The true cost of drugs
Right now many of us are struggling with how to survive in the middle of a pandemic. Some of us have it are having a harder time compared to others. This blog post is for those of us struggling with managing our health. If you were recently unemployed or are struggling to make rent, and […]
Spotlight: Participatory Budgeting Project
As a researcher, former community organizer, and someone quite passionate about social justice, I am always intrigued by organizations that are doing powerful and amazing work that is reshaping the way people invest in communities. I want to shed a spotlight on one of these organizations – the Participatory Budgeting Project. What is the Participatory […]
What does it mean to live a full life?
My older brother died of a terminal illness when I was 24 and he was 26. It’s been 6 years and a few months now. For the majority of his life, he was paralyzed and lived in our living room surrounded by medical equipment and pills to keep him alive. When he finally passed away, […]
Let’s cultivate a Desi community
Growing up, I would have loved to be part of a progressive Desi community – one that was focused on cultivating joy and belonging. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the best experience of what it means to be South Asian in my youth. There were many culture clashes, disappointments, and deep wounds that arose at the […]
Awakening to the joy of kindness
I was listening to one of Spring Washam’s talks today. She is always a source of comfort to me when I am struggling on my spiritual path. Her words reminded me of the importance of finding the joy in kind acts – even when there is no impact. There are too many lessons to list […]
What is intersectionality, and why should we know about it?
I spent the majority of my day today putting together some data on the experience of women in Los Angeles County as part of a report we are developing for the Women and Girl’s Initiative. This is our first attempt at developing a deeper gender lens in our work. And it’s really important. To me, […]
The art of making mistakes
My life motto is: You’ll never be brave if you never get hurt. You’ll never learn if you don’t make mistakes. You’ll never be successful if you don’t encounter failure. I’m not sure who this quote is from, but it is printed and framed above my bed. It is a constant reminder to myself that […]