Manavi — An Organization for South Asian Survivors

You are Here: Tweet, Like, Share, Comment, Subscribe…be the Voice of Free Press!

By Tanisha Gadhavi, Edited By Adam Rizvi, The India Observer, TIO: Manavi, a pioneering organization based in New Jersey, stands as a beacon of hope and empowerment for South Asian women. Founded with a vision to address the unique challenges faced by women from the South Asian community, Manavi has been instrumental in fostering a supportive environment where these women can thrive and assert their rights. At the heart of Manavi’s mission is the belief in every individual’s inherent dignity and worth, regardless of gender, race, or background. Through their various programs and initiatives, they strive to promote gender equality, advocate for social justice, and combat violence and discrimination against women.

Manavi celebrated 39 years of its mission to end gender-based violence in the South Asian community. It was wonderful to see so many friends and supporters who believe in Manavi’s mission.

Manavi successfully hosted its Annual Fundraising Gala on April 26th, 2024 at The Marigold, Somerset, New Jersey. The Gala was attended by nearly 500 people.

Also Read, Tweet & Share: Manavi’s annual Gala. Stand Up, Rise Up, Speak Up: says, Judge Raja Rajeshwari.

One of the key objectives of Manavi is to provide comprehensive support services to South Asian women who are survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other forms of gender-based violence. Their culturally sensitive approach ensures survivors receive the assistance they need to heal and rebuild their lives. From crisis intervention and counseling to legal advocacy and shelter assistance, Manavi offers a range of services tailored to meet the unique needs of each survivor.

Also Read, Tweet & Share: Cry over Othering of religious minorities across seas.

This past Friday, April 26, 2024, Manavi hosted its Annual Fundraising Gala night at The Marigold in Somerset, New Jersey. The Gala was attended by nearly 500 people.

The gala was executed divinely with esteemed guests and attendees. Manavi’s entertaining evening was emceed by Kanika Chadda Gupta, who is a seasoned CNN International News host as well as a podcast host. At the heart of this event was Manavi’s mission and goals to gain support from the New Jersey community. The event was filled with many auctions, specifically a Silent Auction which was sponsored by a variety of companies and brands some being, kapu Patel Photography, American Dream, New York Jets, Willow & Whisk, and numerous more. The goal behind these auctions was to help Manavi help the increasing number of domestic violence survivors and victims. Along with this many generous donations were given throughout the night to support Manavi on their courageous mission.

Also Read, Tweet & Share: How Muslims In Mandela’s Cabinet Outgrow Their Religious Identity

Manavi’s Gala had the honorable Chandrika Tandon as the keynote speaker of the event and her story and passion was visible throughout the audience.  Chandrika Tandon herself is a business leader, humanitarian, and Grammy-nominated musical artist. Ms. Tandon is a multi-talented woman who shared an inspiring story with the audience that evening. Her words spoke of passion and were inspiring to all the women in the audience. Her never ending support towards Manavi was recognized as she was given a recognition award that night.

The gala was attended by many dignitaries, including Assemblyman Sterley Stanley, Former Assemblywoman Dr. Sadaf Jaffer, Former Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula, Freeholder Shanti Narra, Mayor Ravi Bhalla, Mayor Neena Singh, Councilman Ram Anbarasan and Council member Vinita Jethwani and Mr. Adam Rizvi (CEO, The India Observer), Hon. Alisha Khan (Member, Board of education Burnswick) . The Emcee for the evening was Kanika Chadda Gupta and there were special performances by Ariaki and Arohi Dandawate, Anu Sahasrabudhe, and Sucharita Iyer.

Manavi embarked on the night with wonderful dance performances and talented singers throughout the evening. The cocktail hour of the night was led by talented singer Suchi Iyer. Suchi is a classical singer who started the night off with grace and excellence. A stunning performance by Ariaki and Arohi Dandawate was given at the beginning of the gala night. Aria and Arohi are both trained in many classical Indian dance forms and they showcased their graceful moves in support of Manavi’s mission.

Also Read, Tweet & Share: Dedication, Talent & Tremendous Positive Energy. Councilwoman, “Ayesha Krishnan Hamilton, Esq.

Another wonderful performance was given by Anu Saharabudhe who is the founder and artistic director of her dance company/school, Mudavis Performing Arts. She gave a power-packed and expressional performance with the soundtrack of her own daughter’s voice. Her showcase was a breath of fresh air and was truly a unique depiction of the modern creative dance style in classical dance. Manavi was pleased with a special performer, Kavya Jones who is a young independent singer performer. Kavya has performed all over the globe in various Bollywood shows and graced us with her presence and beautiful voice. Her voice was captivating and led to many people dancing the rest of the night away.

Also Read, Tweet & Share: Sadaf Jaffer Sworn In As The First South Asian Woman Mayor in New Jersey

Three individuals were recognized this evening for their achievements and support towards Manavi. One of these awards was the Public Service Award which was presented to Amol Sinha, Executive Director of ACLU-NJ. The Trailblazer Award was presented to Aparna Khurjekar, CRO of Verizon Business Markets & Saas. The final award was the Community Service Award which was presented to Zoë Timms, founder of Women’s Education Project.

Manavi’s commitment to empowering South Asian women is not only commendable but also indispensable in the ongoing struggle for gender equality and social justice. This gala was just a small portion of the amount of support we can give to their organization. Through their unwavering dedication and tireless advocacy, they are paving the way for a future where all women can live free from violence and oppression. As we reflect on their mission and impact, let us reaffirm our support for Manavi and join hands in building a more equitable and just world for all.

Also Read, Tweet & Share: New Jersey South Asian American Women Launch Organization Aimed at Inspiring Other South Asian American Women

Manavi honored Amol Sinha with the Public Service Award, Aparna Khurjekar with the Trailblazer Award and Zoë Timms with the Community Service Award for the important work they do to lift up our communities. We express our deepest gratitude to the survivor who had the courage to share her powerful story. We stand with all survivors.

Manavi had a very successful live auction and Fund a Need Pledge with Live Auctioneer, Blake Menezes, KLM Auctions, where the entire community was engaged and stepped up to donate, and support Manavi’s mission. The evening ended with a special performance by Kavya Jones and DJ Kawan! As always, we appreciate our media partners for supporting and uplifting Manavi’s work and mission.

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Manavi’s Gala! Thanks to your support our gala was sold out. We are thankful to all the sponsors, donors, dignitaries and community members who made our gala so successful and memorable! We are also very thankful to Manavi’s board, staff, volunteers and the gala committee for their dedication to Manavi.

Also Read, Tweet & Share: Kamala Harris says inspired by her super hero Indian mother

We would not be able to do this work without the support from our community. Your support makes a meaningful difference in the lives of many survivors. Please continue to support and donate here https://paybee.io/manavi@6. Thank you for supporting the movement to end gender-based violence.

About Manavi

Founded in 1985, Manavi is the first organization in the United States dedicated to ending all forms of violence against South Asian survivors. Using a survivor-centered approach, Manavi provides culturally specific and linguistically appropriate services to 900+ South Asian survivors of gender-based violence every year.

Manavi provides a range of services including, counseling, advocacy, transitional housing (Ashiana), 24/7 multi-lingual hotline (732-435-1414), support groups, sexual assault support services, legal services, community outreach and more. We value the continued support from our community.

Curated and Compiled by Qayam Masumi