Who is Pia Dandiya? Indian-American educator who taught in Delhi slums now running for Congress in Florida

Indian-American educator and coverage skilled Pia Dandiya has shifted her US Congressional marketing campaign to Florida’s newly redrawn twenty second District, shifting from her earlier bid in the twenty first District as she enters a carefully watched open race in the state, in keeping with the American Bazaar.Dandiya is a former highschool principal and expertise supervisor. She is running on a platform targeted on decreasing the price of dwelling, strengthening public schooling, and supporting middle-class households. Her marketing campaign comes after a mid-decade redistricting plan permitted by governor Ron DeSantis reshaped a number of congressional boundaries, turning the twenty second District right into a aggressive swing seat in South Florida.If elected, she would turn into the primary South Asian American to symbolize Florida in Congress, reflecting the state’s rising Indian-American inhabitants.Dandiya was born and raised in Palm Seashore County. She is a first-generation Indian American whose mother and father immigrated from India searching for higher alternatives. Her early publicity to schooling work included volunteering throughout her undergraduate years, when she taught English to youngsters in New Delhi slums, an expertise she has stated formed her give attention to academic fairness. She at present lives in Palm Seashore County together with her husband and son.Her skilled profession started in schooling, working as a instructor in low-income faculties the place she reported sturdy scholar outcomes, with greater than 90% of her college students reaching state proficiency ranges. At 28, she based a constitution highschool in Harlem, New York, and have become one of many youngest principals in US. The varsity went on to realize sturdy tutorial outcomes, with all graduates incomes faculty admission regardless of most college students coming from low-income backgrounds.She later served as a White Home Fellow, working with the Home Coverage Council and the Division of Training, earlier than shifting into the personal sector. In that position, she labored at Apple on public sector initiatives involving schooling, healthcare, and authorities methods.Her marketing campaign focuses on decreasing on a regular basis prices, together with gasoline, groceries, and healthcare, by measures equivalent to negotiating prescription drug costs. She additionally helps common pre-kindergarten, elevated funding in public faculties, growth of vocational coaching, and safety of Social Safety and Medicare.Dandiya has additionally acquired backing from Florida Democratic Get together Chair Nikki Fried and studies a marketing campaign fund of $1.17 million in money available. This positions her as a robust contender in the Democratic main for the newly aggressive district.