Pooja Kothari, Esq. begins her social justice origin story with memories of her father, who helped cultivate her abilities to think critically as a child, her early awareness of sexism in gender-segregated cultural spaces, and her later experiences with racism and internalizing shame as a cis, queer, first-generation Indian-American woman of color. Recalling her experiences as a former public defender with the Legal Aid Society Criminal Defense Practice in Brooklyn, NY, Pooja reflects on how she became more courageous and a better advocate thanks to her mentors Michael Letwin and Azalia Torres, and explains how systemic racism shapes courtroom dynamics and even defenders’ assumptions in ways that can make or break client outcomes.

She also talks about her relationship with resisting internalized oppression through finding community and “depersonalizing” oppressive messaging, while also resisting internalized patterns of power through developing practices of accountability and self-correction. This journey informs her work as the founder and principal facilitator of Boundless Awareness, where she develops and facilitates anti-oppression and anti-bias curriculum for workplaces and organizations.

Pooja’s storytelling reminds listeners that their activism can start today by identifying and challenging their assumptions.

Connect with Pooja and Boundless Awareness:

00:00 Boundless Awareness Mindset

01:28 Coming Out Expectations

04:27 Start Where You Are

04:54 Show Intro Mission

06:08 Meet Pooja Kothari

08:38 From Public Defender to Founder

10:08 Activated by Asking Why

11:25 Gender Roles at Puja

17:06 Grassroots Calling

21:41 Identity Shame and Queerness

26:06 Resisting Internalized Oppression

31:55 Depersonalize and Self Correct

39:10 Courtroom Reality Check

42:36 Bias In Defense Work

44:09 Better Client Interviews

46:29 Language Checks And Support

48:14 Building Boundless Awareness

50:22 High Expectations And Values

55:38 Why I Do This Work

58:05 Who Gets Inspired

01:06:11 Mentors And Courage

01:10:41 Start Today And Critique

01:15:20 Accountability And Origin Stories

01:18:22 Closing Thanks And Call To Action

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