I just lately wrote the Foreword for Unshackled, a brand new ebook co-authored by Soundarya Basubramani, a author from India, and Sameer Khedekar, a veteran immigration lawyer. Unshackled breaks down how authorized immigration works in America in a method that’s pleasant, accessible, and human. It’s stuffed with uncooked tales of high-skilled immigrants who walked unconventional paths and actionable steering to navigate these paths.
Final August, Rajesh Setty despatched me an e mail request from Soundarya when the ebook was simply an concept. Soundarya shared her imaginative and prescient for the ebook and why she needed to jot down it. Unsurprisingly, the motivation stemmed from private frustrations with the immigration system within the U.S.
Authorized immigration, particularly for high-skilled immigrants, has been necessary to me for over a decade. I used to be deeply concerned with the Startup Visa motion again in 2010. When that in the end failed, I started supporting a number of grassroots actions just like the GEiR program, invested in corporations based by immigrants, am an investor and board member of Boundless, an early LP in Unshackled Ventures (unrelated to this ebook), and even grew to become the chief producer of a film known as For Right here Or To Go. Unshackled appeared one other step in the correct course.
I met with Soundarya and Sameer on a video name in late August. Their pitch had promise, and I inspired them t arrange a crowdfunding marketing campaign. They did this, and I used to be one among 612 individuals who supported the marketing campaign, which raised $48,340. Quickly after the marketing campaign ended, Soundarya obtained a $50,000 grant from Emergent Ventures for the undertaking.
Soundarya stored me up to date, and I received the unpublished manuscript for Unshacked 5 months later. I learn it over one weekend, and I beloved it. The ebook didn’t really feel like a authorized information. Soundarya and Sameer managed to interrupt down how authorized immigration labored in easy and fascinating language whereas capturing the uncooked feelings within the firsthand tales of immigrants. Having seen the ebook come to life from a mere concept simply 9 months in the past, I agreed to jot down the foreword.
Lower than a 12 months from its inception, Soundarya and Sameer are internet hosting a grand occasion to launch their ebook on July twenty second, 2023, in Sunnyvale, CA. Whereas I can’t attend the occasion, I hope you can also make it and assist a worthy undertaking. Doug Rand, who at the moment serves as an advisor to the Director of USCIS, is about to be there for a fireplace chat on the previous and way forward for immigration coverage.
Soundarya and Sameer – congratulations on publishing this necessary ebook. And, Rajesh, thanks for connecting us.
