New York- More than 120 New Yorkers braved below-freezing temperatures on Friday night to attend From the Shadows to the Stars, a landmark cultural memorial honoring the life and legacy of Rohith Vemula, the Dalit scholar whose death in 2016 galvanized a global anti-caste movement.

Organized and directed by prominent Dalit leader, journalist and author, Yashica Dutt, the evening brought together artists, writers, organizers, students, and elected officials for an immersive, community-centered program that combined documentary film, live performance, storytelling, visual art, and collective reflection. For many attendees, it was the first time they experienced a space that was explicitly anti-caste, and led by Dalit vision, thought, and intention.

The program featured a screening of Deepa Dhanraj’s moving documentary, We Have Not Come Here to Die, reflecting on the global protest movement that erupted in the wake of Vemula’s death, live musical and theatrical performances including anti-caste songs, a reading of Vemula’s last letter, and a storytelling showcase by Dalit speakers, along with an art exhibition of Dalit artists responding to caste, grief, and resistance. Attendees were also invited to engage with an exclusive zine produced for the event, featuring original reflections and writings from Dalit and anti-caste writers, academics and organizers in India, alongside shared Indo-Caribbean fare from TrinCiti in Ozone Park, Queens.

The intentional choice with the cuisine highlighted the shared histories of between the two regions and included offerings like beef to underscore the political nature of Dalit food – Dalit and Muslims are often punished for consuming/trading beef in India. Throughout the evening, participants collectively processed a grief that many in the anti-caste community have carried for nearly a decade. For some, the gathering offered a long-awaited sense of communal gathering; for others, it served as a space to reinvigorate resistance and forge new bonds in a city that, for many in the audience, finally began to feel like home.

Former State Representative and New York State Comptroller candidate Raj Goyle addressed the audience, speaking to ongoing efforts to advance caste-protection legislation in New York State and situated the cultural gathering within a broader political moment, particularly in the wake of Zohran Mamdani’s election as New York’s first South Asian Mayor in 2025.

“Today we stand in a New York that is finally beginning to see the true diversity of the South Asian experience. But we cannot celebrate South Asian prominence, experience and success, without acknowledging that caste discrimination remains a shadow that casts a pall, in our workplaces, in our campuses, in our halls of power”, Goyle said in his speech. 

Hosted in the legendary building of New York’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (The Center), one of the earliest spaces to provide a safe and affirming place for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, From the Shadows to the Stars created a bridge between marginalized Dalit and caste oppressed communities and queer spaces, both of which have significant overlap.

The event was made possible with support from community partners including the Ambedkar Center, Ambedkar King Study Circle, Hindus for Human Rights, Shri Guru Ravidas Sabha of New York, Indian American Muslim Council, India Civil Watch International, and Sacred Democracy. 

Reflecting on the event, the lead organizer Yashica Dutt shared that bringing a memorial for Rohith Vemula to New York carried deep personal significance. “As a Bhangi woman from a caste that is often overlooked for leadership, even within anti-caste spaces, organizing this event in one of the world’s largest cities, where I first learned about Rohith and which I now call home, was a dream realized.”

“It was a remarkable evening. It was a privilege for me to be able to attend such an important and well executed event with great thinkers, artists and activists for a much-needed conversation. Seeing this horrific caste system be confronted and in such a beautiful and dynamic way should be everyone’s dream”, said award-winning artist, educator and founder of SEA of Visibility, Anu Annam.

“While I am still processing everything that I learned, I wanted to share my gratitude for your fearless leadership and for each person who spoke their truth yesterday, especially Rohith Vemula, his classmates, and his mother Radhika,” – Radhika Nayar, Board of Directors, Sakhi for South Asian Survivors

“It felt great to recollect Rohith Vemula's fierce activism and his fight against injustice on his birth anniversary and also be among the people who have taken the mantle from him and are continuing that fight after him.” – Tejas Harad, founder and editor of the literary anti-caste publication, The Satyashodhak, and a speaker at the event.

“I am grateful to the event organizers for the care and revolutionary love they poured into this tribute, which felt like an antidote to the despair surrounding us. Together, we honored Dalit grief, joy, and dignity – so that we not only continue our struggle against the Brahmanical forces that killed Rohith but build the worlds our comrade dreamed of traveling to.” – Shalini K, Dalit Feminist Organizer and Movement Strategist.

From the Shadows to the Stars marked not only a remembrance of Rohith Vemula but also created a historic opening for anti-caste spaces in New York, which will hopefully lead to greater mainstream visibility for the Dalit community in the city and increased awareness around caste, within and beyond South Asian spaces. It ended up serving as a foundational event that demonstrated the power of Dalit-led cultural programming to shape public consciousness, build community, and inform policy conversations in New York and beyond.