Paras Shah

Paras graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with degrees in History and Political Science. Over four years he actively participated in student government as a Senior Associate Justice for the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC), worked as a Resident Assistant, and co-directed the Cal in the Capital program. Additionally, Paras served as External Vice President of Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law Fraternity. He has written for Berkeley’s newspaper, The Daily Californian, and conducted research with the UC Berkeley War Crimes Studies Center. For two years, Paras was the co-founder and President of a campus group, Embrace, which fundraised to provide incubators to premature infants in the developing world.

Paras is legally blind and his lived experiences have provided a deep appreciation for our nation’s legacy of civil rights legislation, and human rights globally. Last summer, Paras interned with the United States Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. where he assisted in enforcement and implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In the past he was a political intern in the District Office of Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez. He enjoys volunteering, sports, and a good book.