In the 2020-21 school year, a group of Jesuit High School students founded The Desi Project, a nonprofit with the mission of empowering South Asian teenagers in America to become more confident with their culture and providing them with a platform to share their stories and culture with the community.
Through The Desi Project's advocacy and collaboration with the City of Beaverton, Mayor Lacey Beaty recently proclaimed August 8th as "South Asian Legacy Day" in Beaverton, Oregon. This accomplishment will open new avenues for highlighting South Asian culture and sharing the unique identities of South Asian Americans with the greater community.
The Desi Project has been working relentlessly to create change by educating the community about misrepresentation of South Asian culture. Last week, the team made history with this accomplishment.
"After such a difficult year, being able to integrate South Asian history and culture into our community is such an honor," says Shreya Kaushik '22. "My Desi Project team members and I are so thankful to Jesuit High School and the City of Beaverton for enacting this proclamation. We hope to continue empowering students in our community."
"We continue to be so proud of Dev, Nysa, Rishabh, Shreya, and the whole Desi Project team for their eloquence and advocacy for the South Asian community in Portland," says Jesuit High School Principal Paul Hogan. "They are putting into action the ideals of inclusion and empathy that we hope all of our students learn to practice."
Congratulations to The Desi Project for this influential and important accomplishment.