NJLP Fellowship: Kavin Haldo

I slowly massaged my drowsy eyes as I rolled out of bed and checked my phone. To my surprise, I had about twenty notifications from twitter and five emails in my inbox. Still in shock, I tapped on the first pop-up, which spelled in bold red letters, “The Murder of George Floyd.” I quickly opened the attached video and saw something I could never unsee-- an innocent African American man being choked by a white police officer. “I can’t breathe,” he mouthed, as he took his last breath. I recalled those words from just years before-- mumbled by Eric Garner in 2016, and by at least sixty other African American individuals who were victims of police brutality. I was nothing less than shocked, not only by the actions taken by the murderer but also by the obnoxious naiveness of the bystanders. I decided to spend the next few hours revisiting other videos of police brutality, to truly acknowledge the problem we face in this county. As I was looking through them, one, in particular, caught my eye. An innocent black individual was being murdered, for what seems like the billionth time in American history, while a South Asian man walked by-- taking note of what was happening-- yet choosing not to do anything about it. At that moment, I truly recognized that my involvement with the New Jersey Leadership Program this summer is not as much an opportunity as it is a necessity to get more South Asians woven into the complexity of politics, justice, and equality. 

With the increasingly prominent health concern caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it was uncertain that all of the fellows would receive a placement. Still, with the hard work and dedication of Vinay Limbachia, Amit Jani, and the other NJLP board members, the program was launched virtually. As school came to an end, I started working online at Assemblyman Karabinchak’s office, where I was able to meet other interns, three of which--like me--are Asian-American. Living in an exceedingly diverse state, I was unsurprised, but what did shock me was that the very message that NJLP carries was reflected in my day-to-day life while collaborating with my coworkers. I dressed in my best business professional and took a long breath before I clicked on the link to join my first virtual meeting. I was greeted excitedly by Sophia Dolashewich and Ben Ghiano-- Assemblyman Karabinchak’s Legislative Aide and Chief of Staff, respectively. My most memorable assignment so far was writing a detailed memorandum on ICE’s Foreign Exchange Students Policy which includes who and what universities in New Jersey are affected. I spent days enclosing myself in the walls of details brought forward by this piece of legislation and analyzing statements made regarding the policy. Every Monday then onwards, I have waited eagerly for the link to the weekly meetings where we debrief the assignments completed the week before, and talk about what the future holds. 

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the speakership program was also moved from in-person to virtual. This weekend marked the second speakership series, which consisted of three incredible speakers. The first of the three was Assemblyman Daniel Benson, who represents NJ’s fourteenth legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly. Assemblyman Benson spoke on how he got involved in politics as well; he went on to mention that he lost a few elections and that losses don’t define a person. I believe that this is an important personality trait that those involved in politics must carry for the sole purpose of having faith in oneself. The determination that Assemblyman Benson portrayed via running for office multiple times was strictly translated into his passion for pushing legislation from the Assembly all the way to the Governor's desk. It was extremely encouraging to get the chance to talk to someone who has continued to strive for a better New Jersey with or without an Assembly position. 

The second speaker was Amit Jani, an NJLP Board Member/Founder who is the National Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Director at Biden for President. He has also previously worked as the AAPI Director at Menendez for Senate and at Murphy for Governor. Mr. Jani spoke primarily about the steps that he took to work towards where he is today. One point that stood out to me was that his first internship was with a Republican representative. I would have never expected that considering he himself is a Democrat and that he’s only ever worked for Democratic candidates. I took note of this point because it truly communicates his character as well as the steps that he took to grow his network and build-up towards the impressive position he has today. I believe that working on both sides of the political aisle, even if only in a limited capacity for a Republican representative, has truly given him invaluable insight. Branching out beyond my own political affiliation could give me a better understanding as well, and I hope to accomplish just that in the near future. 

Our third, and final, speaker of the day was Rohit Tallapragada, another NJLP Board Member who is a research assistant at the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, Division on Civil Rights. Alongside the other fellows, I had an in-depth discussion with Mr. Tallapragada on networking as well as growing our career in politics. One of the most prominent points that he mentioned was that the groundwork is still important: whether it entails hanging up posters or door-to-door campaigning, it still needs to be done. He also mentioned that no matter the task and whether it is as straightforward (and critical) as door-knocking, people notice and respect good work.

My journey to explore the American justice system has been continually modified through my experiences as part of NJLP. It has been an eye-opening series so far that has allowed me to better grasp what it means to be involved in politics. Underrepresented minority group involvement in law or civic engagement more generally can truly be the difference between life and death, and between justice and injustice. The board members of NJLP were able to understand the utter importance of having this opportunity open despite the unprecedented circumstances-- and I will be forever grateful. 

Week 2: Normalcy Among Uncertainty

By: Alisha Veera 

2020 has been synonymous with uncertainty. It has been a roller coaster ride, sometimes with experiences that have helped us grow, and other times with moments that have questioned our future. Most people have learned that nothing is set in stone. 

 Being a Bergen County native — an area that was at one time the epicenter of COVID-19 cases in New Jersey — was a rude awakening. It was only a matter of time before I realized that my summer would not be what I imagined. Fortunately, through NJLP’s determination and hard work, all the fellows had been placed, even in a COVID world. 

Being placed remotely at Assemblyman Raj Mukherji’s office has been a unique experience. I do not drive on the highway, or really move anywhere. I do not work from 9 to 5 everyday. I do not complete assignments in a physical workplace. Instead, it is a different experience. I stay at home, working in my room on any assignments Assemblyman Mukherji’s Chief of Staff assigns me. Although a virtual internship may not be ideal, whether it be due to the lack of a physical work environment or the lack of opportunity to engage with constituents and their concerns, these past two weeks have proven to be just as educational and necessary. Even more, it seems that any assistance I can give has magnanimous effects in this current world. 

The uncertainties did not end with our placements — we must not forget the weekly speakership series. While there may have been challenges, the speakership series continued, virtually. This past Saturday we had the pleasure of hearing from Assemblyman Dan Benson, Amit Jani, and Rohit Ram Tallapragada.

Our first speaker was Assemblyman Dan Benson, who represented the 14th District. He started by explaining how a high school class pushed him, a STEM-focused student, into politics, and how his persistence and competitive nature in the early years of his career enabled his continued presence in town, county and state politics. Through our questions, we were able to have a discussion about current national politics and its effect on the Assemblyman’s work, his opinions on topics such as NJ Transit, and the lessons he has learned as a Councilman, Freeholder, and Assemblyman. I was impressed by how his early experiences in politics did not negatively impact him. As a young candidate in Hamilton Township and later in Mercer County, he was not provided mentorship from experienced politicians, who saw him as a future opponent, yet he has used those setbacks to become a mentor for young people, like the fellows. 

Following this engaging conversation, we were able to talk to Amit Jani, the founder and president of New Jersey Leadership Fellowship and the National Asian American Pacific Islander Director for the Biden for President campaign. Even while changing majors or preferred occupations, he always knew that he wanted to help people, eventually becoming involved in politics. As expected, we took this as an opportunity to learn about the inner workings of the Biden campaign. Questions about whether Trump voters were embarrassed to say they were voting for him, skewing polling data, or the biggest weaknesses of the Vice President’s campaign, or even about how the campaign is affected due to the party’s shift farther left due to policy agendas of Senator Sanders, Senator Warren, or even Representative Ocasio-Cortez. While some Americans may have hesitancy about Vice President Biden’s campaign, he confidently spoke about the Vice President’s ability to win the election and prove to be an empathetic and caring President, especially during these tumultuous times. It was probably the closest look we would get to the campaign and Presidential election. However, looking back, I really wish I asked who the Vice President pick is or is most likely to be. 

Our last speaker of the day was Rohit Ram Tallapragada, a research assistant at the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General (Division of Civil Rights) and NJLP Board Member. Like the rest of the speakers, we learned about how he became involved in politics and government and about his work in housing discrimination at the Division of Civil Rights. More importantly, this was an opportunity to speak to someone closer to our age — someone we would be able to relate to. Through our discussion, we were able to understand his current job, and how it has been affected by COVID. We also learned about the importance of networking and tips to make networking efficient in a COVID world. 

Through the past months, the global pandemic has left everyone filled with uncertainty, yet the world has not stopped revolving. While we are setting into a new normal of conducting internships remotely and have discussions with speakers over Zoom, the program has persisted to give us the best experience we can in this situation. It may be different than what any of us may have imagined, yet these opportunities have created a sense of normalcy. A world where we can continue to learn, work and grow. Sure, I might be sad about the canceled DC trip, but to work in a world of uncertainty has its own perks and thrills! 

NJLP Fellowship: Swaraj Randhawa

Reflecting on the prior week of the fellowship, I am amazed by how much has happened without me taking a single step outside of my own house.

 After one week in my internship, it amazed me how much has changed from the previous internships I’ve had. With Covid-19 limiting the chances of meeting anyone in person, my internship has been conducted remotely. The fellow interns have been in a similar state in which they would operate through Zoom for their internships and aid in researching legislation and reaching out to constituents, among other things. 

For my internship with Robbinsville Township, I am assisting in an initiative to aid local businesses, and my specific role is to organize data around different township programs. This program was designed to aid local Robbinsville businesses due to how Covid-19 affected them negatively. The program provides Robbinsville residents an incentive to shop at local stores compared to the other stores. The incentive was $20 for every 5 unique Robbinsville stores at which they spend $20 or more.  My job was to take each of the receipts given and organize them to provide each resident with the gift cards they had gotten through their shopping.

As part of the fellowship program, I was excited to participate in the first Saturday Speakership Series. Having set an alarm for 7 AM on Saturday, I eventually woke up at 9 AM, staring at my ceiling before realizing how late I had woken up! This prompted me to quickly eat my breakfast and rush towards the incoming Zoom Call. Despite the rushed start to the day, I was confident that I would still have a great experience with the speakers. The speakers included:

• Shanti Narra, Middlesex County Freeholder

• Frank Pallone, U.S. Representative for New Jersey’s 6th district

• Amol Sinha, Executive Director for the ACLU-NJ

• Sangeeta Doshi, Councilwoman for Cherry Hill township

Each speaker brought valuable knowledge on many different current issues and encouraged each of us to support in a variety of ways. Their kind words of encouragement inspired me to take a more active role within my community.

One story that particularly stood out to me was when Shanti Narra talked about how she got into the political field. While living in New Jersey for the majority of my life I had always imagined my community as culturally diverse, however, this wasn’t the case for Shanti Narra. She had to learn and acclimate to a new environment in which there wasn’t this high level of diversity that is present today. She had to step out of her comfort zone to make an impact within her community. This provided all of us with a better viewpoint and made us realize that we can make our opportunities to have a bigger influence within our townships

Throughout my internship, the experience has bolstered my prior knowledge of local politics, and I am very grateful for becoming a Fellow in the New Jersey Leadership Program. I have learned a lot and look to learn so much more under my internship and through the future Saturday Speakership Series.

Week 1: The Start of Something New

By: Shreya Aravindakshan

About two weeks into virtual learning, as I sat at my desk finishing up my work for the day, I went to check my email. Opening the new email, I read the bright lettered “Congratulations!” that now filled my screen. I was exhilarated; I was selected as NJLP Fellow! As excited as I was though, slowly uncertainty began to creep in. How would this work during a global pandemic? Would I even be able to receive a placement?

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced a note of confusion and uncertainty into this summer’s plans, but thankfully, given the persistence of Amit Jani, Vinay Limbachia, and all the program coordinators, NJLP was still able to run. Still, I think I can speak for all of the 2020 fellows when I say that we were nervous to see just how drastically things were going to change. Anxiously, I waited for an email,  saying that I had been assigned to an office. Since offices decided not to take interns this year with everything going on, when I learned that I would be interning at Assemblyman Raj Mukherji’s office this summer, I was extremely grateful and excited to hear this. There is not enough South Asian representation in government and politics. How amazing of an opportunity would it be for me to shadow a South Asian assemblyman?

Obviously, my internship would be quite different than past years. For one, my internship would be completely virtual. Though this was definitely disappointing, I have still learned so much and have been able to understand the inner workings of a government office. Through my time in this program, I have worked closely with Kenneth McPherson, Assemblyman Mukherji’s Chief of Staff. Each Monday, I eagerly await his email, assigning me my tasks for the week, knowing that is going to spiral me into new tunnels of knowledge and allow me to expand my horizons. 

The day I received my first assignment, I was filled with enthusiasm. I would be researching the spread of COVID-19 in prisons and the effects it had on healthcare workers, inmates, and prison staff. As I compiled my list of questions for the hearing the next day, I was shocked by the uncomfortable truths I was reading. Prisons, not designed to socially distance their inmates, suffered huge numbers of cases and a lack of protective equipment. I read articles from a plethora of local and national newspapers, and though I was angered by the amount of incarcerated people that were not released to be with their families despite state governments saying they would be, I was grateful that I was able to educate myself and reduce my ignorance to this problem. 

Another big modification to the program: a virtual Speakership Series. I really appreciated all of the speakers willing to take time to adapt to a virtual format and speak to us. This past Saturday, July 11th, we had four inspirational speakers. The first speaker was Shanti Narra, a freeholder for Middlesex County and an attorney and supervisor in the Criminal Defense Division of the Legal Aid Society. She spoke about her experience growing up in a nearly all white New Jersey; I couldn’t even imagine living in New Jersey with no temples, no Oak Tree Road, and no diversity. Emphasizing the importance of bringing the South Asian female position to the NJ Transit Board, Council on Affordable Housing, and the various other committees she served on, she supported our goals and encouraged us to continue pursuing government and politics.

Our second speaker was the long time U.S. Representative, Frank Pallone. We had a great lively discussion with him about a variety of topics – climate change, prescription drug costs, and the pandemic just to name a few. One of the most interesting debates we had was on the idea of an “imperialistic presidency” and its detriments. I personally found it fascinating to hear all of the differing views of the fellows, as the Federalist Papers, Habeus Corpus, and the current presidency were all mentioned. Representative Pallone heard our thoughts and spoke with us openly, sharing his candid opinions with us as if we were peers. 

Following this, Amol Sinha spoke to us. He is the Executive Director of the ACLU-NJ and provided a great perspective on the plight of the incarcerated persons in New Jersey, unable to be with their families during these troubled times, to access soap, hand sanitizer, or protective equipment, and to socially distance. As this was a topic I had researched for my internship, I was really interested in how the ACLU is supporting these people. He also explained what exactly defunding the police entails, as we discussed the current protests against police brutality. His fresh perspective enlightened me and educated me in so many different ways.  

Our final speaker for the day was Sangeeta Doshi, a township councilwoman in Cherry Hill. She allowed us to ask so many different questions, from her experiences as a South Asian woman in politics to her opinions on current events. One of the greatest topics that she discussed with us was the anti-blackness in the South Asian community. Mentioning that the best thing our generation can do is to read and educate ourselves, she made us feel empowered to change the biases of the elders in our community who still hold these antiquated views. 

My experience in the New Jersey Leadership Program has been nothing short of inspiring, educational, and empowering. It has opened my eyes to not only how many people are needed to run our local township governments, but also to how my voice can be heard and how I can affect change. Whether it be on climate change, anti-blackness, or police brutality, I ended my week feeling ready to take on the world by learning more and speaking out. As Freeholder Narra said, “Never say no to an opportunity.” This opportunity has allowed me to broaden my outlook and strengthen my voice, and I will always be thankful. 

Week 5: The Beginning of the End of the NJLP Journey

By: Tulip Sengupta

When trying to come up with what to write about regarding NJLP and my internship experience, I struggled tremendously. I realized that there is no coherent way to consolidate everything this program has done for me, within a single blog post. This program has introduced me to brilliant people, from the other fellows to the various speakers during our weekly speakership series, to the one and only Ajit Pai. I recall stumbling upon this program during my frantic search to find something productive to do this summer. Scrolling through the bios of the past fellows and reading previous blog posts, I was overwhelmed, to say the least. The previous fellows were all tremendously qualified and passionate, prompting myself to question whether I should even bother applying. Realizing that this was an invaluable program, I decided to put my insecurity away and apply. And I can say without a doubt that this is one of the best spontaneous decisions I have made.

I have been interning at Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman’s district office in Ewing. When I received the news that I was placed at the Congresswoman’s office, I was taken aback. While I knew that NJLP would be placing us at local politicians’ offices, I had not expected to be placed at the Congresswoman’s office and was pleasantly surprised. During my time in the office, I have acquired a plethora of skills. From learning how to use a Xerox machine to learning how to aid constituents with casework, this internship has served as an integral stop on my path to the workplace and higher education. My days at the office consist of helping the Constituent Service Representatives in any capacity, answering constituent phone calls, helping write letters for various events, and any other tasks that need to be fulfilled. At the office, I am the only high schooler ; the other interns are all in college or have graduated. In fact, when I revealed that I was not a 90s kid, the office was shocked, as they had not fathomed how I was only 17 and already interning at a Congressional office. To be honest, I too have struggled to fully comprehend this. I have been submerged into office culture and the political world at only 17 and I have been thoroughly enjoying it. 

While the internship is a big component of NJLP, I consider the speakership series to be equally as important. During our “Law and Advocacy” speakership series, we heard from various speakers who provided us insight into their careers and gave us invaluable advice. The day began with Parimal Garg, Deputy Chief Counsel for Governor Phil Murphy. Mr. Garg recollected his days at Georgetown and Harvard Law School and told us about how his parents had envisioned him pursuing STEM, but his high school teachers encouraged him to pursue law and politics. He encouraged us to be willing to prove ourselves in order to work our way up the career ladder and to not have an ego or think we are better than our work or peers. He didn’t try to sugarcoat his journey to his current job. Mr. Garg was honest with us and this was what we appreciated the most. 

The next speaker was Nadia Hussain, the Campaign Director for Maternal Justice at Moms Rising and a Board Member for the ACLU. Ms. Hussain gave us a brief summary of her life and her journey to where she is today. She is Bangladeshi, like myself, so I could relate to her in many ways when she described her family life and childhood. Ms. Hussain emphasized to us that working in public service does not necessarily mean you have to be in a legislative position ; if you have a goal that you truly care about, you can most definitely find a way to incorporate it into your life. She also told us that becoming an adult doesn’t mean all of your problems will suddenly vanish and you will have complete control of your life. She said that no one actually knows what they’re doing, and as a rising senior beginning her college applications and thinking more and more about her future, this was reassuring and put me at ease, at least temporarily..

The third speaker was Satish Poondi, a partner at Wilentz Law Firm and the Legal Advisor for the Indian Business Association. Mr. Poondi has been kind enough to host us at his law firm for the past few weeks. He talked about his experience in health care regulatory law after going to Rutgers Pharmacy School and then Rutgers Law School. Mr. Poondi gave us advice regarding finding our passion and figuring out a way to incorporate it into all aspects of our lives.

We concluded the day with Sonia Das, Vice President of Government Affairs for Advocacy & Management Group, and Patti McGuire, a lobbyist for the Princeton Public Affairs. Ms. Das and Ms. McGuire have spent many years in the political sphere, serving in various offices and campaigns. The two stressed the trifecta of policy, politics, and people. Additionally, they encouraged us to always be holistic and focus on the big picture. What stood out most about these two women was their willingness to help. As we told them our specific career goals, Ms. Das and Ms. McGuire gave us names of people to reach out to and told us to reference the two women when contacting these people. I believe this encounter perfectly exemplifies the mission of NJLP and how it seeks to steer the youth to a brighter future.

With one more week left of NJLP, I realize how much I have grown as a person through this program. I have gone from a quiet girl that struggled to say hello to people to someone who is actively seeking to meet new people. As President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build the youth for our future,” and I believe this encompasses precisely what NJLP has done for me and the other fellows.