When we first began our blog, we reached out to multiple influencers through Instagram, and the first to respond was Tulsi Thakor! We were amazed by how creative yet cultural her photo shoots were. It was clear to us that she used her platform to positively inspire others and freely express herself and her opinions.
Tell us a little about yourself! Who is Tulsi Thakor?
Hi everyone! My name is Tulsi Thakor, I am an Instagram model/influencer, and I am 20 years old. A lot of people assume that I am either older or younger; it’s never my actual age! So, I’m still in college as a business major at NC State University. My career goal in life is to start a company with my mom who went to school for fashion design. I think it would be amazing to be able to work with family and do what I love.
What’s one stereotype that you want to tackle as an influencer?
There’s a lot of things that I want to fix because there is just so much wrong with the world. First, I think that being Gujarati is super downplayed. There needs to be more representation of us Gujjus that isn’t the usual stereotypical way.
The biggest issue that I have myself struggled with and am very vocal about is mental health. I have personally dealt with depression, anxiety, and PTSD because I was raped and abused.
Luckily, I was able to get the help that I needed and had my family’s support along the way. I know that not everyone has this same experience especially in our community, and that’s not fair to them. We all know how the Indian Aunties and the Indian culture in general state that rape will ruin a female’s reputation, girls need to be pure and innocent, the girl is to blame because of how she dresses or presents herself, and so much more nonsense. I want to encourage more women especially of our culture to be able to openly talk about it and emphasize that it’s not your fault. I’ve never been ashamed of it and have used my platform to talk about my experiences. I’ve even received DMs from people going through situations like I have, and it's heartwarming to leave a positive mark in someone else’s life by helping them talk about what they’re going through.
What prompted you to begin your career as an influencer, and did you face any hardships while doing this such as familial or societal pressures?
So, I grew up doing pageants, and as an only child, I loved taking pictures because this was my way of having fun. I knew that I wanted to continue this, but my family has always been big on education and wanted me to receive my degree. Regardless, my parents are my biggest fans when it comes to my career. I made sure that I would finish college and get a degree since this was also important to me.
My career sparked when I first signed to an agency during my senior year of high school, but I soon realized that there was a lot of competition. I went to a lot of auditions and heard a lot of “No’s.” Through these circumstances, one important lesson I learned, which applies for everyone, was that you have to learn to accept the defeats in life. It truly is hard not to compare yourself to everyone else out there, but eventually I told myself I can’t give up.
So far, walking in New York Fashion Week has been one of the highlights of my career; I got a lot of offers to walk for different designers, and being able to represent one of the few Indian women there was pretty amazing.
While I have never felt familial pressures, there is the pretty obvious social media pressure that everyone faces. I always try to present myself in a positive way by telling off the haters in a kind way or just ignoring it. I do wish that there was more of a community present because sometimes other influencers instead of supporting give backlash.
What’s something that you cherish about the Indian culture?
That’s easy. The family aspect is everything. Without them, we aren’t anything. Our parents went through so much for us, and we have these luxuries of living in America because of them. I like how within an Indian family our parents can be the parent when they need to be but also be a friend that you can talk to about anything. Like I said before, my parents have always supported me and helped me get through some tough times.
How do you think our generation can make a difference within the Indian American community?
There really is so much that we can do. Our generation is going to be the one to break all the stigmas. Female empowerment is something that we are and need to continue to fight for. As women, we are not going to stand for injustice nor are we meant to be in the house all day. Things will hopefully become more equal, and I know for a fact that our spouses are going to learn to compromise and create a better partnership. Our generation can hopefully push for more open conversations on rape, mental health, sex, equality, and so much more that we usually shy away from.
Did you ever find yourself struggling to find a balance between the Indian and American culture?
I think that there is always going to be a struggle between these two cultures but we just need to be able to find a balance. Learning to be open-minded is super important. Our customs have started to blend and that’s great that we can embrace both parts. In my life, I have incorporated elements from both cultures in my life.
Do you have any advice that you would like to give to our readers?
- Be yourself and stand up for yourself and who you are.
- It’s your story, so don’t let anyone else tell it.
- I want to also emphasize that please get the help that you need. Mental health is serious, so take care of yourself, and live for yourself.
- Remember that you have to be happy first to give to others.
Follow Tulsi on:
Instagram: @tulsiithakor
Tik Tok: @tulsiithakor