Reshma Saujani

I'm sitting there the next day. I've pissed off everybody. I'm broke. And no one's calling me.

I'm sitting there the next day. I've pissed off everybody. I'm broke. And no one's calling me.

And if that happens, we're going to lose a generation of social entrepreneurs that we desperately need to continue these fights. And so we got to show them a different way. We got to do it a different way.

And if that happens, we're going to lose a generation of social entrepreneurs that we desperately need to continue these fights. And so we got to show them a different way. We got to do it a different way.

It's been a long time. I saw you. Different circumstances. Long time.

It's been a long time. I saw you. Different circumstances. Long time.

Because you're an amazing human. It's true. And we were bringing Girls Who Code to England, and we were looking to expand, and you... generously met with me.

Because you're an amazing human. It's true. And we were bringing Girls Who Code to England, and we were looking to expand, and you... generously met with me.

So, you know, for me, my parents came here as refugees. My mother was actually several months pregnant with my sister when they came. They had no money. And the Catholic Church took them in, fed them, sheltered them, clothed them. So I've always had this, like, deep love.

So, you know, for me, my parents came here as refugees. My mother was actually several months pregnant with my sister when they came. They had no money. And the Catholic Church took them in, fed them, sheltered them, clothed them. So I've always had this, like, deep love.

like love for this country and for that spirit, right, of empathy that we shelter and that we love and then we care for those who have been displaced. So that was always in my blood, that I wanted to give back to the country. I wanted to do public service and I wanted to, you know, fight for those who didn't have a voice.

like love for this country and for that spirit, right, of empathy that we shelter and that we love and then we care for those who have been displaced. So that was always in my blood, that I wanted to give back to the country. I wanted to do public service and I wanted to, you know, fight for those who didn't have a voice.

You know, no one's ever asked me that before because you're right. I could have turned to anger and hate, given what I was going through. And I went the opposite way. You know, my parents came here in the 70s, grew up in like a working class town, you know, outside of Chicago, Illinois. There were no brown people.

You know, no one's ever asked me that before because you're right. I could have turned to anger and hate, given what I was going through. And I went the opposite way. You know, my parents came here in the 70s, grew up in like a working class town, you know, outside of Chicago, Illinois. There were no brown people.

And, you know, my mom was still wearing her sari and her bindi on her head, going to the Kmart, right? Still eating Indian food. And, you know, back then it was all about assimilation. You know, my father went to Toastmasters to get rid of his... accent. He literally changed his name from Mukun to Mike. He still signs my birthday cards like love Mike.

And, you know, my mom was still wearing her sari and her bindi on her head, going to the Kmart, right? Still eating Indian food. And, you know, back then it was all about assimilation. You know, my father went to Toastmasters to get rid of his... accent. He literally changed his name from Mukun to Mike. He still signs my birthday cards like love Mike.

But that is like, if you wanted to fit in, you had to just change. And that's kind of how we felt too. I remember being so mad, Megan, that my mom named me Reshma. I'm like, why didn't you just name me Rita or Rachel? Because everyone would be like, how do I say it? Right.

But that is like, if you wanted to fit in, you had to just change. And that's kind of how we felt too. I remember being so mad, Megan, that my mom named me Reshma. I'm like, why didn't you just name me Rita or Rachel? Because everyone would be like, how do I say it? Right.

And, you know, we didn't have a lot of money, so we were wearing the Kmart shoes and the wrong jeans and, like, the wrong shirt. And I remember it was all, like, you know, Forenza sweatshirts and, like, feathers and, like, you know, the 90s.

And, you know, we didn't have a lot of money, so we were wearing the Kmart shoes and the wrong jeans and, like, the wrong shirt. And I remember it was all, like, you know, Forenza sweatshirts and, like, feathers and, like, you know, the 90s.