Pooja Kothari, Esq. begins her social justice origin story with memories of her father, who helped cultivate her abilities to think critically as a child, her early awareness of sexism in gender-segregated cultural spaces, and her later experiences with racism and internalizing shame as a cis, queer, first-generation Indian-American woman of color. Recalling her experiences as a former public defender with the Legal Aid Society Criminal Defense Practice in Brooklyn, NY, Pooja reflects on how she became more courageous and a better advocate thanks to her mentors Michael Letwin and Azalia Torres, and explains how systemic racism shapes courtroom dynamics and even defenders’ assumptions in ways that can make or break client outcomes.
She also talks about her relationship with resisting internalized oppression through finding community and “depersonalizing” oppressive messaging, while also resisting internalized patterns of power through developing practices of accountability and self-correction. This journey informs her work as the founder and principal facilitator of Boundless Awareness, where she develops and facilitates anti-oppression and anti-bias curriculum for workplaces and organizations.
Pooja’s storytelling reminds listeners that their activism can start today by identifying and challenging their assumptions.
Connect with Pooja and Boundless Awareness: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boundlessawareness/ Website: www.BoundlessAwareness.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/BOUNDLESSAWARENESSLLC/
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Social Justice Origin Stories is produced, edited, and hosted by Relando Thompkins-Jones.
00:00 Boundless Awareness Mindset
01:28 Coming Out Expectations
04:27 Start Where You Are
04:54 Show Intro Mission
06:08 Meet Pooja Kothari
08:38 From Public Defender to Founder
10:08 Activated by Asking Why
11:25 Gender Roles at Puja
17:06 Grassroots Calling
21:41 Identity Shame and Queerness
26:06 Resisting Internalized Oppression
31:55 Depersonalize and Self Correct
39:10 Courtroom Reality Check
42:36 Bias In Defense Work
44:09 Better Client Interviews
46:29 Language Checks And Support
48:14 Building Boundless Awareness
50:22 High Expectations And Values
55:38 Why I Do This Work
58:05 Who Gets Inspired
01:06:11 Mentors And Courage
01:10:41 Start Today And Critique
01:15:20 Accountability And Origin Stories
01:18:22 Closing Thanks And Call To Action
