Asian Americans gear up for elections
In this edition of Saa Nasta, learn about how the group Rising Voices is reaching out to Asian American voters, and an international student who comes to the U.S. to pursue further education, only to get stuck here during the pandemic.
Rising Voices nonprofit educates Asian American voters
During the pandemic, the nonprofit Rising Voices had to find new ways to engage Asian American voters instead of holding in-person events. They moved to virtual forms of engagement during the pandemic such as phone calls and Zoom events. At first, they hired phone bankers to inform people about the Census 2020. Then they pivoted to wellness calls and informed people about the elections.
Shriya Yarlagadda from Grand Blanc was a phone banker who speaks Telugu. She says she was able to connect to callers. On calls, she would say, “I’m calling to check in to make sure you are doing OK with the COVID-19 situation. I have a list of phone numbers, and contact information or resources if you need it.’ And then after that we would say, this is the organization that I’m working with. And this is what we do.”
Listen to this story on WDET for the Communities of Hope series, featuring communities of color persevering through the pandemic.
A Bangladeshi international student gets stranded during the pandemic. Two years later, he reunites with his family.
International students are often left out of the narrative when it comes to how people coped during the pandemic. In many universities, these students were either not allowed to remain in the country, or for some, they were stuck here with no way out due to lockdowns in various countries.
Such is the story of Mohammed Ahsanul who came to the U.S. to study at the University of Wyoming to study mathematics. After finishing his studies he couldn’t go back to Bangladesh. Nor could his family meet him here, to attend his graduation or celebrate Eid. After nearly two years he reunites with them.
Listen to his story by Naina Rao who tells this story as part of the “A Better Life?” podcast series.