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
SENATOR VIN GOPAL
Vin Gopal is a lifelong resident of Monmouth County, a small-business owner and the Founder and President of a local non-profit organization dedicated to helping Monmouth County charities and individuals in need. Vin is the first South Asian American State Senator in New Jersey.
During his first term in the State Senate, Vin worked tirelessly across party-lines to champion the causes of working families in Monmouth County, small-business owners, students, and seniors. He has successfully fought for increased funding for Monmouth County schools, women’s healthcare facilities, supporting veterans, and increasing funding for mental health services. Vin has been an independent voice in the Senate and led the effort to stop his own party from introducing a shore rental tax. He also had several shared-service and tax-saving bills signed into law in his first term in the Senate.
Vin serves as Senate Majority Conference Leader, Chairman of the Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Vice-Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee and member of the Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee.
In addition, Vin was recently selected to the New Jersey Congressional Redistricting Commission; the first South Asian American to serve on a redistricting commission in New Jersey history.