Desipina (day-see-pee-nah):
(adj.) A slang term describing a person of South Asian (desi) and Filipina (pina) descent; (n.) a group that embraces multiracial identities and fusion lifestyles; (v.) to check outside the box.
About Desipina & Co.:
We are a fusion arts company focusing in film and theatre and are firmly dedicated to promoting cross-pollinations of artistic, political, and cultural dialogues.
Desipina & Co. exists to:
Acknowledge the unique differences that exist within the Asian-American communities, which in itself is divided by race, religion, social and economic status. We wish to use these differences to promote understanding and to blur the self-imposed boundaries placed upon the vastly diverse minority group that makes up a growing percentage of the current US population. Through the use of self-definition, we wish to nurture the works of underrepresented multi-ethnic individuals, as well as empower female artists to tell their stories.
Desipina & Co.’s History:
Desipina & Co. was founded by two sisters, Rehana Mirza and Rohi Mirza Pandya, who quickly discovered that the stories of Asian American women were too often judged through the traditions of existing European, patriarchal standards. Deciding to create their own tradition, the two siblings formed Desipina & Co. in order to produce their first project, Barriers, a pan-Asian family drama that deals with the loss, as well as the backlash and prejudice that arose towards South Asians from the WTC tragedy.