RESUME
PHD RESEARCHER AND LECTURER, UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA
I conduct research on social movements, focusing on queer of color solidarities, and the activism of South Asians and Indians in the diaspora, particularly in solidarity and/or partnership with Black-led activism and Black liberation struggles. I lecture in sociology on social movements, culture, identity, power, privilege, and resistance.
March 2021-present
INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT, SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
August 2020-present
I support social movement groups, community organizing organizations, activist collectives, and coalitions with a variety of elements of movement work, including facilitation, strategy development, training, leadership development and base-building, organizational structure and strategy, campaign development, coalition organizing, evaluation, strategies to center racial and gender justice, resource mobilization and grantwriting and fundraising, some communications and narrative work, and arts, music, and cultural organizing.
NATIONAL COORDINATOR, IT TAKES ROOTS
May 2018-June 2019
Grassroots Global Justice Alliance: https://ggjalliance.org/
Coordinated Sol2Sol Week of Action and other activities with It Takes Roots, an alliance of alliances including Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, Climate Justice Alliance, Indigenous Environmental Network, and Right to the City Alliance. Learn more about ITR: https://ittakesroots.org/
LEAD ORGANIZING, HOUSING & ECONOMIC DIGNITY
May 2015-May 2018
Faith in New York: https://faithinnewyork.org/
Built and helped spearhead coalition campaigns against luxury Inwood and Flushing rezonings, supported art and culture organizing in faith-led direct actions, built 35+ congregational organizing teams, served as Coalition Organizer with Faith over Fear coalition of 20 allied organizations plus 50 citywide congregations.
CO-DIRECTOR, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR PROGRAM
May 2014-December 2014
Minnesota DFL: https://dfl.org/
Led coalitional electoral campaign with up and downballot candidates with the Minnesota DFL (Democratic Farmer-Labor Party) to center the voices of BIPOC in Minnesota and elect candidates who come from and represent BIPOC communiites.
CAMPAIGN SYSTEMS ARCHITECT
March 2013-May 2014
Haiyya: http://www.haiyya.in/
Managed teams leading campaign development, training, data, and communications with cross-faith, cross-caste feminist organizing group founded in response to the Nirbhaya rape case. Built neighborhood teams across Bombay and Delhi and led nationwide women's voting bloc development against Hindutva and Brahminical patriarchy.