Eighteen-year-old Jasmine Chhabria, a first-year political science major at Occidental College, is committed to using knowledge and resources to help change the world. By researching the 1947 Mendez v. Westminster court case – which desegregated California schools and served as a precursor to Brown v. Board of Education, Chhabria teaches the current generation empathy, kindness and inclusion. She created a historical reenactment of the Mendez case and has made equity presentations at the OC Department of Education and the Association of California School Administrators’ Every Child Counts Symposium. Currently helping to plan the Mendez Monument Trail and Park in Westminster, a trip to Sacramento as an Irvine Unified School District delegate has inspired her next project to write a bill to update history curriculum with diverse perspectives. Chhabria was named one of OC Register’s 125 Most Influential People in 2021, and received the Greater Irvine Chamber’s 2022 Woman of Influence Award. She is grateful for her many community service projects through Girl Scouts of OC, along with her work with the Sunrise Group and Vanguard University.
“It warms my heart that a little bit of my time and effort can touch someone’s life for the better. We can all make a difference if we try.” – Jasmine Chhabria