The panel, taking place at the Residence Inn in north Modesto, requires a $5 entrance fee to cover costs
The Indian Cultural Society, in collaboration with Stanford and UC Merced scholars, will host a panel titled “Diaspora to Diplomacy” on October 26 in Modesto. The event, organized by 16-year-old Sabrina Toor, chair of the Modesto High Indian Student Union, aims to educate the community about the role of the Indian diaspora in American politics, particularly in light of the upcoming election, modbee.com reported.
Toor emphasized the importance of understanding political candidates, especially with the potential of having an Indian-origin president like Kamala Harris or a second lady such as Usha Vance. “This is a pivotal moment for the Indian diaspora. We need to educate ourselves on how these candidates may impact our culture and the broader community,” she said.
Key local leaders, such as Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors Chairman Mani Grewal and U.S. Rep. John Duarte’s district director, Sam Samra, already represent the Indian community in the region. Toor believes that more Indian Americans will soon take elected office.
The event will feature panelists like Nate Monroe, director of the Center for Analytic Political Engagement at UC Merced, and Arzan Tarapore, a research scholar from Stanford’s Center for International Security and Cooperation
Monroe highlighted the importance of diverse representation in government, saying, “Different issues might be prioritized when people from varying backgrounds hold positions of power.”
Christopher Ojeda, another UC Merced political science professor, expressed excitement over the panel’s potential impact. “It’s encouraging to see young people, especially students like Sabrina, engage with important issues like representation,” he said.
Toor, who organized the event alongside representatives from other local schools, sees it as a way to further explore her own growing interest in politics. She hopes the panel helps people become more informed voters. “The media can skew perceptions, but with insights from unbiased, well-educated professors, we aim to provide clarity,” she noted.
***********************************************************
Readers
These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.
Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world. We have taken a small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.
Please help us to keep our journalism independent and free.
In these difficult times, running a news website requires finances. While every contribution, big or small, will make a difference, we request our readers to put us in touch with advertisers worldwide. It will be a great help.
For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com
