From The Peopling of New York City

South Asian women in Jackson Heights occupy a variety of positions. From sari shops clerks to founders of organizations vital to the smooth running of the neighborhood, women are an integral part of the job market in the area.

Seema Mohan Agnani

Seema Agnani is currently the co-founder and Executive Director of Chhaya Community Development Corporation. Stationed in Jackson Heights, it is an organization that helps South Asian residents figure out home-owning problems and avoid fraudulence. She is a former recipient of The Charles H. Revson Fellowship at Columbia University, earned her Bachelors at the University of Wisconsin at Madison and a Masters of Urban Planning and Public Administration at the University of Illinois in Chicago. Before working in Chhaya, she was the Coordinating Consultant to the Fund for New Citizens at The New York Community Trust, a donor collaborative supporting immigrant rights work. She was also the Director of Training and Technical Assistance at Citizens for NYC. In addition, she worked with Asian Americans for Equality for several years as a housing development associate while also focusing on fundraising and development; and later served as a coordinator of the Lower Manhattan Health Care Coalition.