Berkeley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour

05/24/2026

On yesterday’s Berkeley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour, we reconnected with our friends from Stanford’s Okada dorm, for what has become an annual tradition.

The tours are a two-way process, and we always learn from what comes up in response to the stories we share.

On yesterday’s tour, participants shared back some of their own stories: immigration precarity, Pakistani student activists in 1970s-1980s Berkeley, and growing up Black and South Asian.

It’s always special for us that Okada students worked for years to include scenes from our tour as part of a larger mural outside their building.

This is a weekend of tours for us: a Berkeley tour yesterday, and two San Francisco tours today. One of us hurt our foot yesterday, so we’ve been doing our best to navigate the situation, bringing a walking stick, carrying painkillers, and being ready to tweak the tour route to reduce walking. Wish us luck.

05/06/2026

We’re back in San Francisco!

Please join us for this summer’s San Francisco South Asian Radical History Walking Tour on Sunday, May 24

We’ll be exploring the stories they didn’t teach us in school: Desi feminists, q***r anti-war movements, Punjabi revolutionaries, undocumented Gujaratis, post-9/11 solidarity, and even a Tamil pirate.

Register now at BerkeleySouthAsian.org (link in bio!)

05/06/2026

We’re back! Join us for this summer’s San Francisco South Asian Radical History Walking Tour.

Register now at https://www.berkeleysouthasian.org/ (link in bio)

04/11/2026

University of California, Berkeley is hiring. Apply now!

04/08/2026

We’re back! Join us on the award-winning Berkeley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour on Sunday, April 26, 2026 at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM.

Discover four generations of South Asian activism, and go deep into the histories we were never taught in school. You’ll hear stories of Desi feminists, Punjabi revolutionaries, immigrant caregivers, and Berkeley’s first South Asian anti-racist protest.

Details and registration at BerkeleySouthAsian.org (link in bio)

04/04/2026

Workers allege abuse, visa fraud and medical neglect during the New Jersey temple’s construction – and say two died from lung disease caused by inhaling silica dust

03/16/2026

03/12/2026

Empower your students to be architects of a more inclusive American story!

“History Is Yours: From Students to Storytellers” is our new PAID training opportunity for Philadelphia educators!

Selected educators will:
✅ Participate in a three-day, in-person summer institute at SAADA HQ in Center City
✅ Gain foundational knowledge in community archives & South Asian American history
✅ Build oral history skills through hands-on training led by Dr. Amber Abbas, an expert facilitator

And:
✅ Develop a new lesson plan rooted in local and community histories
✅ Join a network of peers—with a fall convening and a capstone event to showcase your work
✅ Earn a $1,500 stipend for your participation

‼️ Deadline: April 6, 2026

🍏 Learn more and apply at saada.org/institute

02/17/2026

We paused February tours because of the rain, but our Berkeley and SF tours are coming back in March!

- Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Berkeley
- Sunday, March 29 in San Francisco

The South Asian Radical History Walking Tours are a guided walk through more than a century of Bay Area South Asian American history.

They’re deeply-researched, sometimes emotional, and always inspiring glimpses at four generations of Desi freedom fighters, feminists, students, q***r activists, and more.

One participant wrote, “I cried, felt my heart break, felt scared, and uplifted…this was an incredible experience.” Many others have used the tour to get unstuck and reinspired to step up in concrete ways during these challenging times.

Space is limited, so please register ASAP, or tag a friend who may want to come:

https://www.berkeleysouthasian.org/

02/05/2026

California canceled thousands of trucking licenses. One community bore the brunt of the hit.

📸 Larry Valenzuela