This policy update highlights key developments related to voting rights and civic participation within the Democracy & Civic Action program, with a focus on the Census Data Governance & Redistricting Battles and SAVE Act (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act). Census…
Report – Strengthening Democracy | Closing the Gap: Advancing Language Access in Chicago’s Evolving Electoral Landscape
Following the 2020 census and 2022 redistricting, precincts in Chicago decreased from 2,069 to 1,291 precincts during the 2024 election, resulting in a net 38% reduction in precincts. Our latest report Strengthening Democracy: Closing the Gap – Advancing Language Access…
2025 Asian American Action Day!
On April 30th, 2025, SAAPRI and the Pan-Asian Voter Empowerment Coalition (PAVE) held our 12th Asian American Action Day at the State Capitol in Springfield, IL! We headed to Springfield because policies are passed through stories and our legislators need…
Navigating the Early Days of the Trump Presidency 2.0
Description On April 10, SAAPRI and SAAJCO hosted a critical conversation on civil rights, immigration policies, and community protections in this new political landscape. Experts and advocates broke down the changes, provided key insights, and shared actionable steps to stay…
Chicago Voter Engagement Forum
On April 5, 2025, Executive Director Shobhana Verma attended and served as a speaker and panelist at the Chicago Voter Engagement Forum, hosted by the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.
2025 Women’s History Month Celebration
On March 25th, 2024, SAAPRI team members Anushka Das, Francys Muñoz, Julie Thomas Achettu, and Prottusha Sarkar attended Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Women’s History Month Celebration at the Chicago Cultural Center, representing our organization and honoring the women whose dedication powers…
Advocacy for Amendment to Cook County Human Rights Ordinance
As part of our ongoing commitment to protecting and expanding the rights of limited English proficient (LEP) populations, SAAPRI was proud to participate in recent efforts to advance language justice across Cook County. On March 11th, 2025, Executive Director Shobhana…
Press Release: Engaged Communities Series
SAAPRI and SAAJCO Launch Engaged Communities Series to Spotlight Civil Rights and Community Action March 3, 2025 – At a time when civil rights and community engagement are more critical than ever, the South Asian American Policy and Research Institute…
2024 Impact Report
We’re proud to share SAAPRI’s 2024 Impact Report, showcasing the groundbreaking work we’ve accomplished this year to empower the South Asian American community. We would also like to share a special message from our Executive Director Shobhana Verma.
Protect Your Vote: Navigating Election Challenges
On November 1st, 2024, SAAPRI presented the last event in our GOTV Event Series: “Protect Your Vote: Navigating Election Challenges,” co-hosted by The North American South Asian Law Students Association (NASALSA) and South Asian Legal Defense Fund (SALDF). With the 2024 Presidential Election around…