As the election approaches, the Indian Cultural Society is partnering with professors and political researchers from Stanford and the University of California, Merced to host a panel called “Diaspora to Diplomacy.” Sabrina Toor is a 16-year-old Modesto High student, chair of the school’s Indian Student Union and a member of the Indian Cultural Society. She is the organizer of the Oct. 26 event.
“I felt that organizing a panel that had to do with a potential Indian president (Kamala Harris) or a potential Indian second lady (Usha Vance), I thought it was pertinent to the current election climate,” Toor said. She sees this as a way to create more awareness around the election and to encourage others in her community to make informed decisions.
“This is a pivotal moment for the Indian diaspora and I think it’s important to educate ourselves on the political candidates and the possible impact on our culture,” she said. Toor said she believes that local leaders including Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors Chairman Mani Grewal and U.S. Rep. John Duarte’s district director, Sam Samra, represent the Indian diaspora locally and more people of Indian heritage will soon rise to elected office.
The event, which will be held from 3-5 p.m. at the Residence Inn in north Modesto, has a $5 entrance fee to help cover the cost of renting the space and other organizing efforts.
Nate Monroe, a political science professor and director of the Center for Analytic Political Engagement at UC Merced, will be one of the panelists. He said that having a diversity of people represented in government changes what is put on the legislative agenda.
“Different issues might come up and be prioritized because a candidate has a particular background, perspective or different representational quality that allows that person to say, ‘Hey, I’m aware of this sort of problem. I’m aware of this sort of solution. I’m aware of the needs or preferences of this particular group. I’m going to raise this issue because I’m now in a position of power to do so,’” Monroe said.
Plans for the event began two months ago in conjunction with Modesto High’s Indian Student Union, but also with representatives from Gregori and Central Catholic high school.
“I realized the importance of using my voice and influence to promote these meaningful discussions within the community and especially at this time during election season,” said Toor, a junior.
Christopher Ojeda, an assistant professor of political science at UC Merced, said he was excited when Toor asked him to be a panelist. “As someone who studies politics and teaches young people about politics, it’s always heartening to see students engaged with very real issues, especially around representation, which it sounds like they want to explore,” he said.
Monroe said research suggests increased visibility of people with different backgrounds in higher office can mobilize participation within the community, either by an increase in people seeking elected office, protesting or simply voting in greater numbers.
Toor helped organize this event as a way to get into politics herself. “I have a growing interest in politics and I feel like this event will help me explore whether this is a path I continue on,” Toor said.
Another panelist will be Arzan Tarapore, a research scholar at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University.
Ojeda hopes that participants take this as an opportunity to think critically about electoral politics and representation. “Descriptive representation can be valuable, but may also not be a panacea for the country’s problems,” he said.
Toor said she hopes the event leaves people with more knowledge about the candidates. “I think it’s very easy to be skewed by the news and media, but having information by professors who are very educated on this topic in an unbiased way– I think we’ll be able to add some really important insights on the candidates,” she said. “And hopefully we’re all just a little bit more informed.”
