Best known for using his platform to smash cultural stereotypes, the popular content creator tells WKND why he's on a mission to "reshape" the negative narratives about the region.
Published: Thu 20 Aug 2020, 7:00 PM
Updated: Fri 28 Aug 2020, 9:22 AM
It's hard to decide what to love more about Emirati YouTuber Khalid Al Ameri's channel. Is it the rib-tickling skits on married life, featuring his wife Salama; the insightful peeks he shares into the local culture; or his videos getting on the ground with people of every culture, tongue and religion? Perhaps the good news is that one doesn't have to choose - because, in essence, all of his content aspires towards a singular goal: to bring the world closer together, one video at a time.
An attempt to separate the reel Khalid from the real Khalid turns out to be an exercise in futility. Having met him in person, one can safely attest that the same warmth, humour and spiritedness you see on screen is what you get when the cameras aren't rolling too. It's an authenticity that comes through especially when he gets on the subject he's best known for: breaking cultural stereotypes in the UAE.
"I'm just sharing what is," says the content creator, who commands a million-strong fandom on social media. "I've always looked at what was being portrayed of our society in the Western world - and, for me, it couldn't be further from reality. There are some parts of mainstream media in the West that consistently share only one side of the story, and normalise negativity and chaos in the region. I think that's unfair."
Khalid realised that the only way to "reshape" this slanted narrative was to tell stories from the heart and from the ground. The best part, he says, is that he doesn't need to make anything up. "I'm not adding any extra spice or drama [to my videos]. I've never forced opinions on others. I'm just telling stories of the people and communities in this country - and I think that's what people want to see.
"When I made videos of Hindus and Sikhs in the UAE, or of Muslims celebrating Christmas in the UAE, I got messages from people living in the immediate region who had no clue that this was the reality here," he continues. "People in Canada were promising to visit the UAE, because it was nothing like they thought it was. That's when I realised: we need to share these stories."
Khalid has long fielded all manner of peculiar questions about Emirati culture. He doesn't mind. In fact, he welcomes the curiosity that motivates such queries. "Getting offended is not a healthy way to solve any problem," he explains. "For me, I see it as an opportunity to educate; it's just about helping them understand. If anything, such questions only inspire me to work harder - and even give me ideas for my next video! If everyone got offended by everything, no one would talk," he adds. "There'd only be more distance and walls between us. I choose the other path."
Can Emiratis do more to alter these perceptions? "I think we can always do more," says the entertainer. "That's not to say we're not doing a lot; we have some great initiatives that open the world to our culture. But I'd encourage anyone to continue sharing our stories and doing so on bigger platforms. It's also a responsibility of the media - both international and local - to share those stories globally, and not just wait for a disaster to strike [before they do so]."
For his part, Khalid who describes himself as "just a storyteller", intends to keep doing precisely that. "When I leave this world, if people can look at my videos and say, 'His family brought the world closer together', I'll have done my part," he signs off.
In the oversaturated world of influencers who are, at best, famous for being famous, Khalid sets the bar admirably high.
MYTH-BUSTING WITH KHALID AL AMERI
All Emiratis are filthy rich.
(laughs) Our government has done an incredible job of ensuring that every citizen has access to opportunities. My dad, for example, didn't have much. But he took the opportunity the government gave him to go abroad, study and come back and work. It's the same story for my brothers and myself. But if people think we can sit on our couch and have all this money simply given to us, I can tell you that's not true.
Emiratis don't have love stories.
I'd say there are as many here as in any other part of the world. There's no one way to define a love story. There are different ways a love came to be - so, just because it doesn't fit the same mould [as others] doesn't mean it's not love.
Emiratis are intimidating.
How can a country known for its hospitality also have the most intimidating people? It doesn't fit. I think though that [that perception] might have something to do with our local attire. People see us in them and think it'll be hard to talk to us if they don't speak Arabic or be a certain way. As a society though, we were raised to put guests first, and I think it's just a matter of sitting down with us to see that for yourself.
karen@khaleejtimes.com
Karen Ann Monsy
Karen Ann Monsy is Associate Editor, overseeing digital operations in the newsroom. She sees the world through headlines and SEO keywords - and loves building people and teams.
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