Community Conversation
with Farooq Mitha
NEHA DEWAN
Neha has long been active in both local and national politics. Most recently, she founded and served as the National Director for South Asians for Biden, an organization dedicated to engaging, educating, and mobilizing the South Asian community to elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. In 2016, Neha served as the National Co-Chair for South Asians for Hillary and was appointed by Hillary Clinton to the National AAPI Leadership Council.
Previously, in 2015, Neha was appointed as a guest of honor by the Consulate General of India in New York City where she was selected to speak about gender equality for International Women's Day. During the 2012 presidential campaign, Neha chaired the New York Chapter of South Asians for Obama and also served on the steering committee for Lawyers for Obama in New York. For several years, Neha served as an Officer of the New York Democratic Lawyers Council, an organization affiliated with the National Lawyers Council of the Democratic National Committee and comprised of Democratic lawyers and voting rights activists. Similarly, for many years, Neha served as an advisory board member of New Leaders Council, a national organization focused on training and supporting progressive political entrepreneurs. She has also been active in her local community board and political clubs. Neha served as the President of the South Asian Bar Association of New York in 2012, and now sits on the organization’s Board of Directors.
Mobilizing the South Asian Community & Building Political Power
ANKUSH NAYAR
Ankush Nayar is Co-Chair of SAFA's Data and Research Committee. Ankush began working with SAFA in 2021, where he began developing content related and tied to South Asian American issues. He's a practicing attorney, currently working on issues related to energy policy and includes representing public officials, and working on civil rights matters. He graduated from George Washington University Law School in 2009 and graduated from the University of Maryland with degrees in Finance and in Government and Politics. He has worked on multiple campaigns at the local, state, and national level. He hopes his work with SAFA can inform and aid the South Asian American Community. He has been a lifelong fan of Amitabh Bachchan and the Washington Football Team.