Shakti
Women's Symposium
inspire, support, and motivate
Shakti is a non-profit community for women by women.
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Shakti is a community organization event, that provides a common platform for women from the South Asian community.
The goal of Shakti is to inspire, support, and motivate each other.
In a world where women are breaking barriers and paving their way boldly by challenging stereotypes and the systems, this event aims to honor their journeys, uplift their voices, and empower them to reach new heights. When we live authentically and achieve our best, we change the world around us for the better.
Shakti is a platform for women of the South-Asian descent to come together and share experiences related to our struggles, achievements, strengths, and talents. Join us for a day filled with dynamic speakers, interactive activities, and empowering discussions. Whether you're a seasoned professional, an aspiring entrepreneur, a student, a mother, or a leader in your community, there's something for everyone at this celebration of womanhood.
We celebrate each other to grow together.
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This year's theme is RESILIENCE. This year's panelists are shining examples of a strong mindset, emotional strength, and the flexibility to navigate life’s uncertainties with determination. They embrace failures as opportunities for growth, maintain a positive outlook, and draw upon inner and external resources to overcome obstacles.
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Key Highlights of this year's Shakti -
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Inspiring panelists - Get inspired by the lively stories of the panelists
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Interactive format - The audience will get opportunities to participate in live Q&A with the panelists, engage in fun interactive activities, and make meaningful connections with other like-minded women.
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Refreshments - To keep you going :)
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This year we are going to celebrate these distinguished women.
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Preeti Deshpande
Poet, actress and
musician
Satty Rai
Commissioner,
Sacramento Disability Advisory Commission
Shankari Arcot
Entreprenuer,
Owner of
Sacramento Spice
Preeti Deshpande
Preeti’s life was never planned, but destiny had grand designs for her. At 20, she launched Nashik’s first computer training institute, pioneering change in her small town. She moved to America at age 25, with her daughter, chasing dreams of opportunity. Trapped in an abusive marriage for 12 years, she found the courage to walk away, starting over as a single parent in her early thirties. Life was challenging, but her resilience was stronger. She rebuilt her life, pursued an IT career, and created a loving world for herself and her daughter. Preeti is a published poet, an actress, and a dedicated harmonium player. Her love for art energized and motivated her all her life. Preeti rediscovered love and remarried a few years ago, finding the companionship she had longed for. Now she continues to inspire others with her journey of courage and hope, trusting life’s plan with a smile.
Satty Rai
Satty Rai is a Computer Engineer dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities. She currently serves as a commissioner on the Sacramento Disability Advisory Commission. She has been recognized for her contributions with the Volunteer of the Year 2022 award by Natomas Football Academy for starting and being a director of their TOPsoccer program. She also received the Tim Haley Award 2023 from the Sacramento Disability Advisory Commission.
A longtime community leader in the Sacramento region, Satty has championed numerous service projects including her work on the executive board of the school PTSA and as a board member of the Chamber of Commerce, which supports local small businesses. She is also the Vice President of the Punjabi American Heritage Society, which promotes cultural awareness and community engagement.
Alongside her husband and three children, Satty and her family are passionate about giving back and making a meaningful impact in their community.
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Shankari Arcot
Shankari Arcot has continually demonstrated entrepreneurship. In 2006, she leveraged her culinary skills and natural rapport with people of all ages to launch cooking classes in Sacramento. During the challenging days of COVID-19, when families were seeking meaningful ways to connect, Shankari developed a virtual cooking school that brought people together through shared culinary experiences. Since then, Shankari's business has flourished, expanding to include an e-cookbook and her signature "SacramentoSpice" line of Indian spice blends and chai masala. Her culinary talents received notable recognition when she claimed victory in the prestigious Iron Chef competition at the state fair. Shankari continues to offer in-home cooking lessons, team building classes and summer camps.
Beyond her professional achievements, Shankari remains deeply committed to community service, working at a nonprofit that provides support to cancer patients and spearheading donation and gifting initiatives. Her personal journey is equally meaningful—she and her partner grew their family through open adoption, becoming a family of three, and later welcomed their rescue dog, Veera, making their home complete.
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History of Shakti - Planting seeds
For many years, I kept thinking about bringing together women from South-Asian heritage to build a community where we can share our stories, knowledge, and resources for the betterment of us as an individual and the community as a whole. To provide a safe, non-judgmental space for all to be their authentic self, to connect at a real level.
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The vision materialized in 2019 when I hosted the inaugural event. It was a huge success with women from all walks of life coming together to share experiences and motivate each other. ​
In 2021 Shakti was hosted online due to the continued pandemic. It was very well attended and appreciated. This platform provided a much-needed connection and solace when all of us were struggling.
We gathered in person in 2023 with more enthusiasm and energy to make Shakti a movement, not just an event. 2024 marked the beginning of Shakti meetups led by me, where several women meet regularly to engage in discussions on varied topics such as self-growth, creating healthy boundaries in relationships, and overcoming obstacles at the workplace.
