[It's the Interns] Meet Saisha Mediratta

It is time to meet our AMAZING Interns!

Advancing Justice-Atlanta Interns are here and "It's the Interns" series goes in-depth about who is working behind and in front of the scene to Build Power for Good in the South!

·    Hello! Tell us little about yourself

My name is Saisha Mediratta, and I am a rising senior at Northview High School.  I immigrated to the United States when I was 1 to Long Island, New York. I am the Captain of Northview’s Speech and Debate Team and the President of my school’s Advanced Choir. I’ve been a part of Girl Scouts for 13 years which has provided me with a unique cultural experience because of my community’s diverse demographics. I love to dance, sing, camp, kayak and read in my free time.

·    What made you decide to apply for this internship?

I applied for this internship after co-founding New American Youth Leaders, a youth group based at the High School level, which promotes the same issues as Advancing Justice. I got the opportunity to work with Ms. Helen and the Advancing Justice team at several canvassing events and voter registration booths, and I saw a tangible change in the Asian American community. People came and asked question, picked up flyers, contacted the organization, etc… I knew I wanted to do what I could to bring opportunities and outlets that my own family struggled for, to a larger group, and also promote civic engagement among those already capable.

·    What is your expectation and what would you like to get out of the internship experience?

Advancing Justice has become a voice for many Asian Americans being discriminated against system, and controlling that voice is an enormous responsibility. I hope to gain a wider knowledge of the struggles facing the Asian American community apart from those I have witnessed firsthand, so that I too can become a voice to advocate for a community that I care so passionately about. Through an understanding of these issues, I hope to learn how to engage these groups in more productive solutions than those that are offered more publicly, and empower members of the Asian American community to utilize their rights as citizens to advance policies and candidates that represent them.

·    Tell us your personal narrative on being Asian in America

From a young age, I experienced a duality in identity. Although I would never truly be Indian, I would never truly be “American” either. However, the experiences from both cultures, both so diverse, have given me a unique perspective on issues that face both communities. I can see the social hierarchy of India objectively because I am not fully immersed in that society, and I can also see America’s more liberal culture from a conservative perspective, while maintaining my own beliefs and ideas distinct from both points of view. My parents faced their own struggles as immigrants, and although we received our citizenship several years ago, my cousins continue to face bureaucratic barriers to their status as citizens. The path is unique and unimaginable, affecting everything from their education to their financial aid to their health insurance.

·    What role would you like to play in Asian American Community in the future?

I hope that my share of experiences can help those facing a similar situation. Carlos Slim once said that “It’s important to give a better country to your children, but it is more important to give better children to your country.” I firmly believe that only by educating and informing the New American leaders of our country can we hope to inspire positive change. I don’t think I would have celebrated who I was if it wasn’t for mentors and role models so successfully utilizing their background as a strength rather than just a fact.  I have the privilege of coming across so many young girls experiencing the same identity issues I was through Girl Scouts, and by sharing my experiences and work, I hope to inspire them to do the same for someone else.

·    What is your song of the year?

Elastic Heart-Sia because Sia is a singing goddess 

·    Any Last words???

I’m super excited to be a part of this organization, and I hope to continue with Advancing Justice in the future.