On Wednesday, April 30, 2025, SAAPRI and the Pan-Asian Voter Empowerment Coalition (PAVE) are holding our 12th Asian American Action Day at the State Capitol in Springfield, IL! We’re heading to Springfield because policies are passed through stories and our…

Navigating the Early Days of the Trump Presidency 2.0
Description On April 10, SAAPRI and SAAJCO hosted a critical conversation on civil rights, immigration policies, and community protections in this new political landscape. Experts and advocates broke down the changes, provided key insights, and shared actionable steps to stay…
Chicago Voter Engagement Forum
On April 5, 2025, Executive Director Shobhana Verma attended and served as a speaker and panelist at the Chicago Voter Engagement Forum, hosted by the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.
2025 Women’s History Month Celebration
On March 25th, 2024, SAAPRI team members Anushka Das, Francys Muñoz, Julie Thomas Achettu, and Prottusha Sarkar attended Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Women’s History Month Celebration at the Chicago Cultural Center
Press Release: Engaged Communities Series
SAAPRI and SAAJCO Launch Engaged Communities Series to Spotlight Civil Rights and Community Action March 3, 2025 – At a time when civil rights and community engagement are more critical than ever, the South Asian American Policy and Research Institute…
Protect Your Vote: Navigating Election Challenges
On November 1st, 2024, SAAPRI presented the last event in our GOTV Event Series: “Protect Your Vote: Navigating Election Challenges,” co-hosted by The North American South Asian Law Students Association (NASALSA) and South Asian Legal Defense Fund (SALDF). With the 2024 Presidential Election around…

Speak Up, Step Up (IN-PERSON)
On October 16th, 2024 at UIC’s Asian American Resource and Cultural Center (AARCC), SAAPRI hosted an in-person, non-partisan discussion on election insights, candidate policy, and key voting deadlines. We discussed the latest news and key aspects of the upcoming election,…

Speak Up, Step Up: A Youth Discussion on 2024 Election, Candidates and Policies (ONLINE)
On October 5th, 2024, SAAPRI hosted an engaging online event tailored for youth. We discussed the latest news and key aspects of the upcoming election, including voting methods, candidate positions, and the issues that matter most to South Asian Americans.…
Induction, Investiture, and Installation Ceremony of the Honorable Judge Sunil R. Harjani
On August 7th, 2024, SAAPRI’s Executive Director Shobhana Verma attended the Induction, Investiture, and Installation Ceremony of the Honorable Judge Sunil R. Harjani, who became the second South Asian American federal judge on the United States District Court for the…

Report – Strengthening Democracy: Addressing and Overcoming Language Inequity in Elections
Request Access for Full Report Our latest report analyzes is based on Census data, American Community Survey data, and SAAPRI’s own advocacy and poll watching efforts. This is the third report we launched at our June “State of South Asian…