Sim Singh Attariwala, Director of the Anti-Hate Program at Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), has been selected as one of 10 community leaders nationwide for the inaugural Aspen Digital 2025 Community and Tech Leaders Initiative.
Chosen from over 130+ nominations across the country, Indian American community leader will join a cohort of community-driven changemakers working at the intersection of tech and equity.
Aspen Digital’s new Community & Tech Leaders Initiative seeks to level the playing field for those who work on behalf of communities and want to advance their tech knowledge and network, according to a media release.
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The initiative will provide the 10 rising community leaders with hands-on learning opportunities on the most pressing emerging tech issues of the day.
Participants will benefit from unique access to tech leaders and key decision makers, strategically bringing their perspectives and experiences to the table to reimagine an innovation ecosystem that is built by and serves all, according to the release.
As the Director of AAJC’s Anti-Hate Program Attariwala leads national advocacy efforts to address and prevent hate-based violence and discrimination.
In this role, he develops and implements policy initiatives, strengthens community response mechanisms, advances public education and training efforts, and works to enhance protections for historically targeted communities, particularly in response to anti-Asian hate.
A civil rights advocate, policy expert, and attorney, Attariwala has extensive experience in combating hate, advancing racial and religious equity, and shaping public policy.
Prior to joining AAJC, he served as the Director of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, where he worked in coordination with the White House and other federal agency centers to expand access to justice, combat hate crimes, and address religious discrimination.
His work fostered collaboration between the federal government and faith-based, secular, and community organizations to advance equity, grant funding, and strengthen crisis response for communities facing violence and discrimination.
He also contributed to the National Strategies to Counter Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate, ensuring that federal efforts addressed systemic discrimination and targeted violence against these communities.
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His leadership in these areas helped shape federal initiatives that provided critical resources and policy guidance to communities and stakeholders nationwide.
Attariwala holds an LLM from Georgetown University Law Center, a JD from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center, and a BS in Information Systems Management from Florida International University.
He continues to be a leading force in national and international efforts to combat hate and ensure justice and security for vulnerable communities, according to the release.