Ahead of the She Creates Change’s launch in October 2023, Room to Read continues to shine a spotlight on the incredible lineup of directors who worked on the series. Nexus Studios curated the lineup and we love to see these talented, diverse voices celebrated. For their most recent features, they spoke to directors Claudia Chinyere Akole and Neeraja Raj who directed “Naifat” and “Diksha” respectively. 

“Naifat”, co-directed by Claudia Chinyere Akole, tells the story of a young girl from Tanzania finding self-confidence after the struggles she faced as a result of her parent’s divorce. In the profile Claudia, a first-generation Australian of Armenian-Iranian and Nigerian heritage, talks about her passion for projects that further social causes for marginalised groups the world over. 

Read Claudia’s full profile here. 

In Neeraja’s short film, Diksha overcomes her own struggles with discrimination before going on to challenge unjust traditions. Neeraja’s own experiences growing up internationally helped inform her approach to this story. She explains, “Diksha’s tale…so closely mirrored my own experiences of growing up somewhere my skin was alien.”

Read Neeraja’s full profile here.