AAYAAN
Your body—all of our bodies—are where changing the status quo must begin.— Resmaa Menakem
AAYAAN is a relational innovator who advances social healing by designing projects that center the needs of impacted communities.
AAYAAN is passionate about crafting innovative strategies for social change and shifting norms at the intersection of public and environmental health. They bring five years of experience in intercultural communication and transforming system processes to create a culture of equity. AAYAAN thrives in intentional work cultures that prioritize the well-being of all people.
Their areas of expertise include:
- Centering equity in strategy.
- Intercultural group facilitation.
- Qualitative research design.
- Community engagement.
Experience
AAYAAN is a Viviane Barnett Fellow for Food Systems Leadership. They have worked as a Climate Justice Education and Researcher at Lewis & Clark College’s Sustainability Council. AAYAAN is proud to be an alum of the United World Colleges (India, class of ‘17). In May 2021, they graduated with a B.A Magna Cum Laude in Sociology and Anthropology from Lewis & Clark College. They feel blessed and privileged to call North India, Aotearoa/New Zealand, and the west coast of Turtle Island their homes.
In Community
AAYAAN regularly participates in Brown Hope’s “Power Hour,” a community reparations space for BIPOC leaders in and around the Portland area. In previous years, they supported and volunteered with the Sexual Minority and Youth Resource Center for queer and trans youth.
They love to spend time practicing learning to be in right relationship with the Earth. In the summer months, they support the cultivation of a community farm and an ambitious backyard garden project. Depending on the season, AAYAAN’s favorite ways to spend time include their personal healing work, hiking/cooking with kin, meditation, writing and reading futurist texts, petting cats and drinking coffee. In 2022, they launched Unearth Freedom.