Motifs of Belonging: Yulianna’s Search for Malayness

In this episode of The Brown Box, we chat with Yulianna Frederika, co-founder of Lepak Conversations — an online advocacy platform bringing vital Malay Muslim issues into the mainstream.This is a deeply personal conversation, with Yulianna consciously moving away from the version of herself that tried to fit into the moulds people expected, and towards a more authentic and truthful way of being.We speak about:• Growing up in an interfaith family, with Muslim prayers and Christian music woven into daily life• Her Indonesian heritage — a great-grandmother with royal roots, and a great-grandfather who was an artist• The auntie who shared her room and opened up the world for her• A difficult relationship with her mother, who used her Malayness against her, and whose love language was food• Wearing the hijab, and later understanding the prejudice hijab-wearing women face• Starting Lepak Conversations• Its work supporting Malay/Muslim mental health through campaigns like You Ok Bro?• Speaking up for Palestine• Batik — and finding her way back home through its patterns and stories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.