Sonali Bhandari

Youth Programming Lead

Tell us about yourself.

I grew up in the Bay Area, where I have been surrounded by ancestral systems of care & healing all my life. When the Western medical system failed me as a child, my family turned to medicines created from our family’s herbal shop in Punjab. This began my exploration in South Asian modalities of balancing our bodies. During college, I studied Cognitive Science where I conducted mock studies on the effects of meditation on university students, researched accessibility of outdoor recreation for BIPOC kids, and worked as the Lead Steward of the UCSC Community Herb Garden! After completing my degree, I traveled throughout India learning Yoga and Ayurveda. It was there that I felt a calling to go back to the California to create a space for young people to explore their own connection with their roots. I work as an Afterschool Teacher and Youth Programs Associate at India Community Center in the South Bay. 

What motivates you to be part of the Banyan Tree?

I hope the Banyan Tree will be the foundation for a larger conversation on how we can cultivate passion and pride within our communities.

If you could be a potato, how would you be prepared? I would be an aloo paratha. It’s my favorite childhood dish! I wish to be as comforting as an aloo paratha.

We asked our team, “What is Sonali’s superpower?” Here’s what one person said. “Sonali’s superpower is that she has an unshakeable sense of purpose. She has many other talents too - she is creative, connects with anyone she meets, and is also quietly hilarious. But what makes Sonali unique is the clarity and conviction she pursues her calling in culturally sustaining youth development. You can’t help but be inspired when she gets talking about her work!”