Coming in is the most important thing

Quotation

«Coming in is the most important thing. You don’t even need to come out. Although, I believe that in any context, for any social change, we need participation. And for participation we need representation… But coming in, understanding yourself, accepting yourself, is a very very long and deep process.»

This quote is excerpted from Dania Joedo’s statement in the podcast «Soulmate is a Safe Space» . It is part of the virtual exhibition Norient City Sounds: Jakarta, curated by Gisela Swaragita.

Biography

Dania Joedo (she/her) is a musician and human rights activist based in Jakarta, Indonesia. As a campaigner, her work can be found in several NGOs such as Jakarta Legal Aid, Omah Munir, New Naratif, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, and YAPPIKA ActionAid. She released an EP and a full album with her band, Tashoora, raising awareness on underrepresented issues in Indonesia. During her free time, she loves to cook in her quaint home. Follow her on Instagram.

Published on August 27, 2025

Last updated on August 27, 2025

Topics

Queer

Body

Community

Activism

Gender

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Norient City Sounds: Jakarta

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Jakarta Keras

Quotation

by Rugun Sirait

«An adjective with layered meanings,it can refer to material hardness, toughness, and also conceptual loudness. People would say that Jakarta is keras in a way that it is a tough city to survive in – high living costs, high demand and pressure at work, and so on. Jakarta is a city that never sleeps, where people are striving to make a living amid the hustle, bustle, and ubiquitous loudness where silence is a luxury.»

This quote is excerpted from Rugun Sirait’s essay «Jakarta Keras» . It is part of the digital publication Norient City Sounds: Jakarta, curated by Gisela Swaragita.

Biography

Rugun Sirait works in digital ethnography, film programming, film producing, and whatnot. She is a firm believer that the media cannot escape from its context and the issues that surround it. Rugun recently joined ANTHROFUTURE, a project at the University of Vienna as a PhD researcher, trying to understand the future through arts. In 2024 she took part in an art residency at Ruang Mes56, and got a fellowship to attend the 69th Flaherty Seminar. Rugun used to be based in Jakarta and Yogyakarta, but now is based in Vienna and the internet. Follow her on Instagram.

Published on August 27, 2025

Last updated on August 27, 2025

Topics

Affect

City

Encounter

Listening

Perception

Soundscape

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Norient City Sounds: Jakarta

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