My New Role!

A Next Chapter in My Unexpected Journey

The papers are signed. The ink is dry. It’s officially official. I’m joining the faculty at the historic Union Theological Seminary!

When I graduated from Columbia a half-decade ago, I would have never believed anyone who said I’d be returning as a professor. Ten years before that, I would have never believed anyone who said I’d go to Columbia as a student. And ten years before that, I wouldn’t have believed anyone who said I’d choose to do more school than what was required.

And yet, here I am now. Isn’t it funny the unexpected turns our lives can take?

[A photo of me at graduation with three of my beloved teachers, Frances Pritchett, the late Allison Busch, and Jack Hawley]

I’m thrilled for this twist and grateful for the opportunity. I’ll be teaching courses on histories of different traditions, primarily Islamic and Buddhist, and I’ll also be looking at histories of contact across multiple religions. If you thought I confused people before while teaching Islamic Studies as turban-wearing Sikh in Texas, let’s see what people make of me teaching about Buddhism and Islam. This is going to be fun :)

I’m happy to be back in the classroom and to have more time to write. If you’ve been following my posts here the past several months, you’ll understand that I really want to spend more time writing. I’m also excited to be teaching at Union, alongside brilliant faculty and staff and with amazing, earnest, committed students. I’ve taught courses here the past few years on Buddhist histories, and I’ve been so impressed by everyone I’ve encountered, and especially by their character and integrity. It’s a special place with giants who have walked through its halls in the past and present — Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Michele Alexander, Cornel West, Raphael Warnock, Serene Jones, Paul Tillich, James Cone, and so many more. My honest hope, as I step into this role, is that I can uphold the rich legacy of these leaders and luminaries.

I’ll be honest. It’s a little strange to be joining a seminary as a Sikh. It’s not something I would have imagined for myself as a kid. I didn’t even know what seminaries were until I reached my 20s. At the same time, Union feels like a perfect home for me. It has a long tradition of leading at the intersection of religion and justice, and its rapidly diversifying student body has created the kind of healthy, pluralistic environment that I want to see our country become.

Speaking of pluralism, I am pleased to say that joining Union does not mean I have to say goodbye to Aspen entirely. I will be staying on in an advisory capacity, and one of my responsibilities will be to bring forward a new podcast called Wisdom & Practice (which you’ll be hearing more about next month!). I love the Aspen Institute and all the incredible colleagues and friends I’ve met through my work there, and I’m grateful that I will continue working with them in the months and years to come.

This is a major change for me. Moving to a new role with a new team and new responsibilities is a big deal. Yet I find comfort in knowing that I’m still aligned with my personal mission: Disrupt bias. Build Empathy. Seek Wisdom. I’ll continue this in my new role at Union Seminary and in my new role at the Aspen Institute.

I’m so glad to be able to share this good news with you and look forward to sharing more as this next phase of my life journey unfolds.