Earlier this year, Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa made headlines around the globe when she performed a rousing poem confronting racism on Australia's Got Talent. Prior to her performance, she didn't see a place for herself on commercial television. But as she explains in the video above, when you're given two minutes on national television to say whatever the f*** you want, you've got to take it.
Now she's touring with L-Fresh The Lion, sharing her slam poetry with audiences around Australia. If you've been to one of her shows, or had the pleasure of meeting her, the first thing you'd notice is how her personality just sort of shines. That's no accident, either.
"I remember one day [my brother] told me a story that I've translated into a lot of the work I do and the feelings I have towards other people. It was about a woman he was meeting, she came up to him and they met for the first time, the second time, then they met for the third and fourth time. And when they met for the fifth time, she squinted her eyes and said 'You have a turban, Hajit'. And he goes 'Mate, we've just met for the fifth time. Normally that's the first thing someone sees.'"
"She said 'I think it was because I was so focused on your energy and your personality, that I didn't even notice'. Then he came home and he said 'Sukjhit, you need to be the best Sukhjit you can possibly be. Your personality should be so kickass that people don't even notice your hair, your religion, that you're a woman. So that they don't see anything except the light in you.'"