Sayali Amarapurkar receives 2021 Tom Oye Award

The Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission honored Sayali Amarapurkar as the 2021 Tom Oye Award recipient at the Edina City Council meeting Dec. 6. Amarapurkar serves as Executive Director of the AshaUSA organization and is the South Asian cultural liaison at Edina Public Schools.

This annual award, given by the Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission, honors the late Tom Oye and other members of the Edina community whose good works promote human relations and advance human rights. Nominees are evaluated based on their efforts to foster respect and dignity for others, model courage and/or compassion in the advancement of human rights, and demonstrate leadership by example for improving human relations and/or advancing human rights.

Here is an excerpt from Amarapurkar’s nomination:

“Sayali has been a resident of Edina for 20 years. She created a non-profit organization called AshaUSA to help end the stigma of mental illness in the South Asian community. Now the organization also helps recent immigrants adapt to life in the United States. They also have a senior’s group and plan activities for them. In the last year, Sayali and AshaUSA have started race talks for all ages to encourage the South Asian community to think about systemic racism and how they can help make the world a better place.

“Sayali is also a member of the board of the Indian Association of Minnesota and she also started a new event this October called Pink Garba, a breast cancer awareness event and fundraiser. The event also had a Garba dance where people in attendance wore pink to raise awareness for cancer. She also works as the South Asian cultural liaison for the Edina Public Schools. She helps teachers learn about the many Indian subcontinent cultures and traditions. She also helps parents navigate the school system.

“With AshaUSA she has a monthly Youtube channel, discussions with the theme of breaking the stigma. Topics have been about autism and early intervention, domestic violence and more. In addition to this, she’s also started a podcast that’s in Hindi about parenting. Philanthropy and charitable work are also in her blood, and every part of her is dedicated to community service, equality, and love of fellow human beings.”

Edina’s Human Rights Award was established in recognition of the late Tom Oye, a second generation Japanese American who served as a Nisei soldier in World War II in the 100th Infantry Battalion of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and who was a founding member of the City’s Human Rights and Relations Commission. In 2003, Oye received the Prize for Humanity by the Immortal Chaplains Foundation.