A BIT ABOUT US
OUR MISSION
By informing youth on pressing social justice issues through educational materials, connecting them with our partner organizations for mentorship, and hosting activism events to unite our community, Take Action Inc.—a student-led 501(c)(3) global nonprofit—aims to empower youth to raise their voices and take action for causes that are meaningful to them. Arjun Kothari is the current president of Take Action Inc.
OUR VISION
In a world that is in dire need of youth activism but often discourages minors, Take Action Inc. hopes to equip and support the next generation of informed, thoughtful leaders, inspiring transformative change through youth’s collective power.
OUR STORY
When I (Arjun Kothari) was twelve years old, my middle school grew anxious about the school shootings occurring around us. Policemen marched outside our classrooms, and lockdown drills occurred more frequently. To discover ways to help students like me feel safe, I decided to learn about gun violence. Overwhelmed by the convoluted legal jargon and historic precedent, I researched for hours but still did not know how to take action.
Propelled by the brutal murder of George Floyd and the resurgence of Black Lives Matter in 2020, we enter a moment defined by activism, which exposes persisting systems of oppression. In this zeitgeist, our world becomes even more in need of informed young leaders, but as youth, I know that it is easy to feel disempowered when adults—on top of possessing the right to vote—are often more valued than minors, fueling apathy and inaction. To empower youth to get involved in their communities and beyond, I co-founded Take Action Inc. with my older sister in 2019.
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Because we are minors, it has honestly been difficult to persuade adults to take us and the vision we have for our organization seriously and to solicit donations and grants. To convince people of the unique value of our project and my dedication to it, I conducted extensive research, digging through IRS documents and legal procedures to understand how to apply for 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. I also composed a business plan that helped us fundraise for important causes and sustain Take Action Inc.’s operations.
We now foster a global community of 65,000+ youth activists and provide them with weekly educational materials on pressing social justice issues, running 14 skill-building workshops and crafting 47 toolkits on topics like anti-Blackness, domestic violence, and environmentalism. Expanding our reach to incorporate a variety of perspectives, we manage seven global chapters (New York, New Jersey, Florida, Connecticut, California, Thailand, and India) and partner with 19 international organizations, including the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), March for Our Lives, Indigenous Peoples Movement, and Bachpan Bachao Andolan.
Ultimately, as I provide tangible and moral support to connect and assist young people in their activism, I am so happy to have found an empowering community with Take Action Inc. that helps me grow and that I could not bear to lose. I encourage you to join this community and take action!
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Thank You,
Co-Founder and President
Arjun Kothari
MEET OUR GLOBAL ACTION TEAM!
Arjun Kothari
Co-Founder & President, Director of New York Chapters
​Arjun is currently a sophomore at Riverdale Country School in the Bronx. He started Take Action Inc. with Ishikaa when he was just 12 years old. Facing racial discrimination from an early age, Arjun learned he could not remain silent as injustice persisted. He hopes to grow a grassroots movement that represents all youth voices in an intersectional matter, recognizing that activists cannot uplift some voices while excluding others. His favorite thing about Take Action Inc. is its ability to help youth realize their unlimited potential to create meaningful change by providing them with digestible tools to take action. When Arjun is not leading a demonstration, he is an avid cookie-lover, Netflix binge-watcher, and basketball fanatic.
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Ishikaa Kothari
Co-Founder & Chairperson, Director of Connecticut Chapters
While she helped start this nonprofit in high school, Ishikaa has continued her advocacy work well into college. Ishikaa has helped create several diversity murals for her campus community and developed many comprehensive resource guides on human trafficking, child labor, and anti-racism. As racial and gender inequality, child servitude, and gun violence are the issues most personal and important to Ishikaa, she advocates for gun control and the eradication of child servitude as a volunteer for Everytown for Gun Safety and the 100 Million Campaign, bringing those activist experiences to her work at Take Action Inc. On a more personal note, Ishikaa enjoys Bollywood movies, spicy food, and board games.
Eshaan Kothari
Co-Founder and Chairperson
Lea Hostetter-Habib
Press & Communications Director
Aditya Madiraju
Community Engagement Director
Shriya Vattimilli
DEIB Director
Saira Babbar
Creative Director
Emma Zafari
Fundraising Director
Samay Kothari
Digital Media Team Head
Zephyr Watts
Content Director
Rishabh Jain
Director of California Chapters
Daniel Rodriguez
Director of Partnerships
Rachel Punter
Education and Trainings Director
Kaviya Veerasingam
Campaign Director
Isabella Efimov
Policy Director
Anya Williams
Director of Florida Chapters
Ranveer Daga
Director of Thailand Chapters
Naman Shah
Director of India Chapters
GLOBAL REACH
JOIN OUR MOVEMENT!
Become a member of our movement of youth who want to change the world for the better! As a member, we will keep you updated on events and rallies and on the materials we post about various issues.