Meet Our Scholars
Aahil Tharani
International Relations
He/Him
BIPOC
Born and raised in Houston Texas, Aahil Tharani is a second-generation Pakistani immigrant. His eccentric personality never truly melded well with other boys when he was younger. Thus he relied on art to express his voice in ways unjudged by others. In high school, he started to gain comfort in his sexuality, which resulted in violent opposition from his peers. Yet, he never let this alienation stop him from being his true self, believing social disruption to be the catalyst of change. After realizing the extreme lack of South Asian LGBTQ representation in mainstream media, he presented an award-winning speech on the lives of Hijras, the hidden transgender community of India. His amplification of the experiences of marginalized groups sparked his passion for social equity. He partnered with organizations such as PalestinianYouthMovement, American Cultural Center, Houston Newspring Center, UNICEF, Gay-Straight Alliance, Chinese Club, and even founded his school's very own South Asian Club to help nurture a pluralistic future. Aahil hopes to pursue a degree in international relations, followed by attending law school to attain a career as an international lawyer, seeking how global perspectives that build the world's mosaic of intersectionality interact.