Curriculum Vitae
Education
Education
2019
Ph.D. Justice Studies, Arizona State University
Dissertation: “How Yoga Became ‘White:’ Yoga Mobilities,
Race, and the U.S. Settler Nation (1937-2018)”
Completed: August, 2019
2011
M.A. Cinema Studies, Tisch School of the Arts, New York University
2003
J.D. University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
Samuelson Law, Technology and Public Policy Clinic
(Licensed attorney: New York State Bar Association)
1999
B.A. University of Pittsburgh (summa cum laude)
Politics, Philosophy, and Economics
South Asian Studies Certificate
Publications
Submitted Journal Manuscripts
2019
“Owning Yoga, Whitening Yoga: U.S. Yoga Copyrights (1937 - 2018),” American
Journal of Legal History.
2019
“Yoga Tourism: Addressing the Wellness of Indian Wellness Workers (2018),”
Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power.
2019
“Sambo, Simping, and Cooning: Yoga in American Popular Music, Racialized Sights
and Sounds (1941-1967),” Journal of Asian American Studies.
Book Chapter
2016
Towards Yoga As Property. Chapter in, “Yoga and the Body: An Intersectional
Analysis of Contemporary Body Politics, Mindfulness, and Embodied Social
Change,” Rowman & Littlefield.
Web-Based Publications
2013 “Court Allows Yoga in Public Schools.” Elephant Journal. July 23.
2013 “From Gandhi to Kendrick Lamar: Cultural Defense.” Elephant Journal. Sept 4.
2007 “Book Review: Art and Anarchism Thrive Together.” The Nation. Aug 3.
Awards & Grants
Awards & Grants
2018 Justice and Social Inquiry Research Development Grant, Arizona State University
2018 Dissertation Grant, Graduate and Professional Student Association, ASU
2017 Woodside Community Action Grant, ASU
2016 Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, Research Award, ASU
2012 Diversity Scholarship, Society for Cinema and Media Studies Conference
2009 Innovation in Teaching Award, Pace University
2001 Edley Grant, University of California Berkeley Law Public Interest Fellowship
Invited Talks
Invited Talks
2020 “Fanon and the Body,” Global Sport Institute Symposium on“Sport, Race, and the Body,” ASU, April 2020.
2017 “Mapping U.S. Copyright Accumulation in Yoga from 1937-2016,” Amrita University, Kollam, India. September 16.
2017 “What Place Is This, Mapping Yoga As (American) Property,” Kennesaw State University, Atlanta, GA. August 29.
2017 “U.S. Copyrights in Yoga: Making Wellness Property,” Grinnell College. May 12.
2016 “Personal and Political of Yoga,” Oberlin College and Conservatory. April 16.
2014 “Yoga, Race, and Healing,” SUNY Downstate Medical Center. April 12.
2014 “Uprooting Mindfulness,” Columbia University. March 27.
2010 “Slumdog Millionaire: Integrating U.S. Popular Culture.” Center for South Asia, University of Wisconsin-Madison. April15.
Conference Participation
Conference Participation
Keynote Speaker
2016 “Yoga at the Crossroads,” Race and Yoga Conference, Center for Gender and
Race, University of California, Berkeley. April 22.
Accepted Paper
2017 “Yoga As Property: Mapping A Critical Geography of Yoga Shrinking in the
Global Public Domain,” Traditional Knowledge panel, International Meeting on Law and Society, Law and Society Association. June 20-23.
Papers Presented
2016 “The De/Religionization of Yoga: Nation Building Through Body and Spirit,”
Society for the Scientific Study of Religion Annual Conference. October 29.
2012 Cinema and the Law, “Law, Nation Building, and 1920’s Cinema: Resurrecting
Valentino’s The Young Rajah in the Context of U.S. vs. Bhagat Singh Thind. Panel Chair, Society of Cinema and Media Studies Annual Conference. March 22.
Panel Organizer and Moderator
2015 “SAAPYA: Yoga and Harm,” Race and Yoga Conference, UC Berkeley. April 16.
2014 “SAAPYA: South Asian American Voices in Yoga,” Race and Yoga Conference,
University of California, Berkeley. April 25.
Teaching Experience
Teaching Experience
Arizona State University
Justice and Social Inquiry Department
JUS 420: Women, Work, and Justice (spring 2019, summer 2018)
JUS 222: Drugs and Justice (spring 2017)
JUS 477: Youth and Justice (fall/spring 2016)
JUS 105: Introduction to Justice Studies (fall/spring 2018; fall/summer/spring 2017; fall, 2016)
City College of the City University of New York
Political Science Department
Law and Cinema (summer, 2010)
Law and Social Change (spring, 2010)
Federalism and the U.S. Supreme Court (fall, 2009)
Pace University
Political Science Department
Hip Hop Politics (spring/fall 2009; spring 2008)
U.S. Supreme Court (fall, 2007)
International Politics and Economic Organizations (fall, 2007; spring, 2008)
Public Panels & Workshops
Public Panels & Workshops
Public Panel
2013 “Yoga Justice: SAAPYA and South Asian American Voices in Yoga,” The Brecht Forum, New York, New York. July 11.
Public Workshops
2014 “Survivor Yoga: Best Practices,” Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women. October 15-17.
2014 “Gentrification of Yoga and the Body,” Carnegie Mellon University. March 8.
2009 “South Asian Performance Poetry,” Brown University. November 17.
2007 "Hip Hop, Journalism, and Healing," Empowering Women of Color Conference, UC Berkeley, CA. March 3.
Racial & Gender Justice Organizing Work
Racial & Gender Justice Organizing Work
2018-2017
Yoga Alliance, Teaching Standards Advisor
2017-2014
National Organization Asian/Pacific Islanders Ending Sexual Violence, Workshop Facilitator
2014
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh (PA), Artist in Residence
2013-2011
Third Root Health and Wellness Center (Brooklyn, NY), Yoga Instructor/Collective Owner
2007
South Asian Youth Action (Queens, NY), Performing Arts Instructor
2006-2005
San Francisco Rape Crisis Center, Director of Community Initiatives
2005
Prison University Project (San Quentin, CA), English Literature Teacher
2004
San Francisco Youth Authority, Yoga Instructor
2003
Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (SF, CA), Battered Women's Project, Advocate
2001
American Civil Liberties Union (San Diego, CA), Legal Research and Writing Intern
1999
Legal Aid Society (San Diego, CA), Pro Bono Advocate
1997
Service Employees International Union (San Diego, CA), Labor Organizer
1996 AFL-CIO (San Diego, CA), Union Summer Labor Organizer
Yoga Alliance, Teaching Standards Advisor
2017-2014
National Organization Asian/Pacific Islanders Ending Sexual Violence, Workshop Facilitator
2014
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh (PA), Artist in Residence
2013-2011
Third Root Health and Wellness Center (Brooklyn, NY), Yoga Instructor/Collective Owner
2007
South Asian Youth Action (Queens, NY), Performing Arts Instructor
2006-2005
San Francisco Rape Crisis Center, Director of Community Initiatives
2005
Prison University Project (San Quentin, CA), English Literature Teacher
2004
San Francisco Youth Authority, Yoga Instructor
2003-2005
Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (SF, CA), Battered Women's Project, Advocate
2001
American Civil Liberties Union (San Diego, CA), Legal Research and Writing Intern
1999
Legal Aid Society (San Diego, CA), Pro Bono Advocate
1997
Service Employees International Union (San Diego, CA), Labor Organizer
1996 AFL-CIO (San Diego, CA), Union Summer Labor Organizer
Languages
Hindi: Intermediate speaking; beginning reading and writing.
Spanish: Basic fluency speaking and comprehension.
Professional Memberships
New York State Bar Association, 2009-present.
Society of Cinema and Media Studies, 2011-present.
Yoga Alliance: Registered Yoga Teacher, 2009-present.
Service to Profession
Referee
Law and Society Journal, Fall 2018
Ecology Law Quarterly, Berkeley Law, 2002.