Washington–The 3rd national South Asian Summit, hosted by South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), drew over 250 attendees to this capital, including representatives of 29 South Asian community-based organizations.

Advocates, lawyers and students nationwide gathered here on April 1 to 4 to raise awareness, as well as collectively brainstorm solutions against the growing xenophobia in the U.S.

Bhairavi Desai received the ChangeMaker Award, which recognizes individuals and organizations that have made a significant impact on social justice.

Ms. Desai is the executive director and co-founder of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA). In her keynote speech at the ceremony, she spoke passionately about “the importance of organizing, and fighting for the rights of the working class.”

“There is no other answer to organized oppression, racism, the xenophobia that we see unfold on a daily basis in this country–there is no other answer to that except organizing,” she said.

Other 2011 ChangeMakers are Luna Ranjit, executive director of Adhikaar; SAMHAJ (Understanding) and Prerna Lal, co-founder of DREAMActivist.org.

The summit was organized by SAALT (www.saalt.org), with the South Asian Law Students Association at American University’s Washington College of Law as co-host.

Other speakers were: Neethan Shan, Council of Agencies Serving South Asians – Canada; Swathi Bonda, Booz Allen Hamilton; Nadia Tonova, National Network of Arab American Communities; Fahd Ahmed, Desis Rising Up and Moving; Glenn Magpantay, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund;

Shikha Bhatnagar, Atlantic Council; Manju Kulkarni, South Asian Network; Muhammad Malik, American Civil Liberties Union, Florida; Gregory Cendana, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance; Laila Mehta, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy; Benjamin deGuzman, National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance; Rishi Awatramani, Virginia New Majority; Meredith Higashi, Asian American Justice Center; and Robina Niaz, Turning Point for Women and Families.