Collections by Michelle Brown WSG Activist Rashika Pedris

Originally from Sri Lanka, Rashika grew up with her mother and three sisters in Texas.  She grew up learning how to balance her Sri Lankan heritage and cultural expectations with her American sensibilities and upbringing and proudly own both of identities 

She attended The University of Texas at Austin, where she studied anthropology and pre-medical studies. Rashika believes proudly embracing both identities has contributed to the way she goes about trying to make a positive difference in the world.

She did her first tour of duty at the Human Rights Campaign as the Development Coordinator. She worked on fundraising and community outreach projects. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) represents a grassroots force of more than 1.5 million members and supporters nationwide. It is the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization.

 In 2016, she joined the Peace Corps. Established in 1961 the Peace Corps was established to promote world peace and friendship. Rashika served as a Community Health Volunteer in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. During service with the Peace Corp, her work focused on maternal and child health, HIV prevention education, girls’ empowerment, and youth development.

 After leaving the Peace Corp, Rashika rejoined the Human Rights Campaign. This time as a Volunteer Leadership Organizer with the HRC Rising program—their largest grassroots expansion that focuses on accelerating progress and supporting pro-equality candidates and initiatives. 

Rashika believes working at HRC, she is part of a community that celebrates her intersectional perspective as a woman of color and an immigrant and empowers her to be a change agent to challenge stigmas, support other LGBTQ Asian Americans, and push the fight for equality forward