AID Bay Area organizes several events throughout the year. Find information on talks with visiting grassroots activists, documentary screenings and other events by scrolling through this page.
Upcoming events
Acclaimed environmental activist C. Jayakumar and AID Development coordinator Somnath will speak at our annual donor dinner, Milan 2024. We would be thrilled if you could join us: RSVP if you can make it!
C. Jayakumar is the Director of Pesticide Action Network (PAN) India and Thanal, an environmental NGO. He has been an environmental activist since the 1970s, starting with nature clubs and campaigns such as the "Save Silent Valley" struggle. With a background in zoology, natural science, and sociology, he has worked extensively on environmental education, wildlife conservation, pesticide safety, zero-waste campaigns, and organic farming. He is also actively involved in international advocacy for chemical safety and environmental health.
We will also be joined by Somnath – an AID Development Coordinator with a twin focus on strengthening organizational processes within AID and connecting, working with, and learning from marginalized communities in India. He has been overlooking AID's work with Pahariya communities in Jharkhand to restore severely degraded ecology, restore water, retain soil, and improve agriculture.
The event will be held over dinner at 5 PM on Saturday, October 19, in the parish hall at Christ Episcopal Church, Los Altos (1040 Border Road, Los Altos, CA).
We'd be delighted if you could join us for this very special event. We strongly encourage you RSVP as soon as possible as we expect the venue to fill.
Please feel free to share this invitation with friends and colleagues. Please also do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
C. Jayakumar is the Director of Pesticide Action Network (PAN) India and Thanal, an environmental NGO. He has been an environmental activist since the 1970s, starting with nature clubs and campaigns such as the "Save Silent Valley" struggle. With a background in zoology, natural science, and sociology, he has worked extensively on environmental education, wildlife conservation, pesticide safety, zero-waste campaigns, and organic farming. He is also actively involved in international advocacy for chemical safety and environmental health.
We will also be joined by Somnath – an AID Development Coordinator with a twin focus on strengthening organizational processes within AID and connecting, working with, and learning from marginalized communities in India. He has been overlooking AID's work with Pahariya communities in Jharkhand to restore severely degraded ecology, restore water, retain soil, and improve agriculture.
The event will be held over dinner at 5 PM on Saturday, October 19, in the parish hall at Christ Episcopal Church, Los Altos (1040 Border Road, Los Altos, CA).
We'd be delighted if you could join us for this very special event. We strongly encourage you RSVP as soon as possible as we expect the venue to fill.
Please feel free to share this invitation with friends and colleagues. Please also do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
The Bay Area chapter of the Association for India's Development (AID) is thrilled to announce that acclaimed journalist P. Sainath will be speaking at our annual fundraiser this year, Milan 2023.
In a 43-year career as a journalist, Sainath – the former Rural Editor of the Hindu – has won over 60 global and national awards for his reporting (and turned down several, including the Padma Bhushan because, in his view, journalists should not be receiving awards from governments they cover and critique). His latest project, the People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI), aims at capturing the 'everyday lives of everyday people' – their labour, languages, livelihoods, arts, crafts and many other aspects of rural India.
The event will be held over lunch at 11 AM on Saturday, November 18, in the parish hall at Christ Episcopal Church, Los Altos (1040 Border Road, Los Altos, CA).
We are also happy to share that we will be joined by Somnath – an AID Development Coordinator with a twin focus of strengthening organizational processes within AID and to connect, work with and learn from marginalized communities in India.
We'd be delighted if you could join us for this very special event. We strongly encourage you RSVP as soon as possible as we expect the venue to fill to capacity.
Please feel free to share this invitation with friends and colleagues. Please also do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
In a 43-year career as a journalist, Sainath – the former Rural Editor of the Hindu – has won over 60 global and national awards for his reporting (and turned down several, including the Padma Bhushan because, in his view, journalists should not be receiving awards from governments they cover and critique). His latest project, the People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI), aims at capturing the 'everyday lives of everyday people' – their labour, languages, livelihoods, arts, crafts and many other aspects of rural India.
The event will be held over lunch at 11 AM on Saturday, November 18, in the parish hall at Christ Episcopal Church, Los Altos (1040 Border Road, Los Altos, CA).
We are also happy to share that we will be joined by Somnath – an AID Development Coordinator with a twin focus of strengthening organizational processes within AID and to connect, work with and learn from marginalized communities in India.
We'd be delighted if you could join us for this very special event. We strongly encourage you RSVP as soon as possible as we expect the venue to fill to capacity.
Please feel free to share this invitation with friends and colleagues. Please also do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
MILAN 2022
The Annual Donor Appreciation Event by AID Bay Area
Saturday, Oct 29, 06:00 pm PDT
Past Events
Sundarbans: Ground Zero for Climate (In) Justice
Saturday, July 9, 3:00 pm PST
Understanding the Farmers Unrest and The Positive Way Forward
Sunday, June 5, 3:00 pm PST
India's farmers are facing an unprecedented, multilayered agrarian crisis. Join us for an afternoon with eminent farmers rights activist and AID Jeevansaathi Kiran Vissa, a key figure in the farmers' movement in India to understanding the farmers' unrest and the positive way forward.
Kiran leads a farmers' organization called Rythu Swarajya Vedika in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and has been implementing a number of AID initiatives in these states to prevent farmer suicides and address issues of rural distress. Kiran will discuss his critical work with farmers and farmers movements in India against the backdrop and context of the recent farmers' protests that shook the nation.
Please join us for an incredible, informative and inspirational afternoon at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center in Redwood City on on Sun Jun 5 at 3PM!
Please note:
* There is no fee to attend the event. However, please register on Eventbrite so we order an appropriate quantity of food. Caffeine and snacks will be served!
* The venue is wheelchair-accessible and has plenty of parking. If you would like a ride from Redwood City Caltrain Station, please let us know.
Kiran leads a farmers' organization called Rythu Swarajya Vedika in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and has been implementing a number of AID initiatives in these states to prevent farmer suicides and address issues of rural distress. Kiran will discuss his critical work with farmers and farmers movements in India against the backdrop and context of the recent farmers' protests that shook the nation.
Please join us for an incredible, informative and inspirational afternoon at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center in Redwood City on on Sun Jun 5 at 3PM!
Please note:
* There is no fee to attend the event. However, please register on Eventbrite so we order an appropriate quantity of food. Caffeine and snacks will be served!
* The venue is wheelchair-accessible and has plenty of parking. If you would like a ride from Redwood City Caltrain Station, please let us know.
JUSTICE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIA'S YOUTH
Saturday, May 21, 2:00 pm PST
Prita Jha is a legal activist, researcher and trainer who has been engaging with issues of access to Justice for survivors of “unconstitutional violence “in various capacities in India over the last fifteen years. She is the founder and President of Peace and Equality cell (PEC). Peace and Equality Cell provides free legal representation survivors of child sexual abuse. PEC has made very effective intervention on the issue of poor state of women’s shelters in Gujarat by filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). This has led to a new set of rules being notified for all Shelters in Gujarat.
Most recently PEC has started building its team and collective capacity on the Rights of Persons with Disability Act 2016. Additionally, in collaboration with two NGOs Samvet and Samegra Seva, PEC provided provide covid relief measures and promote vaccination in five districts of Bihar. Last but by no means least, Prita’s dream to work on access to Justice for survivors of child sexual abuse in Bihar, where she originates from, is slowly taking shape. Prita is the co-editor and co-author of two different books with Professor Surabhi Chopra and Advocate Warisha Farasat. Both books examine the Indian state’s record and response fulfilling its obligations to provide justice and reparation to victims across different episodes of mass violence. Prita has also taught courses on Gender and law, Criminal justice Administration and RTI and “NGOs and Civil Society “at Nirma University, Gujarat. Prita has published articles on Open Democracy on various aspects of implementation of the Domestic Violence and Child Sexual Abuse legislation in India. During the COVID lockdown she appeared on various webinars addressing the shadow pandemic of violence against women and children. Prita’s conversations with Karla Bookman, founder-editor of the influential cultural magazine, Swaddle, have proved popular with social media audiences. |
Ravishankar Arunachalam is the founder and Chief Executive Officer at Chudar, an afterschool program based in Chennai focused on well-rounded education of underprivileged children in 6th-8th grades using innovative approaches to STEM education. Chudar has developed new tools for teaching Math and Science which has now been adopted by the Tamil Nadu government. Additionally, the Chudar team is actively working on Math and Science curricula for TN government schools.
During his time in the US, Ravishankar was an active volunteer with the Pittsburgh and Austin AID chapters and a member of the AID Executive Board. Ravishankar has served as the Joint Secretary of AID India and coordinated the secondary education and equitech programs of AID Tamil Nadu. At AID India, he co-developed the science lab in a box for which AID INDIA received the MIT Indus Technovators Award. He is the author of various popular science and math books, and developed innovative kits and educational resources for children. He was part of the Tamil Nadu government secondary education curriculum committee and authored the class 6 maths text book when the new syllabus was introduced. He has been a resource person for UNICEF and NCERT, and has made invited presentations on education at conferences in India and abroad. Ravishankar has been working in the field of children’s education for the past 12 years, prior to which he was a full time faculty at I.I.T. Previously he worked at IBM, where he got 3 US patents. He holds a Ph.D in engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and a B. Tech from IIT, Madras. |
SHEER QORMA
Special Screening and Reception
Thursday, Oct 28, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm PDT
Sheer Qorma TrailerWHEN: Oct 28, 2021 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM PDT
WHERE: Ninth Street IFC, 145 9th Street, San Francisco |
We invite you to join us as we hold a special screening "Sheer Qorma" and reception with Faraz Arif Ansari(they/them) who is the director of this groundbreaking short and will be present in person. They are flying in from Mumbai, India. Q&A session to follow.
Sheer Qorma, a short film that stands to represent the LGBTQA+ community with a heart-warming story starring Shabana Azmi, Divya Dutta and Swara Bhasker. It is produced by Marijke de Souza. The film has already won the Best Short Film Audience Award at the Frameline Film Festival and qualifies for the BAFTA 2021. Speaking of the inspiration for the film, Ansari said, “There were two very important reasons — one being under-representation and the other being misrepresentation. Being a queer person growing up in India in the 1990s, I often saw myself not being represented [on screen], and whenever there was some sort of a queer representation, it was misrepresented, and this bothered me. |
MILAN 2021
The Annual Donor Appreciation Event by AID Bay Area
Saturday, Nov 20, 11:00 am PDT
Oct 17, 2020, 6pm
milan 2020
Dec 7, 2019: Documentary Screening
Alpa Jana Golpogulo (The lesser known stories)
A film on the life and times of transgender communities in India
Bengali with English subtitles
6:30pm @ 470 Castro St, San Francisco
Alpa Jana Golpogulo Trailer
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AID Bay Area and Parivar, the Bay Area's South Asian trans and gender-nonconforming people's collective present a film about transgender communities of West Bengal made by a trans rights organization and AID partner Moitri Sanjog. The screening will be attended by one of the founders of Moitri Sanjog, Sumi Das, who is a transwoman fighting for the rights of her community for most of her life. The screening will be held at Strut, the home of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation in San Francisco, and will be followed by an interactive Q&A session with Sumi and reception.
WHEN: Dec 7, 2019 6:30pm WHERE: Strut, 470 Castro St, San Francisco |
Spark 2019: Climate, Communities and Change
Nov 16, 2019: A youth and children's workshop organized by AID and Navarasa
Are you interested in getting your children exposed to social justice concepts
through an evening of theatre, music and storytelling?
through an evening of theatre, music and storytelling?
AID Bay Area and Navarasa Dance Theatre present an event for children between ages 6 and 13 to critically analyze the world and make sense of the information presented to them. Through this event, we’ll bring about awareness of the multi dimensional nature issues that affect our environment. We’ll then enable your child process the resulting emotions through the creative outlets of theatre, dance and music and leave them with more space for empathy and compassion in their hearts and heads.
WHEN: Nov 16, 2019 2-6pm
WHERE: El Palo Alto Room, Mitchell Park Library, Palo Alto
WHEN: Nov 16, 2019 2-6pm
WHERE: El Palo Alto Room, Mitchell Park Library, Palo Alto
Nov 7-10, 2019: 3rd i's 17th ANNUAL SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL SOUTH ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL
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AID Bay area is proud to partner with 3rd i's seventeenth annual SF International South Asian Film Festival (Bollywood and Beyond) with some of the best cinema from India, Sri Lanka, UK and the USA. This year’s festival lends an ear to Young voices, capturing both intergenerational relationships, and stories of youth coming-of-age in rural areas and in megacities. Humor takes centerstage in stories of stand-up comics, and in our signature shorts program which uses satire to address pressing social issues from the border wall to colorism. This year’s festival is brimming with cutting-edge indie narratives: from gripping and compassionate stories of addiction, to up-and-coming filmmakers of Bengali cinema and the Assamese New Wave, to a searing and masterful period drama on caste conflict from Sri Lanka. As always, California filmmakers and Women’s stories shine bright!
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Use promotional code "cp_2019” when purchasing tickets and receive 20% off an individual $11 ticket (until online sales end two hours before the screening. Online fees not discounted).
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November 7-10, New People Cinema and Castro Theater, San Francisco
November 16, Palo Alto Art Center, Palo Alto
For expanded program and ticketing information, please visit: www.thirdi.org
November 16, Palo Alto Art Center, Palo Alto
For expanded program and ticketing information, please visit: www.thirdi.org
Oct 26, 2019: How can a citizens' movement ensure transparency and accountability in governance?
A conversation with Jayaram Venkatesan
Saturday, Oct 26, 4pm
Wally Pond Irvington Community Center
41885 Blacow Rd., Fremont, CA
Wally Pond Irvington Community Center
41885 Blacow Rd., Fremont, CA
July 20, 2019: Documentary Screening
Sikkidre Shikari, Iladidre Bhikari (Bird Trapper or Beggar?)
Kannada/Waghri with English subtitles (73 minutes)
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The Hakki Pikkis are a free spirited nomadic tribe who began their wandering many generations ago in the North Western part of the Indian subcontinent. Over time they traveled through and settled in different states of the country. As they moved, they survived through trapping birds and hunting small game in the forests and selling them in cities and towns along with lucky charms and trinkets. If the trap failed, begging was the next best bet! Exiled from the forest, reviled by the city, their traditional ways of life outlawed, the Hakki Pikkis share their stories of wit and survival in the film that emerged through a series of community conversations held when we travelled with friends from a settlement in Bannerghatta, Bangalore to other settlements across Karnataka. The trailer can be accessed at: https://www.facebook.com/SikkidreShikari/videos/173865943157519/ For more details: https://alemaaripeople.wordpress.com/ https://www.facebook.com/SikkidreShikari/ Join AID Bay Area for a screening of this documentary with the producer and narrator, Madhu Bhushan |
April 13, 2019: Celebrating Dr. Ambedkar's 128th Birth Anniversary
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Join us for an engaging discussion on intersectionality of class and caste on the occasion of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's 128th Birth Anniversary.
Saturday, April 13, 2:00-5:00 PM Odd Fellows Cupertino Hall 20589 Homestead Road, Cupertino Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was a jurist, economist, politician and social reformer in India, who campaigned against social discrimination towards the untouchables (Dalits), while also supporting the rights of women and labor. He was independent India's first law and justice minister, the architect of the Constitution of India, and a founding father of the Republic of India. Join AID Bay Area with our community partners Ambedkar King Study Circle and San Jose Peace and Justice Center for an afternoon of discussions on intersections of class and caste that still affect every aspect of life in India and diaspora circles. |
June 23: Fair trade products from Women's livelihood projects
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Come join us at Dilli Haat this Saturday to discover the work by women artisans in India. Our selection will feature eclectic clothes and jewelry from:
Hunar Revolution - Rajasthan : Hunar Revolution (http://www.Hunarrevolution.com/) is a collaboration between students at North Carolina State University’s College of Textiles and marginalized women tailors in Jaipur, India. Along with AID, HR is connecting cultures to make a difference. The livelihood training helps women in need to be more independent and ushers better quality of life for them and their families. Chitrika - Andhra Pradesh/Telangana : Fabric used in Chitrika comes from Weavers cooperative in Andhra Pradesh while stitching and embroidery is by women in Telangana Mohammad Bazar Backward Class Development Society - West Bengal : Women’s empowerment & livelihood project for tribal, Dalit, Muslim and economically backward classes, where they are trained in silk weaving, Katha embroidery, garment making and jewelry making. Chiguru & Jagrutha Mahila Sanghathan - Karnataka : Jagrutha Mahila Sanghatan in Raichur District in Karnataka presents terra cotta jewelry, handmade with expert care. Chiguru is a Dalit women’s enterprise made of exploited women (survivors of devasi) who took to jewelry making and since 1998 have prevented more women from going down the path of exploitation. |
June 9, 2018: Reclaiming our Humanity: A Transgender Struggle.
-a discussion with Sumi Das
May 19, 2018: Sustainable and inclusive approaches to improving quality of education in India
by Ravishankar Arunachalam
Stanford Graduate Community Center - Nairobi Room, 750 Escondido Road, Stanford, CA
Saturday, May 19, 2:00 PM
Saturday, May 19, 2:00 PM
April 15, 2018: Celebrating Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's 127th Birth Anniversary
Join AID Bay Area and Ambedkar King Study Circle for a discussion on 'Social Justice in Neo-liberal Era' in celebration of Dr. Ambedkar's 127th birth anniversary. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar is best known around the world as the architect of Indian constitution, but for the millions of Dalits, he represents the freedom from centuries-old caste-based oppression. His ideas on social and economic justice were revolutionary. In this event, we will hear from three people on the subject and engage in a lively discussion. The event is free and open to all.
Sunday, April 15, 2-5pm
Havana Room, Stanford Graduate Community Center
750 Escondido Road, Stanford, CA
Sunday, April 15, 2-5pm
Havana Room, Stanford Graduate Community Center
750 Escondido Road, Stanford, CA
Mar 17, 2018
SunGanges
A Documentary film screening and Discussion
Feb 18, 2018: Is safe food and sustainable farming viable in today's India?
A talk with Dr. Ramanjaneyulu
Nov 9-12: 3rd i South Asian Film Festival
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AID Bay Area is proud to partner with 3rd i film festival in its fifteenth year. Come celebrate 3rd i's fifteenth anniversary as the annual SF International South Asian Film Festival presents some of the best cinema from India, Pakistan,Bangladesh, Canada, Australia, and the USA. This year’s festival captures the political zeitgeist of our times, offering reflections on the democratic process, the power of the vote, and on the legacy of political revolutions. Home movies become rich fodder for filmmakers, their celluloid memories resurfacing stories about family, immigration, and cross-cultural dialogue. Voices from the margins circulate through the program, centering women’s unsung labor, queer voices, and disappearing landscapes. As always the shorts program gathers an impressive range of local and international offerings, while Bollywood is served up two ways - neo-noir and classic camp.
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For the complete festival program and to purchase tickets, please visit www.thirdi.org
Use special promotional code for AID: "cp_2017” when purchasing tickets for this film and receive 20% off an individual $11 ticket (until online sales end on the day of the screening. Online fees not discounted).
Use special promotional code for AID: "cp_2017” when purchasing tickets for this film and receive 20% off an individual $11 ticket (until online sales end on the day of the screening. Online fees not discounted).
Oct 29, 2017: HOLY (UN)HOLY RIVER
A Documentary Screening with UNAFF
AID Bay Area is partnering with the United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF) to present:
HOLY (UN)HOLY RIVER
SUNDAY 10/29, 5:50 PM
Cubberley Auditorium, Stanford University
Directors: Pete McBride, Jake Norton
Producers: Pete McBride, Jake Norton, Anand Kamalakar
Description:
Once celebrated for its purity, the Ganges River of India now carries contaminates from its glacial headwaters, where freshly fallen snow contains zinc from industrial emissions. Downriver, the river is dammed sixteen times (with another fourteen dams under construction) to provide hydroelectric power and flood control. All along its course, water is diverted from the river for agriculture and other uses, and the 500 million people in the Ganges basin further pollute the river with household trash, industrial waste, raw sewage and the remains of the dead. Still, the Hindu faithful revere the river as Ma Ganga—or “Mother Ganges”—a physical embodiment of the divine. Millions flock to her banks to bathe and absolve their sins with Ganga jal (Ganges water). And, almost magically, the river does cleanse itself, perhaps through dilution, perhaps through biology and the help of bacteriophages. Holy (un)Holy River examines the paradox of this sacred river—the intricacies of a waterway that is divine and defiled, revered and reviled—and asks the essential question: Can the Ganges survive?
For more: http://www.unaff.org/2017/f_HolyUnholyRiver.html
HOLY (UN)HOLY RIVER
SUNDAY 10/29, 5:50 PM
Cubberley Auditorium, Stanford University
Directors: Pete McBride, Jake Norton
Producers: Pete McBride, Jake Norton, Anand Kamalakar
Description:
Once celebrated for its purity, the Ganges River of India now carries contaminates from its glacial headwaters, where freshly fallen snow contains zinc from industrial emissions. Downriver, the river is dammed sixteen times (with another fourteen dams under construction) to provide hydroelectric power and flood control. All along its course, water is diverted from the river for agriculture and other uses, and the 500 million people in the Ganges basin further pollute the river with household trash, industrial waste, raw sewage and the remains of the dead. Still, the Hindu faithful revere the river as Ma Ganga—or “Mother Ganges”—a physical embodiment of the divine. Millions flock to her banks to bathe and absolve their sins with Ganga jal (Ganges water). And, almost magically, the river does cleanse itself, perhaps through dilution, perhaps through biology and the help of bacteriophages. Holy (un)Holy River examines the paradox of this sacred river—the intricacies of a waterway that is divine and defiled, revered and reviled—and asks the essential question: Can the Ganges survive?
For more: http://www.unaff.org/2017/f_HolyUnholyRiver.html
Join us for AID Bay Area's annual fundraiser concert on Oct 7, 6:00pm at Smithwick Theatre in Los Altos, CA. Hear the soulful music from India's premier rock fusion band, INDIAN OCEAN!
Learn more
Learn more
Sept 23, 2017: Healthcare Challenges in Changing India
A Panel discussion with
Dr. Yogesh Jain (Jan Swasthya Sahyog, Chhattisgarh)
Sarojini N. (Sama, Delhi)
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Join AID Bay Area and Asha Stanford at a panel discussion to listen to two grassroots activists who have made significant contribution to healthcare work and policy in India. The panel discussion will focus on grassroots and policy interventions in healthcare that are required in both rural and urban India.
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Sept 23, 2017 4:30pm
Stanford Graduate Community Center - Nairobi Room 750 Escondido Rd, Stanford, CA 94305 The event is annual Asha Stanford Welcome Event and will include refreshments. |
Dr. Yogesh JainYogesh Jain has an MD in Paediatrics from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi where he also served as a faculty member for a few years, but is a public health physician in practice. He has been primarily involved in primary health care;- through founding and running a community health programme - Jan Swasthya Sahyog (People's health Support group) in rural Bilaspur in central India with like- minded health professionals since 1999. People from over 2500 of the most marginalised villages that are home to the indigenous people access these services for their major health care needs. He has been involved in addressing the issues - be they technical, operational, economic or political that determine the health care for the rural
poor through clinical care, careful documentation, observational research studies, developing appropriate health related technology, training, and lobbying, all based on the continual learning from this community health programme. Issues of access, cost and quality in health care have occupied most of his time, whether it is developing a blueprint for Universal health care in India, or addressing specific control programmes for tuberculosis, malaria, leprosy, Chronic diseases that include the NCDs, childhood infections and technical aspects of women's health. Observing Health and illnesses through the lens of Hunger and extreme poverty, he has been a strident believer in the continued role of the state as the primary provider of social services and also that unbridled privatization is not the way forward in an unequal world in which we live. Advocacy based on this lived experience at the provincial, national and international forums to highlight the burden and causes of the illnesses among the poorest in the world has been the recent way forward for him. More information on the work of Yogesh and Jan Swasthya Sahyog - http://www.jssbilaspur.org/ |
Sarojini NadimpallySarojini is a public health researcher and human rights activist, one of the founders of Sama Resource Group for Women and Health, a non- profit organization that works at the intersection of human rights, public health and marginalization. She has led several studies over the past two decades on public health, reproductive and medical technologies, clinical research, access to medicines, conflict and public health and bioethics. She was a core member of the campaign against injectable contraceptives, anti-fertility vaccines, and population control policies that disregard women’s needs and rights.
She is currently engaged with issues around biotechnologies and gender, access to medicines, and health in the realm of ethics and human rights through research and advocacy. She as part of Sama has been commissioned to conduct a study on access to health by the tribal communities by National Human Rights Commission. She was invited as Social Justice Policy Practitioner to the Five Colleges at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2013. She has co-authored and co-edited publications on alternative systems of medicine, reproductive and bio technologies, surrogacy, conflict and public health and contributed articles and papers on varied issues to national as well as international journals. She played an important role in conducting fact -finding following human rights violations in the context of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) trials on young girls or the deaths of 13 women following sterilization in Bilaspur and maternal deaths in Barwani district hospital in central India have served as critical evidence in advocacy. Sarojini was the Convener of the Medico Friend Circle (MFC) for a period of five years. She co-coordinated the MFC fact finding committee that studied the impact of health after the Gujarat riots of 2002 and contributed to the report, Carnage in Gujarat: A Public Health Crisis. She is also the Joint Convener of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, the Indian chapter of the People's Health Movement. Currently, she is the Steering Committee of the Peoples Health Movement (Global). More information on the work of Sarojini and Sama - http://www.samawomenshealth.in/ |
Aug 13, 2017: Kakkoos: A documentary on manual scavenging in India
We are proud to present Kakkoos (‘Toilet’) - a hard-hitting documentary film on the unknown and heretofore untold story of manual scavengers in India. Watch the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eEL9eS238I
Join us for a free screening of the film at the Milpitas Library Auditorium at 2:30PM on Sunday, Aug 13th
Join us for a free screening of the film at the Milpitas Library Auditorium at 2:30PM on Sunday, Aug 13th
June 3, 2017: Tackling Healthcare Challenges in Indigenous India:
A talk by Dr. Aquinas Edassary
May 20, 2017: India's Agrarian Crisis: A Discussion with Kiran Vissa
April 20, 2017: Development in the Balance: Inequality, rural distress and democracy: A Talk with P. Sainath
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Join AID Bay Area and Asha for Education at a talk by renowned journalist, P. Sainath to discuss the stresses and challenges for India's rural populations as they struggle to get equitable access to India's path to development WHEN: Thursday, April 20, 2017 7:00 PM WHERE: Havana Room, Stanford Graduate Community Center, 750 Escondido Road, Stanford |
April 16, 2017: Inclusive Campuses in An Exclusive Society: Reality or Utopia?
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Join AID Bay Area in a learning event to understand the role of caste on academic campuses. This event stems from the issues faced by Dalit students in institutions of higher education in India and is organized jointly by Ambedkar King Study Circle, Ambedkar Association of North America, South Asian Humanist Association, Organization for Minorities in India and AID Bay Area.
WHEN: Sunday, April 16, 2017 2:30-5:30 PM WHERE: India Community Center, 525 Los Coches St, Milpitas, CA SPEAKERS Mr. Harishchandra Sukhdeve: Whither, Sukhdeo Thorat Committee Dr. Rajunayak Vislavath (U. of California, Berkeley): The Politics of Difference in the Higher Education of India Mr. Aditya Chatterjee (Berkeley Law School): The Legality and Justice Dichotomy Mr. Bhaskar Krishnamsetty (SAHA): Caste is Unscientific hence Annihilate It A Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association (BAPSA) member from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU): Student movement for accountability and justice in education from Rohith to Delta |
'THERU' KOOTHU: A Dance Production by Sanhiti
Join AID Bay Area at the annual musical organized by Sanhiti. Sanhiti is a group of Bay Area residents who enjoy dancing and put up a spectacular show every year showcasing various dance styles mainly from southern India. This year, they will take you on a nostalgia tour of 'Theru Koothu', or 'The Street Dance' from southern India.
Sanhiti organizes these events as benefits to local charities. This year, they have partnered with AID Bay Area to support grassroots projects supporting farmers in distress during the biggest agrarian crisis that India is going through. Do stop by AID's booth to learn more about how you can help.
Sanhiti organizes these events as benefits to local charities. This year, they have partnered with AID Bay Area to support grassroots projects supporting farmers in distress during the biggest agrarian crisis that India is going through. Do stop by AID's booth to learn more about how you can help.
BUY TICKETS: $25
WHEN: April 8, 2 PM and 6 PM , April 9, 2 PM
WHERE: Woodside Performing Arts Center, 199 Churchill Ave, Woodside CA
WHEN: April 8, 2 PM and 6 PM , April 9, 2 PM
WHERE: Woodside Performing Arts Center, 199 Churchill Ave, Woodside CA
March 18, 2017: AID Bay Area General Body Meeting &
A Talk with Shweta Narayan
Towards Environmental Justice: One Community at a Time
Nov 5, 2017: Food, Farming & Future:
Meet & Greet with Revathi, Organic farmer and activist
Oct 22 & 30, 2016: Documentary Screenings with UNAFF 2016
AID Bay Area is proud to partner with United Nations Associations Film Festival (UNAFF) to present two films this Fall. Stop by the AID table at these screenings and learn about the gender and environmental justice work we support in India.
PETALS IN THE DUST: THE ENDANGERED INDIAN GIRLS
(89 minutes) Canada/India/US [watch trailer] SATURDAY 10/22, 2:50 PM PALO ALTO, MITCHELL PARK COMMUNITY CENTER, 3700 MIDDLEFIELD ROAD Director: Nyna Pais Caputi Producers: Gino Caputi, Nyna Pais Caputi Description: Petals in the Dust: The Endangered Indian Girls is a filmmaker's personal journey to understand and shed light on the origins and the enormity of the war against Indian women. A patriarchal mindset, a preference for sons and a deep-seated intolerance has led to the murder of fifty million girls and women in India in the last century. They continue to lose their lives in this century to infanticide, sex-selective abortions, starvation and medical neglect, dowry deaths and brutal gang rapes. By bringing this issue out into the open, the filmmakers hope to light the spark of resistance to this culture of gender violence and extermination, mobilize the Indian and International communities into getting involved in ending this "gendercide" and to encourage a new generation of Indian citizens to value, and respect their daughters, wives and the women in the community. |
HOW TO LET GO OF THE WORLD AND LOVE ALL THE THINGS CLIMATE CAN’T CHANGE
(127 minutes) US [watch trailer] SUNDAY 10/30, 6:50 PM STANFORD UNIVERSITY, CUBBERLEY AUDITORIUM, 485 LASUEN MALL Director: Josh Fox Producer: Deia Schlosberg Description: Oscar-nominated director Josh Fox (Gasland) continues, in his deeply personal style, investigating climate change—the greatest threat our world has ever known. Traveling to twelve countries on six continents, the film acknowledges that it may be too late to stop some of the worst consequences and asks, what is it that climate change can't destroy? What is so deep within us that no calamity can take it away? 
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Nov 10-13, 19, 2016: 3rd i South Asian Film Festival
AID Bay Area is partnering with 3rd i's South Asian Film Festival to showcase some of the best cinema from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, UK, Canada, and the USA. From nuanced dramas to witty comedies, this year’s Focus on Diaspora presents an expansive view on the immigrant experience. Indie Narratives take brave risks and explore issues from madness to modernity, sex to social justice; 3rd i's commitment to the celluloid celebration of Women’s Stories and Queer Voices continues as strong as ever; and Bay Area Filmmakers, shorts and documentaries are on the docket as always.
For the complete festival program and to purchase tickets, please visit www.thirdi.org
Use promotional code "cp_2016” when purchasing tickets for this film and receive 20% off an individual $11 ticket (until online sales end on the day of the screening. Online fees not discounted).
For the complete festival program and to purchase tickets, please visit www.thirdi.org
Use promotional code "cp_2016” when purchasing tickets for this film and receive 20% off an individual $11 ticket (until online sales end on the day of the screening. Online fees not discounted).
From Union Carbide to Unilever: Fighting corporate crime in India
with Nityanand Jayaraman and Sofia Ashraf
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March 20th, 2016 @ 3pm
Genius Kids Berryessa 1682 Berryessa Rd, San Jose, California 95133 RSVP Here It's been more than 30 years since the Unilever mercury plant in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India poisoned the land and its workers (http://kodaimercury.org/). The community that faced this inhuman tragedy is yet to realize justice and environmental activist and PSG Tech Alum Nityanand Jayaraman has been fighting for victims' justice for years. Six months ago, a campaign launched in India saw rapper Sofia Ashraf sing "Kodaikanal Won't - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSal-ms0vcI ", in a rap video that went viral and exposed Unilever's toxic legacy of mercury pollution in Kodaikanal. The consumer goods giant with an annual image management budget of $8 billion was broadsided by a clever social media campaign pegged on a copycat music video shot in one day with a shoestring budget of $250. Unilever was forced to respond that they were "determined to solve" the issue. Assurances aside, the fight for compensation for mercury affected workers and remediation of the polluted environment is still on. Now, the makers of the video are travelling with a museum consisting of objects of deep personal memory donated by parents who have lost their children or are nursing sick children hurt by mercury exposure. Join AID Bay Area and PSG Tech Alumni Association to hear powerful narratives of the survivors and donate towards this important cause. |
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Milan 2015: Donor Appreciation DinnerSept 12th, 2015 @ 6.00pm
Join AID Bay Area for an evening to celebrate the work made possible through donors and friends like you!
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Zero Waste Management: A talk by C SrinivasanJune 21st, 2015 @ 2:00 PM
Srinivasan C started his journey in environmental efforts as the only participating Indian corps member of King County World Conservation Corps, Seattle, USA in the year 1997. He serves currently on the Steering Committee on Solid Waste Management in the Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission. Srinivasan C has coined the term Solid and Liquid Resource management to process several by-products which otherwise if untreated is called a waste. Through his pioneering work and vision, Srinivasan is responsible for initiating SLRM projects in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, among several other states of India. Srinivasan C’s association with Association for India’s Development dates back to his pioneering work in Vellore Hill Restoration project. This project was later adopted with his help in Payvihir Eco Village which won United Nations Development Program award in 2014. Srinivasan’s work was highlighted in popular TV series Satyamev Jayate and his work in Jodhpur was inaugurated by Mr. Aamir Khan on August 15, 2014. He coordinated the efforts with Khoj in Melghat to construct Maharashtra’s biggest community biogas plant with total 70 bio-digesters. Alongside, with his work in Coimbatore SLRM his next venture is SLRM centers in Ambikapur, Chattisgarh as part of Swach Ambikapur Mission.
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Land, Livelihood and Law: A workshop on land rights by Ajay KumarJune 7th, 2015 @ 2P
Ajay Kumar has decades of experience in the land rights struggle and in-depth knowledge of laws and policies that the landless can use to obtain land and / or to obtain rights to the land they have been cultivating. More broadly his work ensures that democracy reaches the last mile, be that in the interior forests, hilltop villages, undocumented villages, internally-displaced peoples' settlements etc and that people living in these neglected / exploited areas know how to assert their rights and gain their entitlements as provided by law.
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