Pritam Misri

Tell us about yourself.

I was born in Fremont to immigrant parents from Tamil Nadu who came to America in pursuit of graduate school education. Whenever I traveled to the tropics of Chennai to visit family, I was enthralled by the stories my grandfather narrated. Stories of freedom fighters and Mughal kings, folktales and myths. Back home in California, my thirst for similar stories was quenched in history books. History to this day greatly influences my activism. When I was five, my family left suburbia to live in an urban, diverse Berkeley. Growing up in the Bay as a brown boy greatly shaped my perspectives as I faced both racism and aggression but was also surrounded by the safety and warmth of immigrant communities. I experienced this duality of oppression and privilege in Asian American activist spaces where I witnessed anti-Black racism. This motivated me to fight complacency with regard to mass incarceration within my own communities. I hope to further my knowledge in these areas as an incoming Law, History, and Culture major at the University of Southern California. I also have a deep passion for music specifically in jazz and hip hop and using both as a medium for both stories and change.

What motivates you to be part of the Banyan Tree?

I am motivated not only by an intense passion for community and belonging but I'm excited to work with young people who I believe have limitless knowledge and power to bring about change.

If you could be a potato, how would you be prepared?

I would be a potato in my Amma's South Indian potato curry, immersed in onions, spices, and an earthy goodness.

We asked our team, “What is Pritam’s superpower?” Here’s what one person said.

“Pritam is wise beyond his years - and his absolute commitment to social justice is deeply inspiring. His superpower, though, is the ease with which he engages with young people, and shows that their thoughts, voices, and experiences matter.”