Our Team
The Core
Empower
Gender Based Violence Resource Hub
Jasleen Kaur
Hub Director
She/Her/Hers
Jasleen Kaur is a student, aspiring writer, and researcher who focuses much of her work around social and cultural issues pertinent to Sikhs, women, and other marginalized groups. Guided by Sikhi and a goal of liberation for all, Jasleen strives to center “Ik Oankaar,” or Oneness, in all that she does. She believes that in order for any community to truly thrive, it must become committed to erasing illusions of division and to doing the work of healing its own internal struggles and inequities. To this end, Jasleen is passionate about working toward justice and empowering individuals on all levels of society—from on an international scale to within each individual home. She looks forward to continuing this work with Umeed’s Gender Based Violence Hub.
Jasmine Kaur
Researcher
She/Her/Hers
Jasmine Kaur is a Gender Based Violence Community Advocate working in the Greater Seattle area. As a part of Seva, Jasmine strives to give back to her community by providing social services for women of color. Deeply proud of her Sikh Panjabi heritage, she hopes to break barriers and cultural norms so that women are able to thrive not just survive.
Liberate
Abolition Resource Hub
Jiamia McCoy
Co-Hub Director
She/Her/Hers
Jiamia McCoy, (she/her/ella), has a BSW and identifies as Black/African American. She previously served as the first ever statewide anti-trafficking social worker for 5 years and supported individuals and families who had experienced exploitation and worker rights violations. Prior to shifting into higher education, she worked in the non-profit sector serving survivors of crime for approximately 9 years as a social worker. She’s an esteemed survivor educator on the topics of gender/identity-based violence in marginalized communities, anti-blackness, decolonization, and anti-oppression. She’s deeply committed to shifting the language and perspective to prioritize racial justice and equity within every part of society. Presently, Jiamia is a collaborative activist that believes in wellness equity through community care for all and fosters holistic health through a trauma-informed lens.
Jasmeen Kaur
Co-Hub Director
She/Her/Hers
Motivated by her own personal and professional experiences, Jasmeen has developed a strong passion for advocacy, organizing, and social justice at the root of all her work. As a social worker rooted in abolition, she has spent much time working with others to uplift and empower them -- work that she hopes to carry on at Umeed. She believes that in order to create safer communities we must break down barriers and generational patterns so that we can provide more resources for each other. By breaking down those barriers and generational patterns, Jasmeen hopes to continue to build that better world that we all know is possible. She holds an MSW from Columbia University.
Thrive
Mental Health Resource Hub
Komal Kaur
Hub Director
She/Her/Hers
Komal Kaur, MSW, is a first-generation Sikh Punjabi immigrant and social worker with extensive experience supporting immigrant and refugee families. She's the CEO at Zara Consulting Group, specializing in culturally competent early intervention strategies that promote social-emotional learning for children. Komal is also the founder of Umeed-Hope, a vital mutual aid organization. On top of all this, she's a prolific essayist, a dedicated community organizer, a compassionate children's book author, and a vibrant multidisciplinary artist. Her diverse talents and experiences all converge to amplify the voices and experiences of the communities she serves.
Muskaan Kaur
Student Fellow
She/Her/Hers
Muskaan Kaur is a high school student passionate about social justice and breaking down barriers within the Sikh community. She utilizes her experience in public speaking to provide others with the resources to advocate for their needs and resolve the issues they care about. Through education across a diverse range of topics, from mathematics to mental health, Muskaan works to help her community excel and overcome the struggles they face as a result of their background and experiences.