A Conversation With Dr. Vishakha Desai

    I recently had the opportunity to attend and participate in an event hosting Dr. Vishakha Desai, the Senior Advisor for Global Affairs at Colombia University and an individual with a deep history in a focus on culture, policy, and women's rights. Prior to the event I had the chance to read part of Dr. Desai's book, World as Family: A Journey of Multi-Rooted Belongings, and was particularly interested in her travel experiences, and how she viewed the importance of cultural immersion in forming identity.

    During the event, I got to hear Dr. Desai talk about identity and its many facets throughout life as well as a dialogue between Dr. Desai and my fellow Global Scholars. Dr. Desai was an amazing presenter using her humor along with how she viewed parts of identity, making for a very engaging presentation and dialogue. Drawing off of what I read from her book, It was helpful to hear her directly address how she sees the "world as family" and the steps she took and that we as global citizens can take towards achieving this goal. One point Dr. Desai made that really stuck with me was the idea of embracing the differences you have with those around you, and in doing so you can expand your mindset from a limited one into one that can help solve the ultimate goal of stopping conflict.

    After hearing her presentation, I was also interested in hearing Dr. Desai's thoughts on whether strongly identifying with a particular identity affects your ability to open your mind and interact in a global context with members of other communities. Overall I'm really grateful for having had this opportunity to hear her speak and learned more about ways to think about and approach the idea of identity.