Apoorva Handigol
GSEF Fellow, Cohort 2
This quote is my current wallpaper on my phone: “When you replace ‘why is this happening to me?’ with ‘what is this trying to teach me?’ everything shifts.”
How would you describe yourself in a few sentences?
I thrive on the energy I am fed by my surroundings. Proud San Francisco Bay Area-raised second generation Indian immigrant committed to making the world a more equitable place. Avid dancer, photographer, and explorer of food from around the world.
If you had to teach someone one thing, what would you teach them?
The grassroots community organizing model! Because of both my personal and professional experiences, I am a firm believer that disenfranchised people have the power through their communities to change the circumstances they were born into. Through organizing, we place a lot of emphasis on one-to-one relationships and understanding people’s passions, motivations, and dreams. I am passionate about increasing this emphasis within academia—a field that has great power in eradicating systems of oppression.
What will your legacy be?
That I am a changemaker capable of getting things done while knowing when to pass on the mic. Unafraid to make the personal political and center narratives of both defeat and resilience when it comes to conducting academic research, organizing a public health community program, or capturing a moment with my camera.
