MEDIA: South Asian Groups Form National Coalition

NEW YORK: Thirty-one South Asian community organizations from 12 regions throughout the United States announced June 25, the formation of a National Coalition of South Asian Organizations (NCSO).

The newly formed coalition also released a detailed action and policy agenda focused on nine key issue areas affecting local South Asian American communities, including immigration, gender equity, and access to services. Coalition partners include community-based groups that provide social services, organize, and advocate for South Asians in 12 metropolitan areas around the United States.

The groups range from member-led organizations, social service providers, and volunteer collectives that focus on a wide variety of issues such as mental health, domestic violence, racial and religious profiling, and housing and economic development. Their constituents and members include low-wage workers, youth, and LGBTIQ individuals. Some of the groups were established decades ago, while others were formed in the past five years.

"This diverse group of partners has come together with a clear purpose: to ensure that the experiences of South Asian communities and the issues that they face are addressed in local, state, and national arenas," said Deepa Iyer, Executive Director South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), the organization coordinating the NCSO.

Coalition partners have identified nine key issue areas in A National Action Agenda, a collaborative policy platform that sets forth recommendations for decision-makers and community members. The National Action Agenda sets forth the need for linguistically and culturally appropriate services for South Asians, the importance of detailed and disaggregated data about South Asian communities, and a call for comprehensive immigration reform, among other recommendations.

The Coalition partners also intend to enhance their own work through skills-building trainings and information sharing about effective practices and models being used around the country. Next steps for the Coalition will include community and policymaker briefings, as well as capacity-building trainings and resource sharing among partner groups.

The Coalition is currently being coordinated by South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), a national non-profit organization in the DC Metro Area. The Coalition's launch is the result of a multi-year process that has included regional dialogues and partnerships, a national convening in 2007, organizational needs assessments, and the articulation of shared social justice principles. The Coalition builds upon the vibrant tradition of collaborative initiatives, partnerships, and networks that have long empowered South Asian communities in the United States. "We, at Adhikaar, are excited to be a part of the National Coalition of South Asian Organizations," said Luna Ranjit, Executive Director Adhikaar (NY).

"As a new organization focusing on the Nepali-speaking community, the Coalition provides us a platform to create visibility for the needs of our rapidly-growing community and amplifies our voice. We look forward to working with the Coalition members to advance progressive policy options to benefit all South Asians, as well as other marginalized groups. As the only organization focusing on the Nepali community, we are also excited about the opportunity to network with and learn from other experienced South Asian organizations."

"The first ever coming together of South Asian organizations is a historic moment for our community," said Monami Maulik, Director Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM, NY). "The South Asian community at large has needed such an opportunity to build power nationally, and to uplift voices of low wage South Asian workers as part of our national agenda."

"Manavi was one of the first organizations in the US to address social justice issues in the South Asian community," stated Maneesha Kelkar, Director Manavi (NJ). "Since then, many more voices have spoken out against many unspoken issues, but have been largely sporadic and disconnected from one another.

The National Coalition attempts to bring together these often disparate entities and speak with one voice, a voice that is stronger, a voice that will resonate more, a voice that will be heard loud and clear." Purvi Shah, Executive Director Sakhi for South Asian Women (NY) said, "For years, many of us have toiled to build our communities - working tirelessly and often alone. We have come a long way through sheer hard work.

But we know that the South Asian community can be even stronger and more visible as an essential segment of American civic society." "This is why the emergence of this national coalition is so exciting -- together we can raise a strong, collective voice for the South Asian community, make even deeper contributions, and ultimately realize the American dreams each of our organizations is working to achieve," Shah added.