BOSTON— YWCA Boston, one of the city’s oldest organizations which has been striving to create racial, gender and social equity in Boston for 150 years, has inducted two Indian-Americans in its list of 150 Boston Women of Influence Series.
The list includes Indian-Americans Mindy Kaling, an actor, writer, producer and director, and Dr. Manju Sheth, MD, co-founder and CEO of INE MultiMedia and host of INDIA New England News’ popular celebrity series Chai with Manju.
Other women included in the list are: Senator Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, Massachusetts’ first female governor Jane Swift, Barbara Walters and Donna Summer. As of Thursday morning (Sept. 8) YW Boston had released only 90 of the total 150 names in its Boston Women of Influence Series.
During 2016, YW Boston is celebrating its 150th anniversary with a suite of events that showcase the progress the iconic organization has made toward eliminating racism and empowering women in Boston.
On March 3, 1866, 30 women met in Boston at the home of civic reformer Pauline Durant to adopt a constitution for the Boston Young Women’s Christian Association. It was the first time in the United States the name – YWCA – was used. Their objective: “The temporal, moral, and religious welfare of young women who are dependent upon their own exertions for support.”
YW has included two Indian-American women from Boston in the list so far: Kaling and Dr. Sheth.
Along with being a writer, Kaling, whose real name is Vera Mindy Chokalingam, is a celebrated actress who has played award-nominated roles on popular American shows “The Office” and “The Mindy Project”. Kaling is the author of #1 New York Times bestselling book: Why Not Me? In the book, Kaling shares her ongoing journey to find contentment and excitement in her adult life, whether it’s falling in love at work, seeking new friendships in lonely places.
Dr. Sheth is a physician at Lahey Health and a former president of the Indian Medical Association of New England. She is also co-founder and CEO of INE MultiMedia, a non-profit organization devoted to promoting and supporting charitable organizations, art, culture, education and empowerment through workshops, seminars and multimedia. Dr. Sheth is a former trustee of the Indian-American Forum for Political Education and former member of board of directors of Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, and currently serves on the advisory board of Saheli, a group of South Asian women against domestic violence.
