations
we will be treated a little differently, but why? Why do
we accept this?
‘I’m sure that, if we are more open with our
experiences, we would be welcomed. Or maybe not.
But, if we aren’t, we can address this and challenge
and implement change.’
Somia has made the decision to push herself out of
her comfort zone and share her journey into becoming
an occupational therapist, as an attempt to spread
awareness of both a culture and a profession she is
immensely proud to be a part of.
In sharing her story, she hopes to reach others who
are struggling on their journey and to remind them they
are not alone.
‘I hope it helps attract more minorities into this
wonderful profession, because we need you and your
uniqueness more than you know,’ she says.
24 OTnews July 2020