South Asians for America

South Asians for America
Name	South Asians for America
Type	Nonprofit advocacy group
Founded	2010
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Region served	United States
Key people	Amrita Patel; Rajesh Kumar; Neha Desai

South Asians for America is a United States-based advocacy organization formed to amplify the political participation and civic influence of Americans of South Asian heritage. The group engages with policymakers, collaborates with community organizations, and sponsors voter mobilization, public education, and leadership development programs. Its activities intersect with national campaigns, congressional initiatives, judicial nominations, and state-level coalitions.

History

Founded in 2010 amid demographic shifts and the 2010 United States Census, South Asians for America emerged from networks associated with the Indian American Forum for Political Education, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and local groups such as the Hindu American Foundation and Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund. Early collaborators included leaders from the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, activists connected to the Obama 2008 presidential campaign, and professionals from institutions like Georgetown University, Columbia University, and Harvard Kennedy School. The organization grew alongside electoral developments around the 2012 United States presidential election and the 2016 United States presidential election, aligning with coalitions that engaged with the Democratic National Committee, the Republican National Committee, and state parties in California, New York (state), and Texas. Key moments included participation in the aftermath of the 2014 Asian American and Pacific Islander National Leadership Summit and responses to rulings by the Supreme Court of the United States on immigration-related cases.

Mission and Activities

South Asians for America states a mission of increasing civic participation among people tracing heritage to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives. It conducts voter registration drives tied to events such as the National Voter Registration Day and engages in candidate forums similar to initiatives by the League of Women Voters and the NAACP. Programming includes civic education curricula modeled after materials from Brennan Center for Justice and training academies comparable to EMILY's List fellowships. The organization also issues policy briefs on topics linked to legislative debates in the United States Congress, briefs that reference hearings before committees such as the House Judiciary Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Organization and Leadership

Governance follows a board structure with advisors drawn from academia, law, business, and nonprofit sectors. Notable affiliated figures have included alumni of Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, and legal professionals from firms that have represented parties before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Partnerships and advisory interactions have involved representatives from think tanks such as the Brookings Institution, the Cato Institute, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and leadership programs connected to the Carter Center and the Aspen Institute.

Advocacy and Policy Positions

The group advocates positions on immigration, civil rights, and foreign policy that intersect with debates in the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. Policy statements have referenced legislation such as the Immigration and Nationality Act, proposals debated after the 9/11 attacks, and measures affecting visa categories like the H-1B visa (United States). South Asians for America has issued statements on religious freedom relating to cases before the Supreme Court of the United States and submitted amicus briefs in matters comparable to filings by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund. The organization has engaged with diplomatic actors from missions such as the Embassy of India, Washington, D.C. and bilateral dialogues akin to the U.S.–India Strategic Partnership Forum.

Campaigns and Events

Campaigns have included nationwide voter outreach during the 2018 United States elections and coalition events around the 2020 United States presidential election. Public events have been staged in partnership with cultural institutions like the Smithsonian Institution and universities hosting panels similar to those at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Chicago. Annual conferences have featured speakers from political offices such as the White House, former cabinet members linked to the Department of State, and members of the United States Congress representing districts with significant South Asian populations, including delegations from New Jersey, California, and Texas.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources have included philanthropic foundations, civic grantmakers, and donor-advised contributions resembling support patterns provided by the Ford Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and regional family foundations. Corporate partnerships have been announced with entities in the technology sector analogous to Google LLC, Microsoft Corporation, and Intel Corporation for civic technology projects. Collaborative partnerships have involved local organizations such as the South Asian Network (SAN), the Indian American Impact Fund, and community groups that operate in concert with national coalitions including the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

Reception and Impact

Reception has varied across media outlets and policy circles, with coverage in news organizations similar to the New York Times, the Washington Post, The Atlantic, and ethnic press serving communities like India Abroad and The Caravan (magazine). Analysts at research centers such as the Pew Research Center and the Migration Policy Institute have cited increases in South Asian voter turnout that coincide with the organization’s initiatives. Critics from various political think tanks, including perspectives represented by the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute, have debated its policy orientations. The organization’s influence is reflected in candidate endorsements, appointments of South Asian Americans to municipal and federal offices, and the proliferation of community leadership programs across states with large South Asian populations like New Jersey, California, and New York (state).

Category:Political advocacy groups in the United States