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| Mariette Valsan speaks on Google Meet. |
-Brian Mendonca
There were many takeaways from Mariette Valsan's talk earlier this week. (Click the link above) Her topic was 'The Colour of Advertising,' but she weaved in so many other things. Each second of the 60 minutes was listened to with rapt attention. The meet was maxed out in minutes with 99 attendees. 100 is the max capacity on Google Meet.
Here was a model, and actor and an activist who was speaking to us online in Goa on the sidelines of her shoot in Munnar, Kerala. Connectivity was an issue, but we trusted the universe. This was perhaps the only time I actually read The Wisdom of Insecurity cover to cover.
Despite her hectic schedule Mariette was kind enough to take time off to talk to the youth about her journey. She spoke passionately about how models are perceived, how images are manufactured, and how people are desensitized to the pain of women. She voiced her anguish about caste, colourism and contempt for women.
'It's ok to be you,' was the message that went out to all the teens. And they loved it. They admired her patience while waiting to speak on the Meet. They were also touched by the close relationship Mariette and her mother, Elizabeth Valsan, share. They lauded her initiative of giving back to society in her outreach for kids in Dahanu.
For me, to anchor the show, really required me to push the envelope. But Mariette was very thorough to work with. She replied promptly to the invitation on email. She was courteous enough to send a short bio note. She even declined the honorarium and gave it back to the organizers. In the nail-biting finish to the actual moment online, Mariette - who has a post-grad degree in corporate communications - kept the communication going. On WhatsApp, or on call, she went out of her way to be available.
On the day prior to the talk she must have been exhausted travelling the whole day from one location to the other. Yet the moment she checked in to her resort late in the evening, she agreed to have a trial Google Meet to test the strength of the Wi-fi.
I am nothing short of amazed by the way Mariette manages to get so much done during these days of the pandemic. But she is always ahead of the game, keeping herself busy, reinventing herself.
'I am very excited' she said. Nevertheless, she prepared well for the talk. She processed all the questions which were shared with her before the talk and weaved in the answers as she spoke. She was very articulate, transiting from one idea to another effortlessly. I noticed how carefully she chose her words and how she qualified her statements, so she would not be misinterpreted.
I liked how she placed value in the small things we do in life. In answer to a question about what is the purpose of walking the ramp, she said you don't see the big picture immediately - but the small things we do go a long way to make it happen.
She firmly believed that words have power. It is important to be an influencer to bring about positive change in society, was her view. As brand ambassador for a leading sports label, she lobbied for shoes for under-privileged children.
'One needs to speak up against what one sees as wrong, and what bothers you,' she said towards the end of her talk. Her courage and commitment is a beacon of light in dark times.
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Pic taken by Dr. Brian Mendonca on 26th October 2020.
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