This April, I had the amazing opportunity to attend the annual South Asian Youth Initiative (SAYI) conference at Yale University. SAYI’s mission is to cultivate community among young South Asians and South Asian-Americans across the U.S. It is meant to serve as a powerful platform for activism, dialogue, and solidarity.
I first came across SAYI through an article about last year’s conference and knew instantly that I wanted to be a part of it. As a Global Affairs Honors student, I had been working on my capstone research on using technology to bridge the gender gap in education in Pakistan. SAYI felt like the perfect place to share my work and get feedback from peers equally passionate about the region’s future.
I was honored to join a panel titled “Jadu: Reimagining Reality for Justice and Culture,” which featured speakers exploring how technology can drive meaningful change across South Asia. The conversations in that session sparked new ideas for how I could frame my research and exposed me to the innovative ways our generation is shaping the region’s narrative.
Beyond the academic exchange, the weekend was filled with fun activities such as a fashion and comedy show. There were incredible keynotes delivered from Karan Brar, Prayag Mishra (Pookie), and Varsha Thapa. One personal highlight was exploring the Yale campus and finally visiting one of my dream libraries, the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Overall, this was a great experience to unite with the South Asian diaspora and have important conversations about moving our community forward.
May 12, 2025