Meet Deepa Iyer, Public Leader in Residence
The Center for Democracy and Civic Life is excited to announce that Deepa Iyer will be joining us as the Center's new Public Leader in Residence.
Deepa has more than 25 years of experience supporting individuals, institutions, and coalitions engaged in advocacy, community building, and social change. A writer, lawyer, strategist, and facilitator, she has held leadership roles at various organizations including Building Movement Project where she currently runs a program on solidarity practice, Race Forward, South Asian Americans Leading Together, and the Asian American Justice Center. She is also the author of three books and the creator of the Social Change Ecosystem Framework, a widely used tool that helps people and organizations identify the different roles they can play to bring about sustainable and effective social change.
Deepa's perspective is aligned with the mission of the Center for Democracy and Civic Life, which is to support students in discovering how they can work with others to make a positive difference in the world. In a workshop Deepa facilitated in the Alternative Spring Break program earlier this year, Deepa supported students in learning about the unique roles – such as builders, visionaries, storytellers, disrupters, and more – they can play as they form their civic identities. This approach offers an affirming entry point: students can recognize that their strengths and passions already have a place in the larger ecosystem of social change.
“I’m excited to serve as a Public Leader in Residence and to support students in finding meaningful ways to participate in civic and community life,” Iyer said. “I also hope to learn from the Center’s staff and programs about the conditions that foster collective belonging on campus.”
We are looking forward to opportunities for Deepa to engage with our work and enhance the way our programs help students identify pathways for contributing to social change. Please join us in welcoming Deepa to the UMBC campus community!