As the NYC mayoral race rages on, so too does the race for New York's Public Advocate (essentially the vice mayor). One of the candidates for the position is Reshma Saujani, an Indian-American whose parents immigrated from East Africa, when Idi Amin expelled all Asians (including my father) from Uganda.
I felt a need to talk about Reshma for a couple of reasons.
Reshma's policy tackles an array of areas. She aims to improve jobs, housing, education, and women's rights. Given the broad spectrum of subjects she wants to tackle, it's easy to call her disillusioned or speculative. Once you took a look at Reshma's own initiatives, you may change your mind. Girls who code, a nonprofit started by Reshma, teaches girls of all ages how to code and program. Through GWC Reshma has enhanced education, and closed the gender gap in a male heavy job sector. If her plans go accordingly, GWC will increase the number of programmers and coders in NYC thus dragging jobs away from silicon valley and increasing the number of opportunities in the city. Not bad for just a nonprofit.
I really like Reshma's policy. But there's a reason I like her even more. She embraces being Indian, and I love that. I understand that being Indian allows you to appeal to Indian American voters. But it's clear that Reshma doesn't use her heritage just as a vote getter. It's something she's truly proud of. Of the prominent South Asian Politicians on the national scene that's something that is hard to come by. Just take a look at the "my story" page on her official website, or check out her interviews and you'll get an idea of what I'm saying.
Ravi
I felt a need to talk about Reshma for a couple of reasons.
- Her policy is strong and practical.
- She fully embraces being "Indian" (unlike others *cough* BOBBY JINDAL)
Reshma's policy tackles an array of areas. She aims to improve jobs, housing, education, and women's rights. Given the broad spectrum of subjects she wants to tackle, it's easy to call her disillusioned or speculative. Once you took a look at Reshma's own initiatives, you may change your mind. Girls who code, a nonprofit started by Reshma, teaches girls of all ages how to code and program. Through GWC Reshma has enhanced education, and closed the gender gap in a male heavy job sector. If her plans go accordingly, GWC will increase the number of programmers and coders in NYC thus dragging jobs away from silicon valley and increasing the number of opportunities in the city. Not bad for just a nonprofit.
I really like Reshma's policy. But there's a reason I like her even more. She embraces being Indian, and I love that. I understand that being Indian allows you to appeal to Indian American voters. But it's clear that Reshma doesn't use her heritage just as a vote getter. It's something she's truly proud of. Of the prominent South Asian Politicians on the national scene that's something that is hard to come by. Just take a look at the "my story" page on her official website, or check out her interviews and you'll get an idea of what I'm saying.
Ravi