Gursimran Singh Padda

Age: 22

Home Town: Queens, New York

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Globalization Studies and Sociology, Stony Brook University

Specific Field Interests: Policy Research, Communication, Education

Placement: Department of School Education, Panchkula, Haryana

Area of Focus: Youth Development, Qualitative Research, Community Outreach

Fellowship Project: Developing community-centred narratives, and communication strategies through qualitative data collection and analysis, for the purpose of engaging with local stakeholders and improving information sharing.

Highlights: Being from Queens, New York, Gursimran had the opportunity to grow up in an incredibly diverse community. The constant exposure to different people, cultures, and their stories shaped his interest in community development. It was through studying Globalization Studies at Stony Brook University where he furthered his understanding of conflict resolution and problem solving in an international context, knowledge he used to further his interest in community development and develop as a global changemaker. Gursimran was highly involved on campus as a student leader. He served as the Vice President of his university’s UNICEF chapter, where he directed various fundraising initiatives aimed at addressing sustainable development goals. Notably he collaborated with a local NGO to deliver 50 feminine hygiene kits to at-risk women in his area. Outside of his student leadership, Gursimran also worked in policy and advocacy in New York. He worked as a Budget Policy Intern with the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, where he assisted in managing a coalition of 100 organizations advocating for progressive policy in New York City. He had also improved communications strategies and developed outreach guides and toolkits for the organization’s partners. He additionally worked with the National Association of Higher Education Systems as a consultant, where he utilized data to develop reports and visualizations to further the organization’s cause of advocating for migrant rights in New York State. With the American India Foundation (AIF) Banyan Impact Fellowship, Gursimran aims to further develop his skills in community outreach and development.