This week, Signature share with you more about Sahera Khan, a passionate writer, actress, filmmaker, and YouTuber. Sahera highlights to us her journey into the arts and more about some of the challenges she faced and overcame. Sahera also offers advice to those individuals who are interested in the arts but perhaps don’t know where or how to kickstart their career.
Carry on reading to find out more about Sahera:
- Hi Sahera, first, can you introduce yourself to our Signature readers?
Hello and Salaam, my name is Sahera Khan. I am Muslim, British South Asian, Deaf and a BSL artist/actor. I live in London. I write poems and stories. I am a YouTube content creator and make comedy and storytelling videos. I am also a facilitator for drama workshops for children and young people in education.
- How did you get into the arts, was there anyone or any piece in particular that kick started this passion?
I grew up doing arts through school. I was involved in various arts like song, drama, performance, and dance. I really enjoyed it. Before I left school, I wanted to study performance arts but unfortunately my parents disapproved.
It was a long journey. My whole life, I knew I had a passion for arts and entertainment. That was how I started from writing to filmmaking and acting.
Technology is amazing and gives me many ways to share and create, for example, video content and social media.
- As an individual who is deaf, do you fell that your personal relation with sound has changes the way you personally approach your writing?
I like writing stories and poems. I can express my personal experience through writing. I wrote my first stories and poems on Kindle, titled ‘Sahera: Short Poetry and Stories’ (previously title was ‘My Creative Writing’).
I feel that it is important to include more deaf people or characters in creative writing. For example, I like to write about a deaf character who is Muslim, British South Asian, female, a headscarf wearer and BSL user, someone that is similar to my background.
I have also written some short films: Audiology, He Stood Me Up, Bond and Faith. All of which the characters have a similar background to me. These sort of characters are rarely seen within literature and so these stories are more unique.
- How can society be altered to make the arts more accessible and inclusive of the deaf community?
Yes, it is very important to be accessible and inclusive for the deaf community in the arts and allow them to enjoy the arts without it being stressful. It is especially important to see deaf artists take part in the arts, for example, in performance or on a BSL tour. It is great that accessibility is improving for deaf people, e.g., with the introduction of captions, interpreters, people who learn BSL and deaf friendly spaces. Despite changes, the progress is slow.
It is important for us to give ongoing feedback to the arts industries about improving accessibility.
I want to see the arts industries continue to interact with deaf artists and audiences to make the arts accessible.
- What advice would you give to young deaf people who are thinking of getting more involved in the arts?
I would advise them to think about their options for GCSE drama, arts, music etc. If you have a passion for the arts, go to college, or find local clubs that specialise in the arts such as drama and music. There are some deaf and disabled arts opportunities available for young people, for example Graeae and Deafinitely Theatre.
I would also suggest that you communicate with your teacher or careers officer or ask the school to invite deaf artists to give a talk about the arts. It is also useful to research which arts are best for you.
The arts can be anything- painting, dance, music, drama, performance, poetry, comedy, writing as well as entertainment such as filmmaking, television, and video content. There are many different roles you can do, so just go for it!
- You have a passion for creativity, from filmmaking to writing and to acting- How did you personally develop a career in the creative sector and what sort of barriers did you have to overcome during this process?
It has been a good experience through writing, filmmaking and acting, both creative practice and learning. It allows me to explore what I am good at and get feedback from the creative industries and opportunities for work. That is how I became an artist and actor, through experience and learning. I show my work to the creative industries and from this I have been offered work opportunities. I enjoy it but it is not sustainable paid work. Despite this, I don’t want to stop being involved with creative work.
With regard to facing barriers, I have faced some barriers, for example, there are often no BSL interpreters for auditions and meetings. I have limited communication and I also have some restrictions for my acting/performances due to family commitments and religion.
Before I had Access to Work funding, I needed a support worker to support my writing, for example, correct grammar and communication with the creative industries. Ultimately, I found it hard to build up a career. When I became a freelance artist/ actor and self-employed I was able to use Access to Work funding to support my career. It is a huge benefit to have Access to Work to continue to support my creative work and meet with the industries.
I couldn’t imagine being without Access to Work funding. I would certainly struggle and lack career opportunities.
- How does your faith influence your creativity, whether that’s within your writing pr within your filmmaking?
I keep pursuing with my creativity and hard work. I am trying to stay positive, enjoy it and show my creative work to the creative industries and community. I love what I am doing today without thinking of the money. It is important to me that I am an artist and actor.
Alongside acting I have also published some writing, including My Glow and Why Together?
My short film ‘Faith’ was selected for some film festivals which was exciting. I won Best Storyline in the New Zealand Deaf Film Festival 2020 and the Kat Award for winning Best Film in a language other than English at the Together 2020 Disability Film Festival.
Recently ‘My Glow’, a short documentary, was selected by the BISFF (India, which qualified for an Academy Award).
- Here at Signature, we are incredibly excited about the prospect of a BSL GCSE- why do you personally think that this is important for both deaf and hearing students?
Yes, definitely, it is a huge benefit for the students to learn BSL as it will open up many opportunities for their future careers. It would be amazing to aid daily communication between both deaf and hearing people, for example in cafes and shops. It is also great to introduce BSL at a young age as young people would learn the language very quickly.
I am very much looking forward to it!
- Finally, do you have any upcoming projects or goals that you would like to share with us here at Signature?
I am currently developing a short comedy show and am continuing writing a short comedy film. I am re-editing my nine Kindle books (first book already re-edited and now on Kindle- Sahera: Short Poetry and Stories (previous title was My Creative Writing).
I also create new video content regularly on my YouTube.
I am waiting to see if there are any acting opportunities, either on stage or on screen.
God knows best, Inshallah.
Here at Signature, we would like to thank Sahera for sharing with us more about her journey into the arts and the passion she holds for all things creative, whether that’s acting or filmmaking. Sahera’s determination has enabled her to win awards for her literature and we look forward to seeing more of what Sahera has to offer to the arts in the future. We wish her the best of luck in all future endeavours and are sure we will see her on our screens very soon!