The good Cornellians can do: South Asian Legal Defense Fund

Shivani Parikh '19, Dhruv Kumar '19, Zehra Jafri '19, and Omkar Mahajan JD '21 founded the South Asian Legal Defense Fund. The organization provides "legal advocacy and support in matters related to civil rights, immigration, labor, and housing law" for South Asian American communities, Shivani Parikh '19 says.

These alumni were involved in various organizations during their time at Cornell—like Cornell’s Mock Trial team, Cornell Law clinics, the Pakistani Students’ Association, the Bengali Students Association, and more. While on campus, they found a shared belief in justice and a desire to advocate for marginalized communities.

"As Cornell graduates, we have been deeply influenced by the university's values of public service and commitment to making a meaningful impact, as the first in our respective families to go to college and then law school in the United States," Shivani says.

Together, they created the South Asian Legal Defense Fund with a mission to advance systemic change, promote equity and justice, and empower individuals.

"Cornell’s commitment to academic excellence and public service gave me the foundation to fight for the underserved," says Dhruv Kumar '19.

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