Pramila Jayapal II Interview Segment 2

Involvement doing consulting work for community organizations: the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Chaya (ddr-densho-1000-161-1) - 00:07:38
Discussion of mainstream stereotypes of South Asian immigrants and their actual experiences in the United States (ddr-densho-1000-161-2) - 00:07:06
Experiences while on book tour: response from audiences in the U.S. versus India (ddr-densho-1000-161-3) - 00:04:33
Decision to take time off from consulting work and write a second book (ddr-densho-1000-161-4) - 00:03:58
Emotional memories of September 11, 2001 (ddr-densho-1000-161-5) - 00:03:38
The aftermath of September 11, 2001: receiving calls regarding violence perpetrated against Sikhs (ddr-densho-1000-161-6) - 00:05:47
Meeting with Jim McDermott and initiating Hate Free Zone Campaign of Washington (ddr-densho-1000-161-7) - 00:05:49
Discussion of initial work after September 11th calling individuals for help (ddr-densho-1000-161-8) - 00:03:53
Establishing the organization Hate Free Zone Campaign of Washington: "I just knew that I would never be able to look at myself if I didn't act" (ddr-densho-1000-161-9) - 00:08:56
Discussion of the government's closing of Somali grocery stores after September 11, 2001; launching community campaigns and a lawsuit (ddr-densho-1000-161-10) - 00:08:52
Impact of post 9/11 federal policies on immigrants in the U.S.: special registration, large-scale detentions and deportations (ddr-densho-1000-161-11) - 00:05:36
Discussion of the U.S. government's post 9/11 immigration policies: "using immigration violations as a means to get people that were Arab or Muslim out of the country" (ddr-densho-1000-161-12) - 00:09:50
Reflecting on time since September 11, 2001: "Are we safer?" (ddr-densho-1000-161-13) - 00:03:20
Discussion of current events: the U.S.'s place in the world, the mistaken arrest of a Portland lawyer (ddr-densho-1000-161-14) - 00:03:09
Ongoing work of Hate Free Zone, and the support the organization has gotten from other communities, including the Japanese American community (ddr-densho-1000-161-15) - 00:07:42
Impact of work on personal life: "I'm in the business of hope" (ddr-densho-1000-161-16) - 00:02:53
Thoughts on the election of a Sikh prime minister of India, and its relevance for the United States and the world (ddr-densho-1000-161-17) - 00:06:26
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ddr-densho-1000-161-2 (Legacy UID: denshovh-jpramila-02-0002)

Discussion of mainstream stereotypes of South Asian immigrants and their actual experiences in the United States

00:07:06 — Segment 2 of 17

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June 1, 2004

Densho Visual History Collection

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Pramila Jayapal

Pramila Jayapal Interview II

01:39:06 — 17 segments

June 1, 2004

Seattle, Washington

Born September 21, 1965 in Madras, India. Attended the Jakarta International School in Indonesia before moving to the United States to attend college at Georgetown University. Worked as an investment banker in New York City as well as in the management development program for Physio-Control.

Currently, Pramila is the founder and Executive Director of Hate Free Zone Washington. An activist and writer, Pramila has been actively involved in international and domestic social justice issues for over 12 years, working across Africa, Asia and Latin America as well as domestically with immigrant and refugee communities in Washington state. She speaks frequently at universities and community events on issues of gender, globalization, development and community. She serves on several boards including Chaya, a non-profit organization serving South Asian women in crisis; the Institute of Current World Affairs; and Hedgebrook Women Writers Retreat. Pramila has a Masters in Business Administration from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, and a B.A. from Georgetown University in English and Economics. She is also the author of Pilgrimage to India: A Woman Revisits Her Homeland (Seal Press, 2000).

Pramila and HFZ Campaign have received several awards and recognitions for its work, including the City of Seattle's 2002 Civil Rights Award, the Washington Bar Association's Access to Justice Community Leadership Award, the Japanese American Citizens League Leadership Award, the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation's Community Leaders Award, a leadership award from Congressman Jim McDermott, and the Ecumenical Leadership Award from the Washington Association of Churches. In January 2004, Pramila was named one of the top ten Puget Sound regional leaders by the Seattle Times Editorial Board.

Alice Ito, interviewer; Dana Hoshide, videographer

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