YJA Day 2020
Progressing with Purpose
Jai Jinendra! In the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic and an international conversation around racial justice, YJA, like each of you, has been striving to adapt to a changing reality. To provide young Jains with a medium for exploration, learning, and discussion, we are excited to announce YJA Day 2020 on Saturday, July 11th. In keeping with the original theme for the 2020 YJA Convention, we will be #ProgressingWithPurpose through a variety of online programming. With an incredible keynote, engaging social activities, and an inspiring roster of guest speakers composed of leaders, activists, and experts, we look forward to seeing you and your #yjalove — virtually!
Thank you to our co-sponsors: Jain Society of North Texas and Jain Center of New Jersey
Maulik Pancholy is an award-winning actor, author and activist.
He is known for his comedic turns on television playing Jonathan on NBC's critically acclaimed 30 Rock, Sanjay on Showtime's Weeds, and Neal on NBC's Whitney. He is the voice of Baljeet on Disney's Phineas and Ferb, and the title voice of Sanjay on Nickelodeon's Sanjay and Craig – the first lead Indian American character on a network cartoon. On stage, he starred opposite Matthew Broderick and Martin Short in Broadway's It's Only A Play, opposite Ed Harris in Good for Otto, and recently completed the Broadway run of Grand Horizons.
In October 2019, Pancholy released his first book, The Best at It (Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins). It was named a 2020 Stonewall Honor Book, a 2019 Junior Library Guild Selection and received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and the American Library Association's Booklist. Drawn from his own experience, The Best at It is about a 12-year-old, gay, Indian American Boy coming into his own. Kirkus raved, "Every character in the story is nuanced…The protagonist's devastatingly honest voice pulls readers deeply into a fast-paced journey."
A longtime advocate for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and LGBTQIA+ communities, he is the recipient of an Asian American Arts Alliance Award, the Human Rights Campaign's Visibility Award, and was named to Out Magazine's Top 100 list. In 2014, he was appointed by President Obama to serve on the President's Advisory Commission on AAPIs. During his three-year tenure, he spearheaded the launch of the anti-bullying campaign ActToChange.org, an organization which he continues to Chair today. Act To Change is now a national nonprofit dedicated to ending bullying for AAPI youth and fostering a world where all young people can celebrate their differences.
Aanya Gandhi is a Marketing Professional at a tech company based in New York City, but currently quarantining at her family's home in Virginia. When Aanya's not working, you can find her baking, acting out dramatic scenes, or having dance parties with her family and friends.
Closing in on ten incredible years with YJA, Aanya is super excited to be back and spread more #yjalove at this year's virtual convention!
With a technical background in nanomedicine, Dr. Ambika Bumb currently serves as Health, Science, and Technology Advisor for the Department of State's Crisis Management and Strategy within the Office of the Secretary where she has been primarily focused on global pandemic response. She is currently a Board member for the International Biomedical Research Alliance and has formerly been Strategic Advisor to the Energy Sciences Area of Berkeley Lab and CEO of the biotech Bikanta.
She graduated from Georgia Tech with a B.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering and a Minor in Economics, while being recognized with the Helen E. Grenga Outstanding Woman Engineer and E. Jo Baker President's Scholar Awards. She then obtained her doctorate from the NIH-Oxford Program while also on the prestigious Marshall Scholarship and followed that up with two post-doctoral fellowships at the National Cancer Institute and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The NIH recognized her post-doctoral work with the Orloff Technical Advance Award as a "platform" technology with implications that will broadly advance medicine on multiple fronts. Her work has led to 16 patents and the spinout of the biotech Bikanta. She has received much recognition for excellence in engineering, was profiled early in her career in Nature as a successful young scientist on the fast-track, and named as one of 40 under 40 influential Bay Area business leaders.
Complementary to her scientific and commercial interests, Dr. Bumb has also been involved in science outreach/education and national policy initiatives, such as the National Nanotech Initiative, Nano Task Force, guest writing for Techcrunch, and Cancer Moonshot Initiative.
Ani Zonneveld is a writer, singer/songwriter, and President and Founder of Muslims for Progressive Values, an international human rights organization that advocates for equality and social justice for all.
Ani is on the U.N. Inter-agency's Faith Advisory Council, and recently commissioned by the U.N. Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect to create an anti-hate speech curriculum for Muslim communities. She has organized numerous interfaith arts and music festivals, is the co-editor of MPV's first book, an anthology titled "Progressive Muslim Identities – Personal Stories from the U.S. and Canada"; executive producer of a video series "LGBTQI Rights in Islam"; has contributed to many forewords and anthologies, and is a contributor for HuffingtonPost, OpenDemocracy and al-Jazeera. She has a TEDx talk titled – Islam: As American As Apple Pie, and is the subject of a documentary title "al-imam" featuring Ani's activism works. As an award winning songwriter, she utilizes the power of music and the arts in countering radicalism as she speaks-sings her message of social justice and peace from a progressive Muslim woman's perspective, and is the first woman to release an English Islamic pop album in the U.S. in 2004. She continues to create spiritual worship songs for the purpose of creating a new culture for Western born Muslims.
Born in Malaysia, Ani, a Muslim since birth, spent a good portion of her formative years raised in Germany, Egypt and India as an Ambassador's daughter. Her exposure to different politics, religions and cultures has shaped her inclusive worldview.
Anjli Shah (she/her) is a program associate at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a philanthropy dedicated to advancing health equity, and has worked on initiatives related to diverse network building, equitable grantmaking, and inclusive innovation. Anjli is a founding member of Jains for Justice, and is dedicated to exploring how the richness of South Asian identities can inform our understanding of our responsibilities and roles in fighting for justice.
Avni Talsania is a spiritual devotee and yoga teacher with a strong foundation in athletics.
Growing up in New Jersey, she was an achiever in soccer and track and field, winning state-level competitions for sprinting, hurdling, jumping. When she moved to London for MSC Management, she became the highest-performing female athlete at the Kings College London Athletics & Field Team.
Nine years ago she followed a deep spiritual calling to move to India, and her life took a turn. She attended bi-weekly satsangs at the ashram outside Mumbai where she now lives and soon after left her competitive sports environment and corporate job. Merging her passion for athletics and spirituality, she become an advanced yoga teacher with schooling from the two yoga capitals of the world, Mysore and Rishikesh. She has found deep satisfaction in aligning her personal passion with her life purpose of spiritual evolution thanks to the blessings of her Gurudev.
Avni is currently undergoing a Masters of Science in Yoga Therapy, with an in-depth study of Yoga Sutras, anatomy, physiology, yoga therapy for diseases, Sanskrit shlokas, and more. She has done workshops with companies such as Microsoft, Four Seasons Hotel, Aditya Birla Capital, Cure.Fit, and CRED to name a few.
Brittany Oliver is an award-winning speaker, advocate, workshop facilitator and communications professional from Baltimore, MD. In 2018, she was awarded/included in the Baltimore Sun's "Top 25 Women To Watch" list. Her work has received coverage in various news outlets including Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Fishbowl, Baltimore Magazine, Think Progress, WYPR Public Radio and more.
She regularly conducts workshops for leaders, influencers, non-profits and businesses on race and/or gender equity, media training and development, content strategy planning, public policy design, public speaking and more. She has facilitated trainings and workshops at institutions such as John's Hopkins University Center for Social Concern, the Global Women's Institute, University of Baltimore, Institute for Policy Studies, UMBC Women's Center and more. When the opportunity arises, she lobbies on Capitol Hill and participates in digital campaigns promoting federal policies.
One of Brittany's most memorable, impactful accomplishments in her career was the combination of her grassroots organizing and communications skills that helped to spearhead the passage of the anti-harassment and discrimination bill (HB 1342/SB 1138) during the 2018 Maryland General Assembly session after the rise of the viral #MeToo Movement.
Brittany is a SheSource Expert for the Women's Media Center in New York City and volunteers at the Public Relations Society of Maryland as well as with various local and national organizations to address issues that address racial equity and women's rights.
On her own time, she runs a social media agency, Thirty-Two Creative and Not Without Black Women, a platform uplifting Black women in activism, society and culture.
Hari Venkatachalam is an epidemiologist and data manager for the Department of Veterans Affairs. He received his Master of Public Health from the University of South Florida. He is a Hindu activist focused on the areas of public health, social justice, environmental change, and LGBT rights. Based in Tampa, Florida, Venkatachalam is a member of Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus.
Parag Mehta is the Executive Director and Senior Vice President of the Center for Inclusive Growth, the philanthropic hub of Mastercard. He leads a global team of professionals who are dedicated to ensuring that the benefits of economic growth are broadly shared and who work to leverage the core competencies and assets of Mastercard to achieve the same. In this role, Parag oversees the Center’s programs, data philanthropy, research, engagements and partnerships.
For nearly two decades, Parag has been a leader in creating positive social impact. From shaping evidence-based public policies to organizing large-scale social change movements, he has worked with diverse groups of stakeholders to advance the common good. He joined the Center in 2017 as Vice President for Strategic Engagement and was charged with building a community of global influencers to secure the Center’s position as a private-sector leader on inclusive growth. In 2018, he was promoted to Executive Director and Senior Vice President.
Prior to joining Mastercard, Parag served as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the 19th Surgeon General of the United States. In that capacity, he organized a series of campaigns to address some of the most pressing public health issues of our time. Parag also spent more than four years directing communications for a civil rights agency in the U.S. Department of Labor and served on Barack Obama’s presidential transition team as a liaison to the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities and to LGBT Americans.
Parag has been a member of the U.S. Government’s Senior Executive Service and held a number of leadership positions in advocacy organizations and political campaigns. In 2019, he was elected to Chair the Board of Directors of New American Leaders, a nonpartisan organization which works to place first and second-generation Americans in public offices. He earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Syracuse University and a B.A. in Plan II Honors from The University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Simran Jeet Singh is an educator, writer, activist, and scholar who speaks regularly on issues of diversity, inclusion and equity. Simran is currently based at Union Seminary, and he's the first Sikh wire-service columnist in US history. An accomplished professor with graduate degrees from Harvard (MTS) and Columbia (MA, MPhil, PhD), He is the author of Fauja Singh Keeps Going: The True Story of the Oldest Person to Run a Marathon, which is the first-ever children’s book from a major publisher (Penguin Random House) to center a Sikh story. Simran is also writing an adult non-fiction book for Riverhead (Penguin Random House) on Sikh wisdom to help navigate today's contentious world.
Simran uses personal stories, dad-jokes, and a love for pop culture to connect with people where they are. Simran connects with a diversity of audiences by bantering on Twitter (where he has 80,000+ followers), doing on-air commentary on programs like The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, and hosting Spirited, a new podcast on faith and spirituality. Audiences are disarmed by Simran’s humor and inspired by his hopeful vision for a more loving, peaceful world.
In June 2020, he launched a new YouTube series via Religion News Service "Becoming Less Racist: Lighting the Path to Anti-Racism." Guests have included Rev Jacqui Lewis, Austin Channing Brown, and Eddie S. Glaude Jr.
Sonali Vakharia is an Inpatient Hospital Pharmacist who currently lives in Chicago, IL but is originally from Michigan. She is very passionate about teaching kids how to balance Eastern and Western values within the Jain community and has also written a book to assist Jain students with their transition from high school to college. She has had experience teaching pathshala at the Detroit Sangh for 3 years and feels immense gratitude to the sangh for how it shaped her growing up. Sonali's mission is to help students enhance their personal growth and value systems while also teaching them how to balance conflicting cultural pressures. Sonali enjoys meditation and travel, and is always down for a good laugh.
Mrs. Tejal Bhavik Shah completed her Bachelors in Communications from Mumbai University and has been an active student of Jainism since 1994.
Tejal shares her knowledge of Jainism with people from a range of different locations, ages, and backgrounds. She has conducted Pathshala classes for children at the Babu Amichand Pannalal Jain Temple in Mumbai and the Parshwa Pragnalaya Pleasant Palace Pathshala. Mrs. Shah has led multiple shibirs at the Jain Center of New Jersey and abroad. Additionally, she has especially devoted time and attention to classes for women, now having gone virtual as of January 2020.
Vaibhav Jain is a global public health specialist who has worked for universities, think tanks and the World Health Organization. He is currently consulting on a number of health and civic engagement projects and serves as digital media lead for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) for Biden, an outreach arm of Joe Biden's presidential campaign. He is a former dental surgeon from New Delhi, India, who currently lives in White Plains, New York.
Vivek believes we can advance social and environmental justice by deepening democracy.
Vivek started Namati in 2011. Since then, Namati and its partners have supported cadres of grassroots legal advocates—sometimes known as barefoot lawyers or community paralegals—in ten countries. These advocates work with their communities to protect common lands, enforce environmental law, and secure basic rights to healthcare and citizenship. In all ten countries, their grassroots work has led to improvements to entire systems: a new anti-bribery policy for the health sector in Mozambique, for example, improved sand-mining regulations in India, and greater protection for women's rights in Sierra Leonean land law. Globally, Namati convenes the Legal Empowerment Network, more than 2,000 groups from over 160 countries who are learning from one another and collaborating on common challenges. This community successfully advocated for the inclusion of access to justice in the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Vivek is co-author of Community Paralegals and the Pursuit of Justice (Cambridge University Press). His TED talk, "How to Put the Power of Law in People's Hands," has been viewed over a million times.
Vivek is on the road a lot, but he has a home and family in Washington, DC. He tries to spend time in a forest or other natural place every week, wherever he is. Vivek studies capoeira with Dale Marcelin at Universal Capoeira Angola Center.
Learn more about our speakers below by clicking on their pictures
Saturday, July 11
*All times are in your local timezone ()
This yoga session for all levels will give you a taste of various yoga fundamentals: pranayama/breath work, surya namaskar, an energizing vinyasa flow, and a soothing cool-down. The session will strike the balance between invigorating your body, grounding your mind, and drawing your attention inwards to the soul. Start the day with your best foot forward, literally!
What to bring: something comfortable to wear, yoga mat
Optional: towel, yoga blocks, belt, bolster
Watch Recording
Current events have been fast paced and divisive, leaving many searching for Jain ideals such as ahimsa, aparigraha, and anekantvada in the world around them. The respected Tejal Shah of Mumbai will give a pravachan to help the parents and youth of YJA better understand and adapt to the current events of the world through the lens of Jain teachings and scripture.
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Together we will examine the events of 2020 through the lens of Jainism's 4 auxiliary bhavanas: Karuna (compassion), Pramod (appreciation), Maitri (friendship), and Madhyastha (neutrality). For example, we use the lens of appreciation when thinking about health care workers in light of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Similarly, the lens of friendship can be applied when thinking about being "stuck at home" and truly understanding the value of friendship during a time when we're seperated from one another. With memes, pop culture references, and articles, our hosts will be sure to capture your attention and engage in thoughtful discussion during this interactive session.
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The fabric of racism is inextricably woven and constructed into the founding principles of the United States. Racism was done and it can be undone through effective anti-racist education with, and in accountability to the communities most impacted by racism. How to divest from racism at all levels, as non-Black people and particularly a minority group and what should South Asian allyship look like? Why is it important for other minority groups to show solidarity?
Participants will:
- build a clear understanding of key concepts such as racial equity and structural racism
- learn to talk about race constructively within their organizations and with their constituents
- gain tools and practices for counteracting racial bias in their work and practices
- identify opportunities and next steps for applying concepts and strategies to advance racial equity
- develop and commit a call to action: what are you already doing, and what more can you do
Watch Recording
In his first novel The Best At It, Maulik tells the story of Rahul Kapoor, a South Asian boy navigating through middle school and overcoming the expectation that he must always be the best. Through the use of vivid, nuanced characters, Maulik tackles multiple forms of discrimination head on in a way we can all try to learn from and relate to.
Join author and actor, Maulik Pancholy, for a live wide-ranging Keynote Conversation as he discusses his own life experiences and how they shaped his acting career (Phineas and Ferb, 30 Rock, etc.), anti-bullying campaign, Act to Change, and other professional endeavours (the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders under President Barack Obama, etc.). We’re looking forward to this candid conversation and are excited to have you join us on YJA Day, July 11th. This conversation with Maulik will be moderated by YJA member Mihir Shah.
Watch Recording
It's time to put those convention hotel escape plans to good use! We have built our first ever Virtual YJA Escape Room! Work together with your team to adventure through YJA-themed puzzles and riddles to see if you've got what it takes to get out. Get ready to put your thinking caps on and put your teamwork to the test! Bring some friends together to form a team, or meet new friends in our virtual experience that will be sure to challenge and excite. Join in on this thriller right after our YJA Day 2020 Keynote Conversation.
Health Science and Technology Advisor for Crisis Management and Strategy in the Office of the Secretary of State, Dr. Ambika Bumb will share what she has learned from doing cutting-edge nanomedicine research in academia to leading a biotech startup in industry to coordinating global pandemic response in the government. Jainism says that what you consider the truth is only part of the picture and the complete truth is obtained through multiple perspectives and being open-minded to possibilities. We often consider the practice of anekantvad while interacting with others, but perhaps less so with respect to oneself. As South Asian Americans, culturally we lean towards having a kind of tunnel vision with a defined year-by-year plan for our careers. Ambika will describe and answer questions about her experiences with societal impact being the driver of her professional journey.
Watch Recording
Where does faith align with the push for justice, and where does it diverge? How do justice-based faith advocates interpret traditional teachings to support advancing justice? What challenges do faith leaders face when speaking with their own communities? What role does non-violence play in these conversations - and is there something even more relevant to social justice? Join us for a conversation with social justice leaders from Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, and Jain faiths as we tackle these questions and more. Our insightful panelists include Ani Zonneveld (Muslims for Progressive Values), Simran Jeet Singh (@sikhprof), Hari Venkatachalam (Sadhana), and Anjli Shah (Jains for Justice).
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Vivek Maru, founder of Namati, will describe the efforts of people directly affected by environmental destruction—small hold farmers in Sierra Leone, fisher people on the coast of India, families in an industrial zone of Baltimore—to exercise their rights. He will weave a story about how these struggles are connected to each other, to Jain philosophy, and to the future of the planet. As a group, we will map out concrete ways each one of us can advance environmental justice.
Watch Recording
When Vaibhav Jain and Parag Mehta got married last year, their wedding made headlines around the world. Not only was it a same-sex wedding performed in accordance with Jain customs, but it also served as a model for how families and communities can evolve when they lead with love and compassion. The video of the toast by Parag's dad at their wedding has gone viral and become an exemplar of parental acceptance. Hear their story, find out how they've been able to shape both their co-existing Jain and LGBTQ+ identities, and learn how to be champions for equality in your own life.
Watch Recording
We're bringing together the best of YJA's community in a showcase that will be sure to wow. Come watch your fellow YJAers show off their passions, hobbies, talents, jokes, and just about anything else in short video bits. If you're interested in being showcased, send in your content and information via this application. In the second half of the event, we'll be showing off a special surprise for YJAWorld that our team has been working on. Be sure to tune in for an amazing show to kick off our nighttime programming for YJA Day 2020.
Watch Recording
A Convention staple, ice breakers are a great way to get to know each other and meet people from all over. While we can't get to know each other in person, get ready for a virtual-twist on a classic game. B.I.N.G.O. (Breaking Ice ‘N Greeting Others) will have you making connections and making friends in no time!
Join us for JNF Awards in the evening, where the winning team of the JNF House Challenge will be announced, as well as the charity they are selecting! Additionally, we'll do superlatives based on the activities over the past few weeks!
To close out a fun-filled and inspiring YJA Day, join us for a free-for-all Slumber Party with your YJA friends, new and old. From Skribbl to Code Names to One Night, we'll have breakout rooms for a variety of games and activities. In addition, there will also be rooms to meet and hangout with friends from all across the country! Get your PJs on and be ready to pull an all-nighter (or as late as you can stay awake)!
Note: programming may be subject to change.