India Post News Service
CHICAGO: The Indo-American Democratic Organization (IADO) convened the first-ever Chicago South Asian American Summit July 13 at SEIU Healthcare’s union hall in Chicago.
The summit hosted over 80 South Asian American elected officials, activists and community leaders for a dialogue to advance civic engagement and political advocacy within Illinois’ South Asian American community.
“South Asians and South Asian Americans represent one of the fastest growing communities in Illinois,” said Abin Kuriakose, IADO board secretary and the summit’s 2019 convener.
“Growth means we now have a South Asian congressman, state senator, deputy mayor and even more elected officials at the local level. But it also means we have challenges with it comes to equitable representation in public policy and politics,” he said
The Chicago South Asian American Summit featured remarks from Congressmen Jesús G. “Chuy” García and Raja Krishnamoorthi, Illinois State Senators Ram Villivalam and Cristina Castro, Chicago Deputy Mayor Samir Mayekar, Skokie School District 73.5 Board Member Bushra Amiwala, Skokie Park District Commissioner Minal Desai, Illinois-for-All Co-Founder Sameena Mustafa, Oak Park Village Trustee Arti Walker-Peddakotla and Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition Board President Dr DilaraSayeed.
“Our community faces significant challenges when it comes to a growing undocumented population, language access, and equitable representation when it comes to public policy and access to government services,” said Kuriakose.
“IADO’s summit served as a collective platform to better analyze these challenges and how we can be better engaged in the political process.”
Susan Patel, vice president of IADO, also addressed the gathering
The summit also included representatives from Illinois’ leading South Asian non-profit organizations who shared their vital work for the community like the Indo-American Center (IAC), the South Asian Bar Association (SABA), Inner-city Muslim Action Network (IMAN) and the South Asian American Policy & Research Institute (SAAPRI).
IADO’s post-summit plans include working with summit participants and ally organizations to better serve Illinois’ growing South Asian American community. IADO’s 40th Annual Banquet will take place October 13 at the Holiday Inn Banquet Hall in Skokie, Illinois.
Established in 1980, IADO is Illinois’ leading South Asian American political action committee and one of the oldest South Asian political advocacy organizations in the US. IADO engages South Asian Americans in the political process, recruits and endorses candidates who share the community’s values for public office and advocates for progressive policy solutions for Illinois’ 270,000 South Asian Americans, immigrants, and new Americans and working families.
