South Asian Summit 2013

April 19-22, 2013 | Washington, DC Hosted by South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)Sp and the South Asian Law Student Association (SALSA) at American University Washington College of Law and as part of the Founder's Day Celebration. Friday, April 19th ChangeMakers Reception True Reformer Building 1200 U Street, NW, John Anderson Lankford room, Washington, DC 20009 Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo (Green/Yellow)

6:00PM – 8:00PM ChangeMakers Reception With special guest Pramila Jayapal, founder of OneAmerica The ChangeMakers Awards recognizes individuals, programs, and organizations that have made a significant impact on social justice in the South Asian community in the US.

Awardees Sukhjinder Kaur Dhariwal Bupendra Ram Silk Road Rising Dr. Aparna Sharma [posthumously]

th Saturday, April 20 Summit American University Washington College of Law 4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016 Metro: Tenleytown-American (Red); Free Washington College of Law shuttle available

Tracks Each session is assigned a track to assist participants in navigating the many panels and workshops offered at the Summit. Participants are welcome to select any session in each timeslot, regardless of track. Each session is marked with a helpful sign indicating the track:     Issues: Issues that affect South Asians in the U.S.      Skills: Individual skills and organizational capacity-building skills      Strategies: Better practices and tools

8:00AM – 9:00AM Registration & Breakfast* Outside of Room 603 *Note: Breakfast concludes at 9AM.

9:00AM – 10:00AM Welcome and Reflections on In Pursuit of Justice Room 603 Sherry Weaver (Washington College of Law) Benish Anver (South Asian Law Student Association) Deepa Iyer (South Asian Americans Leading Together)

10:10AM – 11:25AM Session 1 (Please choose from the following options)

10:10AM – 11:25AM  Identity as an After-Thought: Inclusivity of Indo-Caribbean and Diaspora Communities in South Asian Organizing Narratives Room 401 South Asian Americans are an unquestionably critical stakeholders in the national narrative of politics and community organizing. Migration, specifically in the form of immigration, has flattened the identify of the "diaspora" and erased the narrative of major diaspora communities with roots in South Asia. In particular, the term "diaspora" has evolved to refer to non-resident communities,

1 rather than communities displaced via indentureship or forced exile.

As an American narrative frames identities in static categories like "Asian" and "South Asian," what is the role of including diaspora communities in these narratives? How is the Indo-Caribbean diaspora and other diaspora (Fijian, Mauritian, etc) communities with shared South Asian histories included in spaces that emphasize majority vs. minority politics? Who is forgotten or intentionally excluded by the label of "South Asian American" and which communities are included? This panel will feature a few organizations that have successfully incorporated Indo-Caribbean and diaspora communities in their organizing framework, as well as discussing the major challenges faced by Indo-Caribbean organizations organizing in South Asian spaces, including addressing issues surrounding visibility, inclusion, and accountability.

Richard David (Indo-Caribbean Alliance) Tiloma Jayasinghe (Sakhi for South Asian Women) Suzanne Persard (Jahajee Sisters) Angela Ramdhanny (South Asian Lesbian and Gay Association of New York) Shivana Jorawar (Jahajee Sisters)

10:10AM – 11:25AM  Your Cover Story: Pitching to Reporters Room 402 We live in a 24 hour news cycle. How can you get your message, your cause, your brand out into the world of blogs, social media, radio, TV and print outlets? Hear from reporters and communications professionals who will provide tips and strategies to help you develop and pitch your cover story.

Hari Sreenivasan (PBS News Hour) Rachanee Srisavasdi (VENG Group) Hansi Lo Wang (National Public Radio) Ambreen Ali (Roll Call)

10:10AM – 11:25AM  Managing Organizational Transitions and Turn-Over Room 503 Transitions are an inevitable part of organization’s life cycle. An organization gets its first grant and hires its first staff after being run by volunteers for years. A founder leaves. Government funding is cut and several staff are laid off. Transitions of people, programs, and resources are continuous. Some transitions flow smoothly, some are a little bumpy, and some can be traumatic. Yet all present opportunities for learning, growth, and ultimately strengthening an organization and its service to the community. As nonprofit organizational managers, Board members, staff or volunteers – what can we do to prepare for and manage transitions so they do the least harm and the most good? This session will present real-life examples of transitions and what one South Asian organization is learning from these. Facilitators will invite session participants to share their own experiences with transitions and engage with their peers in identifying strategies for navigating them successfully. Participants will leave the session with some strategies and tools they can bring back to their organization to plan for and navigate transitions.

Preeti Shekar (Narika) Hilary Binder-Aviles (Mosaica)

10:10AM – 11:25AM  Integrating the Male Voice into Domestic Violence Work Room 524 Women have long advocated for society to be aware of issues of domestic violence, provide services and options to survivors, and move us closer to an eradication of these issues. However, gender-based violence is not just a “women’s issue”; it is an issue for all of society and requires advocacy from all individuals. Increasingly, men have become involved in this advocacy, but given the context and the long history of women working on these issues, we must find a way to include men in this dialogue and work effectively together for broad change, without having the voice of women experts, leaders, and community members silenced. This session will focus on ways to engage men in the dialogue and advocacy efforts to promote societal change, while protecting the 2 expertise of women as well.

Aparna Bhattacharyya (Raksha) Chitra Jeyaram Ramesh Kathanadhi (Men Stopping Violence) Eesha Pandit (Crunk Feminist Collective)

10:10-AM – 11:25AM  Law Enforcement in the Community: Exploring Multiple Strategies for Engagement Room 601 South Asian communities have had a complicated relationship with law enforcement, particularly in the aftermath of September 11th. Many South Asians experience fear and discomfort with encounters with immigration enforcement, state or city police, or the FBI. Some law enforcement agencies base their policing efforts on stereotypes of the community while others seek to become more culturally competent when engaging with South Asians. This session will explore multiple strategies used by the South Asian community with law enforcement, including education and training, advocacy, and organizing.

Fahd Ahmed (Desis Rising Up and Moving) Rabia Chaudry (Safe Nation Collaborative) Rabya Khan (Council on American Islamic Relations, Chicago Office) Jasjit Singh (Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund) Priya Murthy (South Asian Americans Leading Together)

11:25AM – 11:35AM Break

11:35AM – 12:50PM Session 2 (Please pick from the following options)

11:35AM – 12:50PM  Health Equity: Navigating Reform, Systems, and Disparities Room 401 With the impending implementation of the Affordable Care Act and ongoing research about health care disparities affecting South Asians, we have a lot to talk about when it comes to health equity. Join this engaging panel of doctors, advocates, researchers and service providers to hone your understanding of health equity and South Asian communities.

Sudha Acharya (South Asian Council on Social Services) Paulo Pontemayor (Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum) Lakshmi Prasad, MHP (South Asian Health Initiative, Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) Dr. Sanjeev Sriram, MD MHP (National Physicians Alliance) Manan Trivedi

11:35AM – 12:50PM  Speed Networking: Pitch Your Idea to Funders/Major Gift Officers Room 603 Have you wanted a chance to speak directly with program officers and those in the philanthropy sector? Sign up for this interactive session where you will have a chance to pitch your idea and get tips and feedback individualized to you! Space is limited so sign up for these sessions at the registration desk.

Dimple Abichandani (Security and Rights Collaborative, Proteus Fund) Anouska Cheddie (Environmental Defense Fund) Sunil Oommen (A Better Chance) Archana Sahgal (Open Society Foundations) Amy Paul (South Asian Americans Leading Together)

3 11:35AM – 12:50PM  Doing Our Own Work: South Asian Americans and Anti-Racist Accountability in the Movement Room 524 How do we, left-of-center South Asian American movers and shakers--whether we are working at South Asian organizations, with South Asian American communities, or at progressive institutions where we find ourselves engaging with and negotiating our accountability to Black, Latina and Indigenous communities--define and remain accountable to our antiracist principles? How do we own our unearned privilege in people-of-color spaces? How do we drive an anti-racist framework in our home spaces, in youth spaces and in our community spaces? What is the state of this work currently and what tools do we need in the communities, organizations, agencies and spaces that we are part of to pursue justice? We welcome folks to this workshop to explore these questions and to offer processes and solutions that have worked within our communities. In our discussion on solidarity across people of color coalitions, we look forward to building towards liberation through having necessary discussions on diversity within our coalition. Sasha Neha Ahuja (DC Desi Summer) Sheena Sood (DC Desi Summer)

11:35AM – 12:50PM  Filling Your Cup Before Pouring for Others: Self Care for Activists Room 402 Being an activist and working on social justice issues can leave an individual energized and depleted. This workshop will allow the participant to engage in self awareness and self reflection. This forum will also provide the opportunity to interact with others in the session and the panelists in a safe environment disclosing as much or as little as the participants feel comfortable in order to reach session goals. Practical tools will be shared for participants to give themselves the time and space to engage in taking care of themselves while taking care of others. This forum will emphasize balancing self-care with doing effective social justice work.

Razia F. Kosi, LCSW-C (Counselors Helping (South) Asians/Indians; Division on South Asian Americans) Rahul Sharma, Psy.D. (Division of South Asian Americans, part of The Asian American Psychological Association) Ulash Thakore-Dunlap, MS, MFT (Division of South Asian Americans, part of The Asian American Psychological Association)

11:35AM – 12:50PM  LGBTQ Movement Building: Intersection and Opportunity for South Asian LGBTQ Community Members and Allies Room 503 Most South Asian lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) community members carry multiple identities that reflect the complex intersections of sexual orientation and gender identity with factors like religion and immigration. Panelists will examine homophobia and transphobia and other issues--within and outside of the South Asian American community-- through the lens of these intersections, what this means for South Asian LGBT justice and the broader LGBT movement, and share strategies for South Asian and ally engagement.

Ben DeGuzman (National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance) D’Lo Prerna Lal (DreamActivist) Bish Paul (Trikone Northwest) Urooj Arshad (Advocates for Youth)

11:35AM – 12:50PM   Education Equity: Trends Affecting South Asian Students Room 601 For South Asian immigrant youth, access to educational opportunities can often be hindered by bullying and hate violence, curriculum bias, and cultural/linguistic barriers. Join this engaging panel of experts who will share best practices, innovative ideas, and policy recommendations for how to advance educational equity for all students.

Surjeet Ahluwalia (Asian American Lead)

4 Thomas Mariadason, JD (Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund) Bhadon Shalakin (Asian American Lead) Manalova Yusuf (Desis Rising Up & Moving) Dr. Monisha Bajaj (Teachers College, Columbia University)

1:05PM – 2:00PM Lunch Plenary: South Asian Momentum: Beyond the 2012 Elections Room 603 Did you know that South Asians are the fastest growing major ethnic group in the country? Or that South Asian voter turnout was unprecedented in the 2012 elections? And what do these shifts mean when it comes to community building? This plenary will include the first-time release of 2012 exit polling data and reactions from community leaders.

*Note: Lunch is provided for Summit participants to enjoy during the plenary.

Seema Agnani (Chhaya CDC) Pramila Jayapal (Center for Community Change) Manju Kulkarni (South Asian Network) Glenn Magpantay (Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund) Deepa Iyer (South Asian Americans Leading Together)

2:10PM – 3:25PM Session 3 (Please choose from the following options)

2:10PM – 3:25PM  DREAMers: From Personal Struggle to Policy Victory Room 401 In August 2012, the Department of Homeland Security started accepting applications for certain undocumented youth and childhood arrivals seeking deferred action. Learn from these speakers about the road to deferred action, process of applying, and the experiences of some who applied.

Ainee Athar (UT-Austin) Bethany Li (Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund) Saneela Rabbani (Desis Rising Up & Moving) Bupendra Ram (Dream Team Los Angeles and Queer Undocumented Immigrant Project) Navneet Bhalla (South Asian Americans Leading Together)

2:10PM – 3:25PM  South Asian Seniors: Issues of Concern & Strategies for Engagement Room 402 As the population of South Asian seniors grows in the United States, they face a range of challenges and concerns: elder abuse, isolation, lack of access to culturally and linguistically accessible services and treatment, and more. What are the issues facing South Asian seniors and how can we begin to address them?

Odile Brunetto, Ed.D (Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Area Agency on Aging) Floyd Mori (Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies) Govinda Rajan (Agraj Seva Kendra) Dr. Revathi Vikram (Commission on Aging for Montgomery County; ASHA for Women) Priya Murthy (South Asian Americans Leading Together)

2:10PM – 3:25PM  Speaking With Conviction: Spokesperson Training 101 Room 503 Sure, you’re passionate about your cause. But are you able to convince and motivate others to join and support you? In this workshop, we’ll cover the basics of public speaking including how to structure your content and what tone to adopt depending on your audience. Participants will practice and observe how to deliver a key message in a variety of contexts – from one-on-one interactions to group meetings to larger audiences.

Bix Gabriel (Take Two Services)

5 2:10PM – 3:25PM  Make Your Voice Heard: How to Engage in Legislative Advocacy Room 524 Learn how to engage in advocacy and effectively raise issues of importance to your community for this year's Advocacy Day on April 22nd! This session will focus on strategy and talking points for our day on the hill. Note: If you did not attend the webinar online, this session is mandatory to participate in Advocacy Day.

Manar Waheed (South Asian Americans Leading Together)

2:10PM – 3:25PM  In the Face of Xenophobia: Addressing the Bullying of South Asian and Muslim Youth in U.S. Schools and Communities Room 601 Bullying has been noted as an acute problem within U.S. schools based on race, sexual orientation, and/or religion. Bullying manifests power imbalances in schools and the larger society and can include physical, social, and psychological intimidation. The role of educators, parents, and communities in intervening and preventing bullying through the creation of safe school environments is essential. This resource pack (and the workshop session we present to introduce educators and community activists to it) seeks to address the bullying of South Asian students, a group particularly targeted over the past decade.

According to a 2009 U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Education Study, over 54 percent of Asian American youth reported experiencing bullying, the highest percentage of any ethnic group surveyed. Additionally, the New York City Department of Education and the Sikh Coalition’s 2007 report indicates that in the nation’s most diverse neighborhood of Queens, 77.5 percent of Sikh young men reported being harassed, taunted or intimated because of wearing a turban. These young men are often mistaken to be Muslim and their harassment exemplifies the pervasive Islamophobia and xenophobia targeting youth from South and West Asian communities. While a degree of xenophobia has always existed in the United States, it has become particularly acute for minoritized youth of South and West Asian descent in diverse locales in the post-9/11 context who are frequently subject to bullying based on their (assumed) religious and ethnic backgrounds. Considering racial and religious identity are significant markers of difference in educational contexts, if the root causes of harassment are not addressed, schools will continue to reproduce exclusion and marginalization.

To counter this bias-based bullying, anti-racist and multicultural educators require resources, materials, and knowledge of community organizations that can equip them to educate and prevent instances of bullying and intimidation—whether from peers, adults, or law enforcement officials.

Dr. Monisha Bajaj (Teachers College, Columbia University) Ameena Ghaffar-Kucher, EdD (Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania)

2:10PM – 3:25PM  Bringing Art to the Struggle Room 602 Social change movements and the arts have always been inextricably linked. From protest songs to works of painting and photography, the arts have translated the goals and aims of activists to move people and policymakers. Join artists and organizations that leverage art in the public sphere to achieve positive change to learn more about how you can bring art into your vision for a better world.

D’Lo Gowri Koneswaran, Esq. (BloomBars) DJ Rekha Pushkar Sharma (BROWNSTAR) YaliniDream Sriram Gopal (Sub-Continental Drift)

6 3:25PM – 3:35PM Break

3:35PM – 4:50PM Session 4 (Please choose from the following options)

3:35PM – 4:50PM  We Hold Up Half the Sky: Immigrant Women and Social Change Room 602 Issues affecting immigrant women are often an afterthought in social change movements. This panel will discuss the ways in which immigrant women been amplifying our histories, stories and perspectives, particularly in the context of racial justice, women’s rights, and immigrant rights movements.

Chic Dabby (Asian and Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence) Lisalyn Jacobs (Legal Momentum) Tiloma Jayasinghe (Sakhi for South Asian Women) Anita Sinha (Washington College of Law)

3:35PM – 4:50PM  Building Sustainable Organizations Through Diversifying Our Funding Room 402 This panel will address creative approaches to fundraising that build energy, cultivate long-term supporters, identify Board Members/volunteers/allies, sustain programmatic work and meet financial goals. Panelists will share success stories, lessons learned, using consultants/event planners, and diversifying funding streams, from government contracts to major donor development. The panel will be followed by a hands-on session, geared at participants who want to apply some of the "best practices" from the panel and come up with a tailored Fundraising Calendar/Plan for their organization. Participants will receive feedback on fundraising activities to meet their annual goals

Sapreet Kaur (Sikh Coalition) Mamta Gurung (Chhaya DC) Kalpana Simhan (Apna Ghar) Amy Paul (South Asian Americans Leading Together)

3:35PM – 4:50PM  How To Win The Internet For Social Justice Room 503 The goal of this session is to engage young people in thinking about taking their interest in digital media to the next level - how do we leverage our power and numbers online to make real change in the world? This workshop will help attendees understand the basic framework for creating an online advocacy campaign for their respective audiences/organizations.

The outcome of this session should be that every attendee can walk away with tips and tricks to either enhance their current digital program or put steps into place to create one with their digital/communications teams. There will be a breakout portion at the end for attendees to put into practice what they have been taught over the course of the workshop.

Rohan Grover (Planned Parenthood of America) Deepa Kunapuli

3:35PM – 4:50PM  I Care About the Cause: How Can I Help? Room 524 You are here at the Summit because you care about the cause and the South Asian community. Do you want to contribute your skills, energy and time to the community? How can you offer ideas, time, and giving to non-profit organizations in the most effective manner? Learn about how to get involved in supportive capacities through philanthropic giving; volunteering time, skills, and energy; and serving on boards and advisory committees.

7 S. Nadia Hussain Zehra Naqvi (Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals) Maheen Qureshi (South Asian Americans Leading Together) Nisha Patel (Mid-Atlantic South Asians Leveraging Assets Giving Circle)

3:35PM – 4:50PM  Building Multi-Racial Political Alliances in the United States: Lessons from South Africa, United Kingdom, and the Caribbean Room 601 South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the Caribbean are home to some of the largest concentrations of South Asian migrants, each region with its unique political history that South Asians have helped shape. Embedded in these narratives are lessons for multi-racial alliance building in the United States today. This session will provide an overview of success stories and lessons learned from the South Asian Diaspora in diverse political contexts and explore areas of crossover and potential for South Asian multi-racial alliance building in the United States. Workshop participants will develop a framework and draft strategies incorporating multi-racial alliance building for South Asians in the US.

Naveen Jawaid Lakshmi Sridaran (The Praxis Project)

3:35PM – 4:50PM  Language, Rights, & Community Room 401 South Asians, like other immigrants, often face challenges in accessing basic services and benefits due to linguistic barriers. Hear from experts in the field regarding barriers and rights to language access as well as ways of enforcing these rights.

Sapna Pandya, MPH (Many Voices, One Language) Kiran S. Siddiqui, M.Ed, LCPC (Hamdard Center For Health & Human Services) Bharathi Venkatraman ((U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division) Irfana Anwer (Community Legal Interpreter Bank at Ayuda)

4:50PM – 5:00PM Break

5:00PM – 6:15PM Evening Plenary: Nine Months After Oak Creek: The Rise in Hate Violence & Recommendations for Change Room 603 South Asians have much to learn from social change movements both in the US and globally. This plenary will explore how African American, Latino and South Asian communities have historically worked together, the challenges and opportunities that exist in bridge-building work, and how each of us can make a difference.

Puni Kalra (Sikh Healing Collective) Valarie Kaur (Groundswell) Manar Waheed (South Asian Americans Leading Together) Simranjeet Singh (Columbia University) Amardeep Singh (Sikh Coalition) Nitasha Sawhney (South Asian Americans Leading Together)

6:30PM – 7:30PM Executive Directors Dinner* *National Coalition of South Asian Organization Executive Directors only please DeCarlo's Restaurant 4822 Yuma St., NW Washington, DC 20016 Walking distance from Washington College of Law Metro: Tenleytown-American (Red); Free Washington College of Law shuttle available

Dinner for Executive Directors of organizations that are current members of the National Coalition of South Asian Organizations (NCSO).* SAALT is the coordinating entity of the NCSO, a network of 41 organizations that serve, organize, and advocate on behalf of the South Asian community.

8 8:00PM – 10:00PM Open Mic Night Presented by SAALT and Sub-Continental Drift Hosted by Anu Yadav and Sriram Gopal Science Club 1136 19th St NW Washington, DC 20036 Metro: Farragut North (Red), Farragut West (Orange/Blue)

Join fellow Summit speakers, particpants, and community members to showcase your spoken word, music, dance, dramatic, comedy, and other forms of expression. Whether you’re an artist, aspiring artist, starving artist, non-artist, or simply someone who wants to create and communicate, please sign-up now to rock the mic! This event is open to all Summit participants. Capacity is limited to 50; first come, first serve. Food and beverages will be available to order.* *Note: Open Mic Night performers and attendees are responsible for all meal and drink expenses.

9:30PM – ? DJ Rekha (of Basement Bangra NYC) DJ BRIAN SENYO (of Swenka) visuals by Robin Bell Black Cat 1811 14th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20009 Metro: : U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo (Green/Yellow) $13 Adv/ $15 DOS Mainstage / Doors at 9:30 Tickets* on sale Friday April 5 Can she kick it? Oh yes she can. 'Cause Rekha is one of the best bhangra DJs in the country. The founder of NYC's long-running Basement Bhangra night, DJ Rekha is credited with helping to popularize bhangra—a traditional Indian dance music—here in the US. But Rekha doesn't keep things traditional. She mixes bhangra with hip-hop, dancehall, and all kinds of beats. *Note: This event is not included in Summit registration. Participants are responsible for ticket purchase.

Note: Dinner is not provided to Summit speakers and participants on Saturday, April 21.

Sunday, April 21st Summit American University Washington College of Law 4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016 Metro: Tenleytown-American (Red); Free Washington College of Law shuttle available

8:30AM – 9:00AM Registration; Breakfast* Outside of Room 603 *Note: Breakfast is provided as part of Summit registration.

9:00AM – 9:10AM Welcome and Agenda for the Day Room 603

9:20AM – 10:35AM Session 5 (Please choose from the following options)

9:20AM – 10:35AM  From International Attention to Local Solutions: Gender-Based Violence in the United States Room 100 Last year, the horrific gang-rape and effective murder of a young woman in India's capitol brought 9 international attention to gender-based violence with a focus on the South Asian community. What is the relevance of the incident in India to gender-based violence in the United States? How does the South Asian American community view the issue of rape and violence against women? What are the distinct barriers faced by South Asian survivors of abuse?

The session was created and coordinated by the South Asian Law Student Association of American University's Washington College of Law.

Qudsia Jaffree (YWCA USA) Preeti Shekar (Narika) Jayesh Rathod (American University Washington College of Law; South Asian Americans Leading Together) Aparna Bhattacharyya (Raksha)

9:20AM – 10:35AM  Meeting the Needs of Recent Immigrants and Refugees Room 101 New South Asian immigrants and refugees are arriving to the United States in significant numbers. In this session, we will hear about best practices, resources, and challenges in working with new immigrants and refugees.

Jay Luthra (Indo-American Center) Luna Ranjit (Adhikaar) Tabassum Siraj (Office of Refugee Resettlement) Khada Upreti (Baltimore Bhutanese Community) Nadia Firozvi

9:20AM – 10:35AM  Board Leadership: What is “Good Governance” for Social Change Organizations? Room 401 As social change organizations, our work is about transforming individuals, communities, policies, and systems. And yet, too often, our own organizations get stuck in the same unhealthy and inequitable practices that characterize the systems we seek to change. This workshop will focus on one aspect of building a sustainable social change organization - good governance. This workshop will engage participants in identifying strategies for building Boards and other governance structures that actively reflect, promote, monitor, and fulfill our social change missions. We focus on three aspects of governance:  The Board of Directors – Who do we need and what’s their role?  Other Governance Structures, such as Councils of Advisors or Community Advisory Boards – Who do we need and what’s their role?  Board-Staff Relations – What’s the distinction and how do we build healthy staff/board relationships? Participants will be invited to share their experiences – both challenges and successes – with Boards, other governance structures, and Board-staff relations. We will also break into small groups to brainstorm strategies for our organizations in each area. The workshop is designed to provide information and insights for nonprofit staff members who work with Boards, people who serve on nonprofit Boards, as well as individuals interested in learning in how they might contribute to their community by serving on a Board.

Hilary Binder-Aviles (Mosaica)

9:20AM – 10:35AM  Immigrants and People of Color Building Power Room 402 South Asian communities have been organizing to change power structures in the United States for decades. What have we learned, and where are we headed? What is needed for justice and equity to be the norm for low income people of color and immigrants?

Narbada Chhetri (Adhikaar) Ashwini Jaisingh (CASA de Maryland) Javaid Tariq (New York Taxi Workers Alliance; NY Construction Workers United) 10 Moumita Zaman (Westchester Square Project) Chaumtoli Huq (SAALT Council of Advisors)

9:20AM – 10:35AM  Faith & Social Justice: Strengths, Stigmas, and Possibilities of Social Justice Through a Faith Lens Room 601 The South Asian community in the United States is very diverse in its faith/religious identities. Among the religions/faith practiced by South Asians are Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Sikhism, and Zoroastrianism. Faith plays a critical role in the lived experience of individuals and communities and has a unique way of coalescing communities of people at various intersections of experience. This panel will highlight social justice work done through a faith lens and present an opportunity to share experiences, explore lessons learned, and identify ways in which faith-based and non-faith based individuals and groups can collaborate moving forward.

Arun Lobo (Vimukti) Anisha Singh (UNITED SIKHS) Sunita Vishwanath (Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus) Sethu Nair (Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus)

10:35AM – 10:45AM Break

10:45AM – 12:00PM Session 6 (Please choose from the following options)

10:45AM – 12:00PM  Profiling and Surveillance of the Muslim Community Room 100 Though our community has been increasingly targeted post-9/11, over the last couple of years, we have learned of profiling and surveillance of Muslim Americans in the United States at an alarming rate. These panelists will speak about these violations of our civil rights more recently, data that has been gathered, and action that has been taken.

Nermeen Arastu (Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund) Zahra Billoo (Council on American-Islamic Relations, SF) Omar Farah (Center for Constitutional Rights) Linda Sarsour (National Network of Arab American Communities) Shahina Parveen Siraj (Desis Rising Up & Moving) Shahid Buttar (Bill Of Rights Defense Committee)

10:45AM – 12:00PM  The Time is Now: How South Asians are Affected by Immigration Reform Room 101 Comprehensive immigration reform has taken hold of a daily dialogue in our nation and in Congress. Currently, the debate includes a variety of possible reform, many of which uniquely impact South Asian Americans. This panel will identify how South Asian Americans are impacted by immigration reform, which issues uniquely impact South Asians, and which need to be pushed forward on our behalf.

Fahd Ahmed (Desis Rising Up and Moving) Cyrus Mehta (Cyrus D. Mehta & Associates, PLLC) Ali Noorani (National Immigration Forum) Manar Waheed (South Asian Americans Leading Together) Jayesh Rathod (American University Washington College of Law; South Asian Americans Leading Together)

10:45AM – 12:00PM  Op-Eds: Dynamic Writing and Placement Skills to Shape Public Opinion Room 401 Submitting opinion and commentary pieces are one of the most important ways of influencing coverage and shaping public opinion on a given subject. Spend 75 minutes in a training on the elements of writing opinion pieces for local audiences that will increase your success for placement dramatically. Learn the fundamental elements of writing a strong op-•ed, what goes into making a 11 successful pitch, and the rules for engagement with editors during the process.

Mark Reading-Smith (ReThink Media)

10:45AM – 12:00PM  Data Driven Social Change Room 402 What does data have to do with social change? More than you might think! In this session, you will hear about key research findings on South Asian Americans; the role of data in driving policy change within government institutions; and how you can begin a research project in your own community.

Tanzila Ahmed (Asian Pacific American Legal Center) Terry Minnis (Asian American Justice Center) Ami Gandhi (South Asian American Policy & Research Institute) Priya Murthy (South Asian Americans Leading Together)

10:45AM – 12:00PM  Community Storytellers: Documenting History and Experience in the South Asian American Community Room 603 There are many ways to tell a community's story and history: from visual artifacts and pictures to place-based storytelling and personal narratives. This session will explore four different ways to capture the South Asian American experience, and give you tips to become a community storyteller!

Vivek Bald (Author of “Bengali Harlem in America”) Anirvan Chatterjee (Berkeley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour) Barnali Ghosh (Berkeley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour) Samip Mallick (South Asian American Digital Archive) Masum Momaya (Smithsonian Asian American Center) Parag Khandhar (Asian American Literary Review)

12:10PM – 1:00PM Open Space Sessions Rooms TBD (Posted Sunday morning) The South Asian Summit has plenty of sessions on issues you care about and workshops to build your skills. But what happens next? Use the Open Space to convene a session to talk strategy, whether it is regional collaborations or partnering with other attendees interested in the issues that matter to you. Start the conversations that will take the learning and sharing of the Summit back to your work and life. Propose Open Space sessions throughout the Summit near the SAALT information table by main check-in on the 6th floor.

Some proposed Open Space sessions: Storytelling for our Causes: 5 Persuasive Strategies from the Berkley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour Anirvan Chatterjee Barnali Ghosh

Leaning In: Women of Color in the Public Sector Deepa Iyer

"Hearts Suspended" film Meghna Damani Abhijeet Jhaveri

"Claiming Our Voice" film YaliniDream

From the Bradys to the Huxtables to Tiger Mom: Finding a place for South Asian Parenting

12 Neha Navsaria Razia Kosi, LCSW-C

1:15PM – 2:30PM Closing Lunch Plenary*: Learning from Racial Justice Movements Here and Abroad Room 603 As South Asians in pursuit of social justice in the United States, we have much to learn from movements for change in this country and abroad. In this closing plenary, advocates based in the US, Europe and Canada will share best practices and reflect on challenges and opportunities. *Note: Lunch is provided for Summit participants to enjoy during the plenary.

Dorcas Gilmore (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) Nazia Hussain (At Home) Rinku Sen (Applied Research Center) Neethan Shan (Council of Agencies Serving South Asians) Deepa Iyer (South Asian Americans Leading Together)

2:40PM – 3:55PM Caucuses (Please choose from the following options)

2:40PM-3:55PM Caucus: DREAMers Room 100 What is the current status of the DREAM movement and how is it connected to the larger immigration reform debate? Join DREAMers, advocates, and allies to learn more about the experiences of DREAMers, how they relate to the DREAM movement, how they are influencing the current immigration debate, and how you can get involved!

Ainee Athar (UT-Austin) Bethany Li (Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund)

2:40PM – 3:55PM Caucus: Effectively Challenging Discriminatory, Anti-Immigrant Laws Room 101 In the absence of comprehensive federal immigration reform, many states have considered or adopted punitive anti-immigrant laws (Arizona, S.B. 1070, Georgia H.B. 87, Oklahoma State Question 755, and Kansas S.B.79, etc.) that rely on racial discrimination. In the past two years, 78 anti-Islam bills have also been introduced in state legislatures that promote religious discrimination against perceived immigrant communities. While these two issues might not seem related, the drafters and supports of such anti-immigrant, anti-foreign laws are usually one and the same (See: Kansas State Secretary Kris Kobach, drafter of Arizona's SB 1070 and Kansas’ anti-Islam S.B.79). The caucus will engage community activists and professionals interested in learning more about discriminatory, state anti-immigrant laws circulating in legislatures nationwide. The caucus will discuss proven strategies to effectively organize at the local, state, and national level to challenge these biased acts and change the debate. Finally, the caucus will discuss future legislative challenges and steps activists can take to counter this rising tide of hate.

Robert McGraw (Council on American-Islamic Relations) Corey Saylor (Council on American-Islamic Relations)

2:40PM-3:55PM Caucus: South Asian Queer Community-Building Room 401 How can you better advance justice among South Asian LGBTQ individuals and what does this have to do with racial justice and immigrant rights? Join South Asian LGBTQ advocates and allies to peer through an intersectional lens of race, immigration status, and sexual orientation/gender identity and identify issues and barriers, exchange better practices and resources, assess leadership needs and opportunities, and strategize about next steps for the movement beyond the Summit.

13 Amit Bagga Dr. Sahar Shafqat (Department of Political Science, St. Mary’s College, Maryland)

2:40PM – 6:00PM Gender Justice Convening (NCSO members only) Room 602 Members of the National Coalition of South Asian Organizations (NCSO) are invited to attend a strategy session to discuss policy recommendations on gender justice issues. SAALT is the coordinating entity of the NCSO, a network of 41 organizations that serve, organize, and advocate on behalf of the South Asian community.

Note: Dinner is not provided to Summit speakers or participants on Sunday, April 21.

nd Monday, April 22 Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill U.S. Capitol Visitors Center Washington, DC 20510 (Beneath the East Front plaza of the U.S. Capitol at First Street and East Capitol Street) Metro: Union Station (Red); Capitol South (Blue/Orange); Federal Center SW (Blue/Orange)

** For security purposes, only confirmed Advocacy Day participants ** can attend Advocacy Day events

The Community Briefing at the Capitol will begin at 9:30 AM sharp and the Briefing by Administration & Government to the Community will begin at 11:30 AM sharp. Please plan to arrive at the room by 8:45 AM and 11:15 AM, respectively. Hill visits to legislative offices will begin at 1:30 PM sharp.

You should allow enough time to wait in line and walk through the security checkpoint. If you are checking out of your hotel in the morning and have luggage, you should allow extra time to drop off your luggage at Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church prior to arriving at the Visitors Center. SAALT staff and volunteers will be on hand to guide you.

Since many participants will be checking out of their hotels Monday morning and will be traveling to Capitol Hill with luggage, there will be a secure room in Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church very near to the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center where you may store bags and luggage.

Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church 201 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003

 Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church is located on Independence Ave. SE and 2nd St. SE, about 2 blocks for the U.S Capitol Visitors Center. A room for luggage has been reserved all day.  If you have luggage, you must drop off your bags before entering the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center since large luggage is not allowed inside. It is recommended that luggage be dropped it off by 8:30am at the latest.  Luggage will be in a secured room.  You will need to return to this room after your Hill visits to retrieve your luggage.

Please note:  No food or drink is allowed in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center. This includes closed or unopened food and drink items. Any food and drink items that you arrive with must be discarded before building entry is permitted.  At security checkpoint, you will be asked to place your belt, coat, small bag–such as purse, book bag, computer bag–and any items in your pockets into a plastic bucket to be passed through the scanner. You will then be asked to walk through a metal detector. If the metal detector sounds, a wand will be used.  Please be prepared to walk outside to travel to legislative offices for your Hill visits.  Breakfast and lunch will be provided.  See included map in the Travel Guide for the U.S. Capitol Complex to navigate on Capitol Hill.

9:00AM – 9:30AM Registration and Breakfast

9:30AM – 11:00AM Community Briefing at the Capitol 14 Congressional Meeting Room South Community leaders speak regarding data on immigration reform as it relates to South Asians, share client stories of struggles due to our current immigration system, and advocate for the changes we need in order for our community to move forward. For this panel, we hope to have staff in attendance from various Congressional offices and some remarks from a couple of Members of Congress as well.

Manjusha P. Kulkarni (South Asian Network) Monami Maulik (Desis Rising Up and Moving) Karthick Ramakrishnan (National Asian American Survey) Luna Ranjit (Adhikaar) Manar Waheed (South Asian Americans Leading Together)

11:30AM- 12:30PM Briefing by Administration & Government to the Community Congressional Meeting Room South Representatives from the Administration and government agencies to speak on immigration reform, health care access, and hate crimes.

Kiran Ahuja (White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) Mayra Alvarez (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) Roy Austin (U.S. Department of Justice) Felicia Escobar (The White House) Gautam Raghavan (White House Office of Public Engagement) Deepa Iyer (South Asian Americans Leading Together)

12:30PM – 1:30PM Lunch* and Delegation Organization Congressional Meeting Room South *Note: Lunch is provided for Advocacy Day participants to enjoy during delegation organization and planning.

1:30PM – 4:00PM Delegation Meetings Various Congressional offices, as assigned Participants will meet with Congressional offices to advocate primarily around the pieces of comprehensive immigration reform most relevant to our community, as well as other issues that are of priority to their constituencies

4:00PM- 4:30PM Closing TBD

Note: Dinner is not provided to Advocacy Day speakers or participants on Monday, April 21.