PUBLICLY ENGAGED PROJECTS
With the rise of human-rights violations and atrocities around the world, I started Mudra, handcraft for social cause to contribute to donating different mutual aids and fundraising efforts by selling some of my craftworks. Currently, the May Collection with the handmade earrings on sale. 100% of the collection sale will be donated to Advance Myanmar, a vetted charity organization supporting the families of political detainees in Myanmar. Check out the available earrings in the collection here.
I am the co-founder of the US-based grassroots Myanmar diaspora collective bringing awareness to to political movements taking place in Burma/Myanmar, as well as issues facing its diaspora in the U.S. As part of the collective, we work to create community building efforts such as organizing reading series, virtual art circle, and more. Get in touch with us via baydarcollective@protonmail.com
I am the founder of Aruna Global South, a non-profit dedicated to supporting experimental scholarship, and highlighting the voices of junior scholars and thinkers with underrepresented backgrounds working on, in, and from Asia and those with South-South parallel interest on Asia. As current director, I organize virtual events and edit multi-modal publications on the topics of non traditional knowledge production about Asia working collaboratively with community organizations in the regions of Asian Global South, as well as with emerging thinkers across Asia and Asian diasporas. Publish with us or get in touch with us via arunaglobalsouth@gmail.com
I am the co-host of the Burmese-language podcast named Chu Toe Toe, together with my Burmese colleague Than Toe Aung. In this podcast, we discuss and challenge the social "taboo" topics in Burmese society like Burmese chauvinism, burmanization, feminism, politics, and more. We are currently in hiatus due to the military coup in Myanmar.
I am the freelance translator and news announcer for Burmese with the EMBARC, a non-profit organization for Southeast Asian immigrant communities, based in Des Moines, IA. During the pandemic, I joined the Communication Team at EMBARC for sharing COVID-related news in Burmese for their news channel. I am currently providing pro bono technological and language mentoring for some Burmese community members in DSM area.
As Director at CU Boulder Literacy Practicum Program from 2017 to 2019, I worked closely with the community literacy organizations such as The Family Learning Center in Boulder, CO; The Boulder Public Library; CU Boulder Linguistics Department; University Hill Elementary School; and CU Boulder Student-Worker Alliance Program to foster a volunteering partnership between the university students and those organizations.
I am one of the 2020-21 cohort members for the CU Boulder Engaged Arts & Humanities Fellowship. I am currently developing a community engaged project based in the Front Range area, Colorado. I am interested in exploring community partnership for a storytelling and documentary project with the local immigrant communities in Aurora, CO. Please contact me if you are a community organization based in the US and interested in collaborating.
I am available for donation-based mentoring support for people of color who are interested in learning more about surviving and thriving in higher education in Social Sciences. For the past two years, I have been the CU Boulder Graduate School Peer Mentor and the Institute of Behavioral Science NSF GRFP grant application mentor. Contact me with your questions!
I am a scholar committed to public learning and scholarship. I am available for facilitating workshops and conversations on anthropology of race, white privilege and white supremacy in academia. I have also published various blogs and Op-Ed articles on these issues. I have also organized public reading groups.
