About Me
I am a NYC based High School student who is passionate about human rights, social justice and public policy.
I have volunteered at local non-profits like Hudson Guild and Life Story Club, based in New York City. I serve on the youth leadership council of the NYC Department of Human Rights.
I am actively involved in my local community as an intern in the office of Councilman Erik Bottcher District 3 in Summer 2025. Recently I founded a non-profit called Navya by Nysa where we promote awareness of human rights issues and how public policy can address them. Through our work and fundraising activities we support and partner with multiple organizations like Sakhi.org and the Future Hope school in Calcutta, India.
How I got interested in Public Policy
August 2nd 2025
In 2023, I was one of two High School freshmen chosen to represent my school at the Student Diversity Leadership Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. I didn't know it then, but that experience would shape the way I think about justice, equity, and the power of policy. Over several days, I joined students from across the country in conversations about race, gender, and systemic injustice. We discussed how prejudice doesn’t just show up in personal interactions; it shapes access to opportunity, economic outcomes, and public perception. I came away with a deeper understanding of how structural inequality works and why real, impactful solutions need to be both community-driven and systemic.
That experience made me think more seriously about the role of policy in creating change. Social justice work is powerful, but I realized it’s not enough to raise awareness alone. If change doesn’t translate into better policies and more equitable systems, it rarely lasts. That conference was a starting point for me. Since then, I’ve been more involved in youth advocacy and public policy work, trying to better understand how we can make institutions more just and responsive to the people they serve.
This blog, Nysa for the Record, is where I’ll write about those interests. I’ll be sharing my experiences, what I’m learning, and what I think more people-especially young people-should be paying attention to. Some posts will be reflective, others focused more on policy and research. This blog is my way of thinking out loud, staying informed, and hopefully sharing something meaningful along the way.
Volunteering at the Hudson Guild Early Childhood Center
August 14th 2025
Growing up in New York City, I’ve always been fortunate to live in a stable apartment with my family and attend a good school. Last October, I volunteered at the Early Childhood Center at Hudson Guild, a nonprofit organization in my neighborhood that provides subsidized housing, education, and job opportunities.
I specifically worked with kids under the age of two, serving as an extra set of hands for the staff. My days included helping out with circle time, arts and crafts, meals, and nap time. The center was able to provide the children with almost everything they needed, including breakfast, lunch, and two snacks, at no cost to their families.
This experience was extremely eye-opening for me. I began to realize how much these resources impacted these children and their families. Things I didn’t have to think about as a kid-diapers, formula, and daily meals are often difficult for families to afford, especially those without outside help. I saw how much these families relied on the daycare and free meals, so they could stay at work knowing that their children were safe and cared for.
By the end of the week, I had new awareness of how many families struggle to make ends meet without the help of organizations like Hudson Guild. No one should have to choose between buying their kids diapers and paying rent on time. Witnessing this reality firsthand deepened my interest in Public Policy, especially policies that address housing affordability, education, and access to essential resources.
Working with Seniors at Life Story Club
September 1st 2025
I worked on a research project with Life Story Club, an organization that combats social isolation among older adults through storytelling and small group gatherings. I created a list of public and private organizations that would be good partners for Life Story Club based on their interest in the senior population.
My work helped me see how community-based organizations like Life Story Club provide more than just social interaction; they give older individuals a sense of purpose and belonging. I learned how much loneliness and isolation can impact people’s mental health, especially older adults who are homebound, have health conditions, or are part of marginalized communities. Nonprofits like Life Story Club often partner with larger institutions like the New York City Housing Authority to reach more people. These initiatives are directly tied to public policy. Both private and public social programs and housing policies need to consider the importance of community and inclusion. This collaboration between Life Story Club and NYCHA showed me how community organizations and government policies can work hand in hand to address issues neither could solve alone. Another lesson I took away from this project was the power of storytelling itself. Sharing stories is not only personal, it is political. These individuals are highlighting lived experiences that cannot be captured solely by data. Understanding these stories can allow us to design more effective solutions to the problems we face
This project reinforced why I’m passionate about public policy. Social justice isn’t just about addressing large-scale systemic problems; it's also about making sure that no one’s left out of the conversation. Older adults, especially those who are isolated, deserve to be involved in policies that include housing, healthcare, and social services. Community-based organizations like Life Story Club prove that small, thoughtful interventions can have a big impact, and they remind me of the kind of work I want to keep exploring.
Summers in Kolkata, India & Future Hope
September 14th 2025
I’ve lived in New York City my whole life, but every summer I return to Kolkata, India, the place that feels most like home. I love the rhythm of the city, engrossing myself in its culture and lifestyle. But alongside its vibrancy, there are reminders of the struggles people face, especially children who grow up in poverty.
Last summer, I volunteered at the Future Hope School, an organization that provides housing, education, and medical programs for street and slum children in Kolkata. I spent most of my time in the Girls Home, with kids between 6 and 12. At first, I was worried about the language barrier- I don’t speak Bengali, and they didn’t speak English-but that didn’t stop us from connecting. Through broken Hindi and a lot of hand gestures, we were able to converse with each other. We sat together during mealtimes, eating lollipop chicken from the same tray. They introduced me to their favorite songs (which, to my surprise, included Selena Gomez), while I taught them crafts I loved as a child.
Some of their stories were hard to hear. Many had come from families struggling with poverty, some had crossed the border from Bangladesh, and others had spent time working before arriving at the school. What stood out to me, though, wasn’t their hardship-it was their joy. Whether we were making bracelets or playing a silly game, they carried a sense of resilience I had never seen before.
Spending time with them, I realized how powerful it is when children are given the chance to be kids again. I watched how Future Hope isn’t just providing these kids with education and housing, they're giving them a community, and space to reclaim their childhood. Experiences like these showed me how deeply public policy shapes children’s lives, from access to housing and education to protection against child labour. Stronger policies can ensure that more children don’t just survive, but have the chance to thrive and dream.
Starting Navya by Nysa
September 28th 2025
The summer I spent in India was when my interest in public policy started to take shape in a more concrete way. At the Future Hope School for Girls, I saw up close how poverty affects children’s lives. It affected them in their daily routines, their access to education, and the opportunities they might or might not have in the future. My summer experience pushed me to think more critically about labor, equity, and how systems and policy can either exploit or protect specific segments of the population, especially those that are most vulnerable. The Future Hope school is a private sector non-profit that partners with many governmental organizations. It showed me how the public and private sector can work together to ensure that communities are given the tools to build sustainable futures.
Outside the school, I spent much of my time exploring local markets. I was struck by the talent and craftsmanship of the welders, craftsmen, and artisans whose work filled the stalls. The handmade pieces the jewelers created were intricate and carefully made, but it was clear they weren’t receiving good payment for their work. On the other hand, similar items are often sold abroad at marked-up prices, disconnected from the culture and reality of the people who made them. That realization stayed with me. I had always been interested in starting a jewelry business, but that summer gave it a new direction.
I launched NavyabyNysa as a social enterprise that sold handmade Indian jewelry, with a percentage of profits supporting organizations like Future Hope. What began as an Etsy shop with small sales eventually grew into a project with a larger purpose: connecting people to the stories behind my jewelry while raising money for causes I care about. This year, I transitioned NavyabyNysa into a nonprofit organization. It is no longer just about selling handmade jewelry, but instead we are partnering with many grassroots organizations to spread awareness, education about human rights issues, public policy, and we raise funding for related causes.
Joining YES Council in the NYC Department of Human Rights
October 12th, 2025
Last year, I joined the Youth Equity Council at the New York City Department of Human Rights. I had never served on a council before, or even worked with other students my age who shared my interest in public policy and social justice. Walking into that first meeting, I didn’t know what to expect, but I quickly realized how powerful it was to collaborate with people who were just as passionate about creating change in our city.
I decided to join the Education Equity team, which focuses on addressing disparities within New York’s school system. Our group was especially interested in the admissions process for specialized high schools. Many students, particularly in under-resourced communities, don’t learn about the SHSAT, the exam required for entry, until it’s too late to properly prepare. Some only hear about it once they’re already in high school, missing the opportunity altogether.
Our main goal became hosting an event to help families better understand the SHSAT process and access the right resources. We wanted to make sure middle school students and their parents both felt supported, so we planned separate sessions for each group: an engaging student panel and activities for the kids, and informational workshops with test prep materials for the parents.
Throughout the year, our council also organized initiatives centered on racial equity and language access, each one highlighting how deeply issues of education, race, and opportunity are connected in New York City.
Working with YES Council has continued to give me a better understanding of how systemic inequities play out in real time and how meaningful it is when young people are given a seat at the table to address them. It strengthened my belief that public policy isn’t just something that happens in government offices; it’s something we can shape ourselves, one community at a time. I am looking forward to my second year serving on Yes Council as a Junior.
My City Council Summer Internship
October 26th, 2025
This summer, I had the opportunity to intern at the office of New York City Council Member Erik Bottcher. Growing up in Manhattan, I’ve always been fascinated by how the city works behind the scenes.. But working inside a City Council office gave me a new perspective on how local government actually works and how policies take shape in people’s daily lives.
Over a few weeks, I attended events and policy meetings with Council Member Bottcher and his team. I quickly learned that much of city government happens behind the scenes, through ongoing collaboration with communities rather than big announcements. Whether it was helping organize a park cleanup, packaging food bags for seniors, or researching financial trends for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), each project connected back to the same purpose: improving quality of life for New Yorkers.
One of the most rewarding parts of my internship was joining community events where residents and officials worked together. I saw how small acts of service, like cleaning a park or distributing meals, are tied to larger policy areas such as sanitation funding, senior support programs, and urban planning.
By the end of the internship, I had a much deeper appreciation for how city governance really functions. Public policy isn’t just about passing laws or drafting reports—it’s about the everyday actions and decisions that make neighborhoods stronger and more equitable. My experience with Council Member Bottcher’s office reminded me how much impact local government can have when it listens, collaborates, and leads with the community in mind.
Diwali Chai & Samosa Sale for Sakhi.org
November 9th, 2025
This Diwali, the South Asia Society, the club I founded at my school, organized a chai and samosa sale to raise funds for Sakhi.org, an organization that supports South Asian survivors of gender-based violence and abuse. We wanted to celebrate the festival of light not just through food and festivity, but by bringing light to people who need it most.
Early that morning, our club members set up tables filled with steaming cups of chai, trays of mithai, and over 300 freshly made samosas. The line began forming before school even started, and within a few hours, everything was sold out. By the end of the day, we had raised $ 1,000, our most successful fundraiser yet!
Beyond the excitement of selling out so quickly, what made the event meaningful was knowing where the money was going. Sakhi.org provides critical services like counseling, legal support, and shelter to South Asian women and families experiencing violence. Sharing that purpose with our community helped start important conversations about issues that are often left unspoken, even within our own culture.
As I watched students and teachers line up for chai and samosas, I realized how meaningful it can be when culture and community come together for a cause. What started as a simple Diwali sale turned into a moment of awareness and giving. It reminded me that even small efforts, like sharing food or raising funds, can make a real difference when they’re rooted in purpose. Events like this continue to strengthen my interest in finding ways to connect culture, advocacy, and policy to create positive change in my community.
