astha saxena

My journey into the social sector began after completing my bachelor's in architecture, when I realized that while I excelled in STEM courses, the work lacked human-centric design and felt meaningless to me. It was very natural for me to step into the social sector right after my bachelor's, starting in India where there is tremendous opportunity but the field is not as respected in South Asian countries. Once I got started, I connected with a global network and discovered that one of the best things about this sector is how collaborative it is - no matter where you go, there are mission-driven and value-driven people who help carry your voice forward, and you never lose the motivation and passion for it. The hard work doesn't feel like a struggle in the social sector. I have traveled across different areas, starting in India, completing my master's in Canada, and now building field experience in New York, which offers a uniquely structured ecosystem with very specific laws around vulnerable populations. Currently, I am documenting what it's like to be a social practitioner and frontline worker, working with two organizations as an outreach lead for domestic violence survivors and as a support worker for female youth in foster care homes. Coming from a research background, I am building field experience and addressing a gap in social research about how social practitioners affect policy implementation - a perspective that is not currently captured in anthropology and social research. Before moving to New York, I was a professor of sociology in India for a little over a year. What I love most about my work is that I get to indulge my curiosity about people every single day - there are so many narratives around different populations, and every individual is like a full treasure chest of interesting personality traits.