The MurthyNAYAK Foundation is pleased to support the important work of SAALT, South Asian Americans Leading Together. SAALT is a national non-profit organization that seeks to build a more just and inclusive society in the United States, one in which South Asians are active stakeholders who fully participate in the common life of our society.
SAALT works to make South Asian voices heard and South Asian perspectives understood in the political discourse of the United States – a mission that has taken on special importance in the years following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the aftermath of which saw a sharp increase in racial profiling, discrimination, and hate crimes perpetrated against individuals of South Asian ancestry in the United States.
SAALT’s work is political, but remains rigorously non-partisan, striving to advance the shared interests of all South Asian Americans, regardless of age, economic status, gender, geography, immigration or citizenship status, language ability, national origin, profession, religion, or sexual orientation. Its constituents include the 2.7 million South Asians living in the United States, who trace their origins to Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and the diaspora communities in Trinidad/Tobago, Guyana, and Africa.
With support from the Murthy Law Firm, SAALT produced an informational guide called “What You Need to Know to Become a U.S. Citizen: A Guide for South Asians,” which provides answers to frequently asked questions about the naturalization process and the obstacles facing South Asian applicants. Attorney Sheela Murthy is a proud member of SAALT’s Council of Advisors. The MurthyNAYAK Foundation also supports one of SAALT’s coalition members, ASHA for Women.