OUR WHy

SASM was born out of the realization that while South Asian Americans are one of the wealthiest, most educated, most populous, and fastest-growing immigrant groups in the United States, this community has not sufficiently mobilized to work towards social change collectively. We believe that South Asians have a responsibility to use our collective privilege to help co-create social change and that South Asian Americans can be catalysts of inclusion, disruptors of injustice, and agents of change who work to uplift and advocate for racially minoritized communities within Chicago.

SASM aims to help de-segregate our community and encourage cross-racial allyship. Historically, South Asian communities are very segregated and stick to their micro-communities. The South Asian diaspora is a very diverse one- but we often are not in community with those who don’t share our language, religion, or ethnic identities.

SASM creates a space for South Asians in Chicago to come together to deepen bonds and increase the understanding of our individual and collective experiences. Additionally, Chicago is one of the most racially diverse cities in the country, but at the same time, it is one of the most segregated. SASM is committed to community building and provides opportunities for cross-racial allyship and solidarity building..