CHICAGO
Illinois Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger conferred leadership awards on several local Desi youth to celebrate Asian American Heritage Month at downtown Thompson Center, May 11. Nominated by the Comptroller’s Asian American Advisory Council (AAAC), the youth leaders honored for their commitment to service included Syeda Raza and Dhrumil Shah.
“Young leaders like Syeda and Dhrumil inform and sustain our collective community work on immigration and other civil rights issues, which affect a large number of South Asian Americans in the Chicago area. Community members of all ages can make a difference by telling friends and family to visit www.saapri.org/gallery/DACA or calling our partner Indo-American Center (IAC) at 773-973-4444 x110 to obtain accurate information about immigration rights,” said Ami Gandhi, executive director of South Asian American Policy & Research Institute (SAAPRI), who also serves as a member of AAAC, which has been voicing its concerns to the Comptroller’s office on issues such as the state budget cuts that threaten the well-being of South Asian and other immigrant communities.
“I have enjoyed volunteering for SAAPRI, and I strongly believe that doing work in the community is so important for both personal growth and to advocate for important causes and policies such as immigration relief,” said Raza, who has not only excelled academically but has also shown a commitment to serving a diversity of community members.
“Within my own [South Asian] community, I see people succeeding and being recognized for academic endeavors, but what often gets overlooked is the social justice advocacy that we do to improve the disparities in our community. Doing outreach to South Asians about resources for our undocumented community members opened my eyes to how impactful education can be – and how empowering people can have a domino effect. Receiving this award was a shock because I didn’t realize the impact that my advocacy was having,” said Shah, a former Chicago Desi Youth Rising (CDYR) youth participant, UIC student and SAAPRI volunteer.
“It is important to recognize South Asian American youth leadership that goes beyond our classrooms and into our communities. CDYR is proud of Dhrumil for his leadership. We will continue to train Desi youth leaders who see themselves as change makers and believe in creating a more just and equitable world,” stated Viveka Ray-Mazumder, CDYR collective member.
AAAC member and executive director of Apna Ghar, Inc., Neha Gill also noted the significance of the youth leader awardees. “Empowerment is one of Apna Ghar’s core values. We work in support of community members rebuilding their lives, their families and their communities. We are proud of our partnership with SAAPRI, CDYR and IAC, and happy to see its impact in empowering young people in our communities. Congratulations to Dhrumil and Syeda for their leadership and advocacy,” said Gill.
At the award ceremony, Munger shared the perspective, “If it is to be, it is up to me.” Other Desi awardees included Inaara Ali, Ashnar Dholakia, Saima Khimani, Saniya Merchant and Sameer Samani.
SAAPRI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization established in 2001 to improve lives of Chicago’s South Asian Americans, by using research to formulate equitable and socially responsible public policy recommendations.
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