WBEZ Chicago: Looking back at the ‘Memories and Milestones’ of South Asians in Illinois
On May 7th, 2025, SAAPRI’s Executive Director Shobhana Verma and Education Consultant Julie Thomas Achettu were invited to WBEZ Chicago’s Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons. They were able to share our communities’ stories – our history, contributions, and the challenges we’ve…
City of Chicago AAPI Heritage Month Celebration
On May 6th, 2025, SAAPRI team members Sandeep Nain, Shobhana Johri Verma, Jordan Stalker, and Julie Thomas Achettu joined the Mayor to celebrate the contributions of AANHPI communities across Chicago. We’re proud to not only reflect on SAAPRI’s work, but…
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…
Launch of Cook County’s new “I Speak Cards” and Language Access Month
On April 15, 2025, Executive Director Shobhana Johri Verma delivered remarks at a press conference alongside Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, 13th District Commissioner Josina Morita, Sheriff Tom Dart, Mariyana Spyropoulos, George Cardenas and Fritz Kaegi, celebrating the launch…
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…
Black History Month Celebration
On January 28th, 2025, Executive Director Shobhana Verma attended the Black History Month Celebration, hosted by Cook County.