Jassa Ahluwalia

Jassa Ahluwalia is a celebrated actor, author and campaigner whose work exploring identity, heritage and belonging has made him one of the most compelling Diversity and Inclusion speakers working today. Best known for creating the influential hashtag #BothNotHalf and for his acclaimed BBC One documentary ‘Am I English?’, Jassa brings a thoughtful and deeply personal perspective to conversations about mixed-heritage identity, representation, and language. His talks are ideal for corporate organisations, educational institutions, leadership forums and cultural events seeking honest and progressive discussions about inclusion, identity and social change. Combining storytelling with practical insight, Jassa challenges audiences to rethink the language and assumptions that shape modern society.

Raised with British Indian heritage, Jassa’s early experiences navigating questions of identity would later become central to his work as a speaker and campaigner. Alongside building his acting career, he developed a strong interest in how representation influences self perception and belonging. His breakthrough acting role came as Rocky in the hit BBC Three series ‘Some Girls’, before later starring in ‘Planet Of The Apes: Last Frontier’. These experiences within the entertainment industry gave him firsthand insight into the importance of authentic representation and diversity in the media. Jassa has since become a leading voice on mixed heritage identity and inclusion. In 2019, he launched #BothNotHalf, a movement encouraging people to reject reductive descriptions of mixed identity.

His TEDx talk, ‘Both Not Half: How language shapes identity’, has received more than 250,000 views and established him as a powerful communicator on identity and belonging. In 2024, he published the book ‘Both Not Half: A Radical New Approach to Mixed Heritage Identity’ and won Best Narrator at the Audio Production Awards. Jassa has also appeared at the Jaipur Literature Festival, Wimbledon BookFest and the Festival of Education, where he took part in a fireside chat with David Olusoga. His election to the Equity Council, membership of the Society of Authors and consultancy work on ‘The Last Princesses of Punjab’ exhibition further demonstrate his commitment to representation and cultural understanding.