Hari Kondabolu and Senator Manka Dhingra at Tasveer in Person Annual Gala

 Tasveer’s Sixth Annual Gala, after two years being online, will be held in-person on Saturday, March 18th 5.30 pm at Seattle Marriott Redmond.

Well-known writer, stand-up comedian, and host of the recent Netflix show Snack vs Chef, Hari Kondabolu is the keynote speaker at Tasveer Sixth Annual Gala, along with chief guest WA State Sen. Manka Dhingra. At the gala, he will share more about his experiences with Tasveer and its seminal work towards representation of South Asian communities.

The active participation of the South Asian and other intersectional communities is crucial to Tasveer’s sustainability and its success. The funds raised by the community supports filmmakers, advocates, and artists who bring attention to critical social justice issues and give a platform to underrepresented voices and stories within the community.

This year marks Tasveer completing 21 years. With the funds raised, Tasveer will:

Host the largest South Asian film festival, Tasveer South Asian Film Festival (TSAFF) in the country

Award monetary grants and year-long mentorship to independent filmmakers through Tasveer Film Fund

Organize events ranging from Open Mic nights, Book Reads, scriptwriting workshops, and masterclasses for budding storytellers

Provide honorariums to more than 200 artists, filmmakers, and advocates through their events.

Amplify women’s voices (with 43% of women directors in TSAFF) and those of the queer community through consistent representation

Encourage and inculcate political and social activism amongst South Asian youth through Tasveer Youth Collective

Provide fiscal sponsorship to South Asian diaspora films by emerging filmmakers

Hari Kondabolu is a comedian, writer and podcaster based in Brooklyn, New York. His documentary “The Problem with Apu” created a global conversation about race and representation. He also released two comedy albums, “Waiting for 2042” & “Mainstream American Comic” and has performed on many late night shows. He is also a former writer & correspondent on the Chris Rock produced FX show “Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell.”

“My association with Tasveer goes back more than a decade. Today, being invited as a keynote speaker is an honor and feels like a homecoming. I truly believe in Tasveer’s crucial work in supporting the multi-dimensional representation of South Asian artists and under-represented communities. And really look forward to being a part of the Gala,” says Hari Kondabolu.

Also joining many city and state officials (Bellevue City Council members) is the Washington State Senator and Deputy Majority Leader, Manka Dhingra. Senator Dhingra is the first Sikh elected to any state legislature in the United States and has a long history of working for social causes in this region. In 1996, she founded the non-profit organization, Chaya to combat domestic violence against South Asian women.

“On behalf of Tasveer, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all of our donors, supporters, and community members for their generosity and unwavering support. Their contributions and unflinching endorsement made these 21 years possible. We are excited to host this gala in person this year and are honored to have this one-of-a-kind platform that highlights social justice causes and underrepresented voices.” -Rita Meher, Tasveer Executive Director

The goal is to raise $200,000. The evening will also have a lively performance by the dance company Live2Dance and DJ Kazan. Thank you to Tasveer Gala sponsors: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Himalaya Homes, Inatai Foundation, K&L Gates, Madison Avenue Realty and The Remala Foundation.

Tickets for the event are available at Tasveer website.

Source: Tasveer