While there are many things we can’t control in life—where we were born, the color of our skin or even the circumstances that shape our unique experiences—one thing we should have the power to decide is how our stories are told. Regrettably, that choice is often taken away from many marginalized groups, leaving their voices unheard or misinterpreted. Simran Porwal, a visionary in the entertainment industry, has made it her life’s mission to amplify marginalized voices and pave the way for social impact content.

As a domestic abuse survivor and the child of a heavily patriarchal society in India, Simran understands the power of storytelling firsthand. “I always struggled to find my voice,” Simran recalls. “My existence seemed to hinge upon how much space I was allowed to occupy, which is what drew me to the world of storytelling. Cinema and television were teleportation devices that could transport me anywhere that I wanted to be - away from my abusive family and into worlds that were freer than my own.”

Simran’s fascination with storytelling led her to create short documentaries for a non-profit that focused on preserving the cultural and historical heritage of India. The experience changed her life. Through the process, Simran discovered the potential of using stories to not only escape but also control the narrative. By wielding the camera as her mouthpiece, she realized she could finally give a voice to her own story, her mother’s, and countless ancestral women who were erased from history. This marked the beginning of her journey as a storyteller with a mission, but there were hurdles along the way.

The first was overcoming societal pressure to pursue engineering. Determined to forge her own path in life, Simran stood up to her family and secured scholarships and loans that allowed her to pursue her dreams in the U.S. entertainment industry. “I was alone here in LA but couldn’t be happier to embark on this new journey,” she shares.

However, the deeper issues Simran had internalized her entire life didn’t just disappear because she moved across continents. In a male-dominated industry that historically rewards Eurocentric ideals, Simran struggled with imposter syndrome, which stemmed from a lifetime of being taught to be silent and small. “I would stop myself from pursuing new ventures because I underestimated my own creative worth,” she recalls.

Meeting fearless and unapologetic women in the entertainment industry allowed Simran to challenge her deeply ingrained beliefs, and she began to flourish. “Once I dipped my toes into the world of self-advocacy, my creativity and potential started manifesting in my art, work, and life in ways that I had not fathomed before,” Simran explains. “I now know that I can never go back to the former and diminish myself from living up to who my mother dreamed for me to be.”

Simran’s crucial work with major corporations and entities, including Disney, Hulu, ABC, and Freeform, has introduced her to gifted and hardworking individuals with whom she has collaborated to create powerful and impactful stories that have gone on to win several prominent awards. Her dream is to continue decolonizing stories and giving power back to the people through documentaries, films, TV, and other entertainment media. “I remember gazing at the screen as a kid and searching for meaning and reflections of my own experiences in life in movies and television,” Simran concludes. “I wish to provide that comfort, escape, and hope to other people in the world who feel confined in their realities.”