{"id":49815,"date":"2018-02-09T22:15:55","date_gmt":"2018-02-10T06:15:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/siliconeer.com\/current\/?p=49815"},"modified":"2018-02-09T22:16:29","modified_gmt":"2018-02-10T06:16:29","slug":"community-leaders-launch-new-effort-to-help-indian-americans-run-win-and-lead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconeer.com\/current\/community-leaders-launch-new-effort-to-help-indian-americans-run-win-and-lead\/","title":{"rendered":"Community Leaders Launch New Effort to Help\u00a0Indian Americans Run, Win, and Lead"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bold new initiatives are slated to build a nationwide pipeline of\u00a0Indian American leaders in politics, policy, and\u00a0government.<\/p>\n

\n

Following\u00a0historic\u00a0wins at the ballot box\u00a0in November 2017<\/a>, a group of Indian\u00a0American philanthropists, community leaders, and political operatives have come\u00a0together to formally\u00a0launch the Indian American Impact Project (\u201cImpact Project\u201d) and Indian American Impact Fund (\u201cImpact\u00a0Fund\u201d),\u00a0collectively known as\u00a0\u201cImpact<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Co-founded by Raj Goyle, CEO of Bodhala and former member of\u00a0the Kansas\u00a0State House, and Deepak Raj, chairman of Pratham USA and\u00a0founder of the Raj Center on Indian Economic Policies at Columbia University,\u00a0these bold new initiatives will help talented and patriotic Indian Americans\u00a0run\u00a0for office, win, and lead. Raj Goyle will chair the Impact Project, a\u00a0not-for-profit\u00a0501c(3) organization focused on leadership development and\u00a0training, while\u00a0Deepak Raj will chair the Impact Fund, a political action\u00a0committee that will endorse and support viable candidates who reflect the\u00a0Indian American\u00a0community\u2019s values.<\/p>\n

\u201cDespite rapid growth and professional success, for too long\u00a0Indian Americans\u00a0have been underrepresented in elected office from state capitols to the U.S.\u00a0Congress,\u201d said Goyle. \u201cAs a result, our needs, concerns,\u00a0and priorities often\u00a0go unheard in the halls of power. At a time when our\u00a0community and our values\u00a0are under attack by xenophobic rhetoric and regressive\u00a0policies, it is more\u00a0critical than ever that Indian Americans build and wield\u00a0political power to fight\u00a0back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
(L-r): Rep. Ami Bera, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Rep. Ro Khanna, and Rep. Pramila Jayapal were sworn in to the U.S. House of Representatives, marking the first time in history more than one Indian American has served in Congress simultaneously. (U.S. House of Representatives)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThis is our time,\u201d added Raj. \u201cAcross the country, a record\u00a0number of Indian\u00a0Americans are running for office. We can\u2019t leave it to chance\u00a0that they will win\u00a0on their own. We owe them our support \u2014 and we have a plan to\u00a0help them\u00a0run, win, and lead.\u201d<\/p>\n

As of January 2018,\u00a0five Indian Americans currently serve in the United States\u00a0Congress: Senator\u00a0Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Representatives Ami Bera (D-CA), Pramila Jayapal\u00a0(D-WA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), and Raja Krishnamoorthi\u00a0(D-CA). Impact is also\u00a0tracking an additional 60 Indian Americans<\/a>\u00a0currently\u00a0serving in state and local office as\u00a0state legislators, mayors, city council members, judges, and other\u00a0elected\u00a0positions.<\/p>\n

The Impact Project Board of Directors includes Priya\u00a0Dayananda, Managing\u00a0Director of Federal Government Affairs for KPMG LLP, Vinai\u00a0Thummalapally,\u00a0former U.S. Ambassador to Belize and former Executive Director\u00a0of SelectUSA,\u00a0and Mini Timmaraju, Executive Director of External Affairs at\u00a0Comcast and\u00a0former National Women\u2019s Vote Director for Hillary for America. The\u00a0Impact\u00a0Fund Board of Directors includes Ravi Akhoury, former Chairman and CEO\u00a0of\u00a0MacKay Shields LLC, and Raghu Devaguptapu, Partner at Left Hook Strategies and\u00a0former Political Director for the Democratic Governors\u00a0Association (DGA) and\u00a0Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC).\u00a0Vikas Raj, Managing Director of Accion\u00a0Venture Lab, will serve as a\u00a0non-voting observer on both boards.<\/p>\n

Both initiatives are led by Gautam Raghavan, who previously\u00a0served as Vice\u00a0President of Policy for the Gill Foundation, as an Advisor in\u00a0the Obama White\u00a0House, and in various roles for the 2008 Obama campaign and\u00a0Democratic\u00a0National Committee.<\/p>\n

For\u00a0more information, visit\u00a0<\/i>www.iaimpact.org<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bold new initiatives are slated to build a nationwide pipeline of\u00a0Indian American leaders in politics, policy, and\u00a0government. Following\u00a0historic\u00a0wins at the ballot box\u00a0in November 2017, a group of Indian\u00a0American philanthropists, community leaders, and political operatives have come\u00a0together to formally\u00a0launch the Indian American Impact Project (\u201cImpact Project\u201d) and Indian American Impact Fund (\u201cImpact\u00a0Fund\u201d),\u00a0collectively known as\u00a0\u201cImpact.\u201d Co-founded by…<\/p>\n

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