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
THERESA THANJAN
Theresa has over 20 years of experience working with immigrant communities in NYC. Theresa started her career working as a community organizer and then directed programs for immigrant youth in the areas of leadership development and community service at multiple non-profits including South Asian Youth Action.
Theresa has directed award winning documentaries highlighting stories of immigrant youth and profiling their ongoing fight for civil rights. She served as the New York lead organizer for South Asians for Obama in 2008 and then the National Co-Chair of South Asians for Obama during the 2012 election. She led a task force fighting for comprehensive immigration reform from 2009 to 2013. With South Asians for Biden, Theresa led phone banks focusing on turning out voters in Pennsylvania and Georgia. Theresa is currently the Senior Manager of Member Engagement, NYC at the New York Immigration Coalition. In this role, she works with over 100 community based organizations on advocacy campaigns aimed at fighting for equality and justice for immigrants.
Theresa received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Rochester and her Masters in Social Work from Columbia University. She lives with her husband and daughter in Staten Island.