In May 2018, SAAPRI attended the National Coalition of South Asian Organizations’ (NCSO) Annual Convening and Lobby Days led by South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT). SAAPRI’s Executive Director, Dhara Puvar, and SAAPRI Fellow, Anil Methipara, joined representatives of over…
Statement on Department of Commerce’s addition of citizenship status question on 2020 Census
ATTACK ON THE 2020 CENSUS On March 27th, 2018, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that a question asking for citizenship status will be added to the 2020 Census. This change was in response to a request made by Attorney General Jeff Sessions…
Talk It Out: #MeToo – Desi Round Table on the Women’s Movement
On March 18th, 2018, SAAPRI was proud to co-host Talk It Out: #MeToo, a Desi round table discussion focused on normalizing conversations around sexual harassment and gender bias in our community. At this event, SAAPRI shared the latest demographic data…
2017: SAAPRI’s Year in Review
2017 has been a year of new beginnings for SAAPRI as we charged ahead with a focus on developing new means of community engagement. Below is a review of some of the initiatives of which we have been a part. Ahimsa:…
Statement by Chicago SADAC on DACA Rescission
DACA DECISION HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR CONGRESSIONAL SOLUTION AND LOCAL MUNICIPAL ID POLICIES THAT SUPPORT UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS & SOUTH ASIANS Chicago, IL – The President’s decision to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in six months has injected tremendous uncertainty…
South Asian Womanhood and Girlhood Conference: Political Advocacy and Outreach Panel
SAAPRI was delighted to contribute to a panel discussion regarding political outreach and advocacy at the first conference on South Asian womanhood and girlhood at Loyola University Chicago. The panel featured Reema Kapur, SAAPRI Executive Director; Kathleen Yang-Clayton, independent consultant; and…
Fundraiser to support Civic Engagement: Our Vote Matters!
On September 15th, 2016, SAAPRI hosted “Our Vote Matters!,” an event focusing on the organization’s civic engagement initiative. The event brought together over 40 supporters, board members, and staff together for a thoughtful conversation regarding SAAPRI’s Get Out the Vote…
AAPI Civic Engagement Panel: Have we built Asian American Power?
SAAPRI was delighted to sponsor and participate in a panel about AAPI political empowerment hosted by the Woods Fund Chicago and co-sponsored by other community organizations: Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP), Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Chicago (AAJC), Coalition for a…
Report – A Roadmap to Civic Engagement for South Asian Americans in Illinois
SAAPRI’s Civic Engagement Initiative South Asian Americans are one of the fastest growing groups in Illinois and across the nation. However, the community’s influence on elections has not increased at the same rate as its population. South Asian Americans represent…
Report – Voter Registration, Activation, & Engagement in South Asian American Communities in Illinois
This 2015 report analyzes data from the United States Census Bureau, the Voter Activation Network (NGP VAN), and other recent research to highlight voter registration, engagement, and mobilization among South Asian Americans in Illinois. Community-based organizations, policymakers, government officials, media…