WiseUp TX

In this interview, host Areeba Amer interviews Judge Juli Mathew Fort Bend County Court at Law #3.  Judge Juli Mathew is up for re-election on November 8 and was first elected to this position in 2018.  She has been a lawyer for decades, and a resident of Fort Bend County.  She describes herself as a proud immigrant. They discuss the importance of the position of Judge, and why voters should vote all the way down the ballot.  She discusses how being a South Asian Judge is still rare, and when people see her, hopefully they see that being an Indian American or Asian American on the bench can inspire others to do the same.  

Host Alishba Javaid interviews Texas State Rep. Gene Wu.  Gene represents Texas State District 137 - he has been in the state legislature for ten years.  In this episode he shares what he's learned over the years about how to be effective politician and get things done, he talks about why representation matters, and some of the issues he thinks are most important for Texas going into the 2023 Legislative Session.  Gene Wu is up for reelection this November 8.  

Host Alishba Javaid interviews Arati Singh who is running for reelection  on the Austin Independent School District Board.  Arati was first elected to the board in December 2018 and is the first Indian-American to serve on the Austin ISD school board. They discuss her path from teacher to elected official, and how she believes we can create an inclusive setting for students of all identities,  backgrounds, and from all communities.  She tells South Asians listening to get involved! 

In 2019, WiseUp TX Founder and President, Azra Siddiqi interviewed Adnan Syed's  criminal justice advocate, Rabia Chaudry.  Rabia took Adnan's story to the Serial podcast. It went viral and showed the public the failures of the criminal justice system in his case, including how Islamophobia played a role in his wrongful prosecution.  Now,  after 23 years in prison for murdering his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, Adnan's conviction has been vacated, and he has been released from prison.  WiseUp TX podcast host, Punam Kaji kicks off the episode with a description of how the case got recently vacated, allowing Adnan to walk free.  Listen to hear about the long and hard fought journey to justice

In this episode, your host Punam Kaji, gets Back to the Basics, covering why this 2022 Midterm is so important!  Many seats are up for election - The Governor of Texas, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Texas State Senators and House members, AND U.S. House Reps are up for election, just to name a few.  We are calling this the Masala Midterm because it is a big deal for our community! 

In this episode, Alishba Javaid talks to Jan McDowell, running for the United States House of Representatives.  She hopes to defeat incumbent Republican Beth Van Duyne, but first, she has to win a Primary Runoff Election coming up on May 24.  She is running in District 24, which covers parts of Dallas, suburbs of North Dallas, Mid-Cities, and suburbs of north Fort Worth, against Derrik Gay in the Democratic Primary Runoff.  In this episode she talks about how her background as a CPA helps her analyze issues of importance, like the economy, and she discusses other issues most important to her, like climate change!  Tune in and learn more. 

Punam Kaji talks to Jay Kleberg, a candidate in the Primary Runoff for Texas Land Commissioner.  This is a state-wide office heading to a Primary runoff on both the democratic side, and the republican side.  Jay is running in the Democratic Primary Runoff, which takes place on May 24, and early voting is May 16-May20.  In this episode, Jay explains what this office does,  from education, to veteran's services, to our environment.  Jay discusses how this office can be better used to combat climate change and help Texans  impacted by natural disasters.

Punam Kaji talks to Derrik Gay, running for the United States House of Representatives.  He hopes to defeat incumbent Republican Beth Van Duyne, but first, he has to win a Primary Runoff Election coming up on May 24.  He is running in District 24, which covers parts of Dallas, suburbs of North Dallas, Mid-Cities, and suburbs of north Fort Worth.  Derrik is a former marine, so he knows what it means to feel called to service.  This time, he felt called to public service by running for office after the January 6 attack on the capitol.  He is most focused on restoring democracy & voting rights, and economic solutions for Texans.  

In this episode, host Areeba Amer talks to Farha Ahmed, running for City Council At-Large Position 2 in Sugar Land, Texas.  Sugar Land is a suburb in Houston area with a large South Asian population.  Farha talks about the power of running as an immigrant and a South Asian and how that allows her to work with other communities, and also inspire more people to run.  

She is running in the local elections on May 7. 

In this episode, hear from Alex Cornwallis, running for State Board of Education, Place 12.  This seat is up for election in November 2022 and helps shape our Texas schools.  Place 12 includes a number of North Texas counties, including all of Collin county.  Hear Alex's perspective about running as a South Asian candidate and amplifying the issues important to South Asian students and parents.  

In this episode, host Punam Kaji talks to Executive Director of AAPI Victory Alliance, Varun Nikore. AAPI Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are receiving national attention with a rapidly growing population and an activated electorate.  Hear how AAPI voters in Texas have become a focus of the national org, AAPI Victory Alliance.

Host Punam Kaji talks to Jared Ross about upcoming the local election on May 7, 2022 and what is at stake for Texans!  Jared is a candidate for Birdville ISD Board of Trustee, and he asked to join the podcast to spread the word to our South Asian followers about the importance of local elections - particularly the school board.  On this episode, Jared helps educate our listeners about local elections.  Punam asked him about the topic that has become an issue in school elections: "critical race theory."  Jared explains that he gets the question when he knocks on doors, and explains his answer in this episode.  

Alishba Javaid talks to Zohaib “Zo” Qadri, a progressive leader running for Austin City Council District 9.  If he wins he would be the first South Asian and first Muslim in the Austin City Council.  Zohaib talks about housing insecurity and the unhoused population in Austin.  He talks about representation and the importance of running for office as a South Asian.  He shares a personal story about changing his career path from pre-med to public service.  Tune in to learn more!  The Austin City Council race will be on the ballot in November 2022, during the big general midterm election we are calling the Masala Midterm! 

WiseUp TX leaders Punam Kaji and Azra Siddiqi talk about that Texas Primary Results!  The BIG Masala Midterm being this November, but over the last few weeks, Texans went out to vote in the primary to decide who will be on the ballot in November.  Only about 1 out of 5 registered voters voted in the Primary.  Tune in to find out which candidates are heading to the Runoffs in May, and hear about some exciting South Asian candidates trailblazing the way for leadership in Texas.   

Punam Kaji talks to Jessica Huynh, running for District Court Judge (331st) in Travis County. Have you studied your full ballot?  In addition to Governor and state wide offices, there are many Judges on the ballot!  Jessica talks about the importance of having understanding and empathy for the people who enter the courtroom, and her experience as an Asian American attorney and candidate.  

Punam Kaji talks to Joy Diaz running for Governor of Texas as a Democrat.  She talks about the importance of being pragmatic and unifying.  She reminds our listeners that it is so important to come out and vote in this Primary!

Punam Kaji talks to Dr. Suleman Lalani, a candidate for Texas State House in Fort Bend area (suburbs of Houston).  This is an Asian Opportunity  district, meaning census data showed a substantial Asian population in this area!  Dr. Lalani talks about much needed reforms to healthcare and education, and the importance of voting for the Asian community.

Punam Kaji talks to Donna Imam, running for the United States House of Representatives.  She is running as a democrat in the 37th District, which covers a good portion of Austin, Texas.  Among other things, Donna talks about how she would tackle the increasing cost of living in Texas, including housing prices.  She shares how her last run for the U.S. House helped turnout a large base of voters, and how she hopes to inspire people to come out and vote in the Primary and the Midterm this year. 

Punam Kaji talks to Manpreet (Monica) Singh, running for Judge of the Harris County Civil Court at Law #4.  Monica shares her journey as a court room lawyer, an activist  for organizations like Sikh Coalition and ACLU Texas, and now as a candidate for Judge.  She talks about her roots as a Houstonian, and a South Asian.  

Punam Kaji talks to Charlie Gearing, a democratic candidate running for Texas State House District 114 (East Dallas). Charlie is an attorney who has dedicated much of his time to volunteerism and service work. Charlie talks about why Texans need medicaid expansion, the importance of education, and how we can all get more involved in the process this election season.

Punam Kaji talks to Jinny Suh, a democratic candidate for Land Commissioner.  She explains what the Land Commissioner does - including its role in education and the environment. She is a community organizer, parent, attorney and small business owner.  She founded Immunize Texas, a grassroots network dedicated to supporting pro-vaccine legislation. She talks about being an Asian American woman  running for statewide office. 

Areeba Amer talks to Salman Bhojani, a democratic candidate running for Texas State House District 92 (Mid-Cities of DFW).  Salman is a former City Councilman of Euless, a South Asian American and a small business owner. In this episode, he shares his passion for local government and more! 

WiseUp TX Podcast Host Punam Kaji recaps everything we covered in 2021!  It was quite a year, kicking off with the inauguration of the first woman, Black, and South Asian person to be Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris.  Then, we focused on local elections before taking a summer break. The fall podcast season focused on laws that came out of the Texas Legislative Sessions, and the creation of new maps (redistricting).  In this episode, Punam focuses on why 2022 is a BIG election year (Governor, Congress, and Texas Lawmakers are all up for re-election).  Punam asks you to reflect: How will you get involved in 2022?  Let's make it a year for record-breaking South Asian voter turnout.  Let's vote all the way down the ballot as informed voters!  

Thanks for listening and enjoy the holidays.  Tune back in 2022 for much more! 

October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but organizations like Daya (Houston) provide resources to domestic violence survivors in the South Asian community year-round.  Pam Otal is a WiseUp TX board member and the Outreach & Volunteer coordinator for Daya (Houston). On this episode, Pam joins host, Punam Kaji, and shares how domestic violence impacts the South Asian community, and what orgs like Daya are doing to educate the community to help solve the issue and assist survivors in need. 

South-Asian Centric Domestic Violence Resources:

Hey friends! Early voting is happening right now thru October 29, and election day is Nov 2nd.  What are we voting on?  Amendments to the Texas Constitution, plus there could be some local elections and local propositions on your ballot.  Tune into this short episode and learn about the 8 Propositions amend the Texas Constitution that you will find on your ballot.  Punam Kaji and Areeba Amer break it all down in less than 20 minutes. 

WiseUp TX is a nonpartisan nonprofit and does not endorse any candidate or political party.

This summer, Texas lawmakers passed new voting laws.  In this episode, WiseUp TX podcast host Punam Kaji interviews Louis Bedford, a voting rights attorney. He explains the impact of the changes in voting laws. Also learn about redistricting (the drawing of maps), a process that only happens every 10 years. Hear about how these changes to the voting process in Texas could impact communities of color like the South Asian community.  

WiseUp TX is a nonpartisan nonprofit and does not endorse any candidate or political party.

Hear Fawaz Bham talk about his work with the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program assisting people in need during the Covid-19 Crisis and DFWROS mentoring a refugee family from Afghanistan.  

Cydnei Drake is running for school board in Carrolton Farmers Branch Independent School District.  This School District covers a number of DFW suburbs, including Carrolton, Farmers Branch and some of Addison, Coppell, Dallas, and Irving.  In this episode, Cydnei talks about the need for equity and and cultural competency in school leadership and her decision to run to address that issue.  CFBISD elections are on May 1, 2021, along with the other municipal elections.  Do your part and vote!  

Alexander Cornwallis is running to be on the school board of Prosper Independent School Board.  Prosper is a suburb in North Dallas, and Alexander decided to run to represent the South Asian community on the board and also bring attention to the need for a greater focus on technology in education and STEM for all students.  Prosper ISD and other municipal elections take place on May 1.  

Diana Saleh wants to bring a fresh perspective to Arlington City Council as a young professional, a Palestinian American, and a Muslim woman. Diana discusses the rich diversity of the populous city of Arlington, TX. She shares her desire to make the city more equitable, starting with creating an accessible campaign through language translation. Arlington City Council elections are on May 1, 2021. Early voting has already begun and runs through April 27.

Rafat Jilani has worked with children for 30 years in schools as a special education teacher and a school psychologist.  Now she is running for Fort Bend Independent School District, Trustee Position 6. Fort Bend’s population is widely diverse, including a significant South Asian population. Jilani believes the board should reflect the diversity of the District. She talks about how she is suited for the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic because of her background in psychology. She says by helping the kids, she can help shape the future of our nation. Fort Bend ISD elections are on May 1, 2021.

Brody Mulligan is running for School Board Trustee in the Hurst Euless Bedford School District (HEB ISD). This area in the mid-cities of DFW has a substantial South Asian community, and Brody reached out to the WiseUp TX Podcast to talk to our followers. He has experience as an educator and a founder of a non-profit about government policy reform. In this episode he shares how he would improve education by expanding pre-K, school lunches, and giving more practical training to students. HEB ISD elections are on May 1, 2021.

Dr. Sana Syed is running for Dallas City Council District 2.  She talks about her desire to tackle challenging issues like homelessness and  her love for the city of Dallas and the district she is running to represent.  She is a South Asian American and Muslim woman excited to engage in the political process and hopefully bring people with her along the way.  Dr. Sana Syed is a corporate executive, a former spokesperson for the City of Dallas and runs her own non-profit.  Dallas City Council elections are on May 1, 2021.

Sima Ladjevardian is running for United States Congress!  The 2nd Congressional district covers the west part of Houston, and then extends around the north side of the city, including some suburbs.  Sima talks about her background as an Iranian immigrant, and what she envisions for our country from immigration reform to managing the Covid-19 pandemic.  Before deciding to run for office herself, she worked to help other candidates as a political activist (including Beto O'Rourke).

Sri Preston Kulkarni is a South Asian candidate running for U.S. Congress in Texas' 22nd Congressional district (Suburbs of Houston such as Sugarland, Pearland, Katy, and Clearlake).  If he wins he will be the first person of color to represent this majority minority district.  He ran in 2018 and started the grassroots effort to get the South Asian community involved in a political campaign.  In this interview, he talks in depth about creating a coalition of South Asian voters and the diversity within the South Asian community itself.  He talks about "relational organizing," explaining how campaigns should rely on organic relationships among communities to reach out to more voters.  Tune in to hear more about his campaign.

Candace Valenzuela is running to represent a diverse district of suburbs between Dallas and Fort Worth (such as Addison, Irving, Grapevine, Southlake, Carrolton, Euless, etc). This district includes parts of Dallas County, Denton County, and Tarrant County.  She talks about the South Asian population in her district, and the power of diverse representation.  She discusses the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic particularly on essential workers and her desire to serve those Texans.  Finally, she talks about Islamophobia in the district which has been used by other political candidates to garner support. 

State Representative Ed Thompson currently represents District 29, which includes Pearland and other suburbs south of Houston.  He talks about his service in this district as the State Rep. since 2012 and his current run as the Republican candidate.  He talks about the Covid-19 pandemic and its toll, but also about the continued economic growth and opportunity despite it.

Mubasher Warraich is running for city council in the suburb of Euless (DFW metroplex).  He talks about bringing more of the technology industry to the city and his passion and focus on affordable childcare for working parents.  He talks about how South Asians could get much more involved in the political process and encourages others to run for office in the spirit of giving back to the community. 

MJ Hegar is running for the United States Senate as the Democratic candidate against longtime incumbent, John Cornyn.  She has served our country as a combat veteran, she has worked in the healthcare industry, and she is a working mom. She talks about how all these experiences led her to run for office and how she thinks he can make life better for Texans!  

Judge Staci Williams is running for TX Supreme Court as a democratic candidate.  This is a statewide race that will be on every ballot this November. Judge Williams currently serves as Judge of the 101st District Court in Dallas County. Judge Williams talks about the important decisions the Texas Supreme Court has made lately, and how she could serve Texans on our highest court after her years of experience as a trial Judge and a practicing attorney.  As a woman of color, Judge Williams believes it is time the Texas Supreme Court reflect the diversity of the State of Texas.  

Current Harris County Clerk, Chris Hollins, talks about safe and accessible voting this election seasons.  Harris County is the 3rd largest county in the nation, and in his role, Hollins manages the election and protects voting rights, a role he does not take lightly.  Listen to hear about unique things Harris County (Houston area) has done from increased polling locations,  infrastructure around mail-in ballots, language access technology, and social distancing!  Some of the initiatives are being questioned by the State of Texas, resulting in a lawsuit.  

Travis Boldt is the Democratic candidate for Texas House of Representative for House District 29. He is challenging Republican incumbent Ed Thomson. House District 29 covers Pearland and suburbs southeast of Houston. A small business owner, husband to a public school educator, and father, Travis shares what inspired him to run for state house representative and the issues are front and center for his campaign.