Meet
Komal
I know what it feels like to be new, to find your place, to work hard, and to still wonder what comes next. My journey, from an immigrant family building a new life, to a student navigating a new state, to a social worker and community member has shaped how I see education today.
This is the story of what brought me here.
This is my first passport photo.
My parents came to the United States to build a new life for our family from Punjab. They settled on the East Coast, in Pennsylvania, and eventually our family made our way to Massachusetts, where I spent my early childhood through fifth grade.
I grew up watching my parents work incredibly hard to create opportunities for their children that they themselves never had.
My dad is a truck driver. My mom is a factory worker. Neither of my parents has a college degree. My dad grew up in a farming family in Punjab and was only able to attend school through elementary school. My mom worked while helping raise our family so my dad could work multiple jobs.
Their story taught me discipline, sacrifice, and grit.
But as I've gotten older, it has also taught me something else:
Hard work should matter, but people shouldn't have to overcome every barrier on their own.
The systems around us, including our schools, should be designed to help people who want more for themselves and their children actually get there.
A New State. A New School.
A New Beginning.
When I moved from Massachusetts to Indiana, everything felt different.
The schools were different. The community was different. I was new.
Academically, I found myself adjusting to a system that felt about a year behind where I had been. Socially, I was also trying to figure out where I fit. There weren't always many opportunities for kids to connect outside of organized sports and clubs, but that became difficult as I tried to hold a job afterschool.
I had to learn how to adapt. And I did.
But being the new kid taught me something I still carry with me: being capable doesn't automatically mean you feel connected, supported, or like you belong.
That distinction matters to me when I think about schools today.
A student can be doing well on paper and still be trying to figure out where they fit. A student can be bright and motivated and still not know what comes next.
I've lived that uncertainty myself.
The Question No One Could Answer For Me
I was a straight-A student.
I sat in the front row at graduation, partly because my last name put me there and partly because I was graduating with honors.
I did everything I was "supposed" to do.
I worked. I took my classes seriously. I graduated with honors.
And yet, I was still uncertain about the biggest question waiting for me:
What will I do?
That question has stayed with me.
Because being a successful student is about more than getting good grades. Young people also need opportunities to explore who they are, what they're good at, what careers exist, and what kind of life they want to build.
Sometimes the hardest part isn't getting a student to the finish line.
It's helping them see where the finish line could lead.
Building the Community I Wanted to See
When I moved to Franklin Township, it didn't immediately feel like home.
So I started building one.
Through Umeed, I've helped organize efforts to feed people experiencing homelessness and create first-aid and feminine-hygiene kits. I've volunteered with other organizations, advocated at the Statehouse, and worked alongside people who believe that being part of a community means showing up for one another.
Through this work, I've seen what happens when people decide they won't wait for someone else to solve a problem.
I've also seen the limits of relying on individuals and community organizations to fill every gap.
Our community members shouldn't have to build an entire safety net themselves.
What I See Now
For a long time, I have worked behind the scenes in Franklin Township.
My work has always been directly with families and community members. Meeting people where they are, listening to what they need, and helping connect them to resources and support. That is what aid work is: grassroots, on-the-ground, and rooted in people rather than institutions.
Through my work as a social worker, therapist, peer counselor, mental health advocate, and community aid worker through Umeed’s MH Hub, I have seen what happens when people step up for one another. I have helped families navigate systems, supported people through difficult moments, connected people to resources, and worked alongside community members when institutions were not always equipped to respond quickly or personally.
I have seen the power of a community that takes care of its own.
But I have also seen what happens when people are left to navigate complicated systems on their own. Families shouldn't have to know the right person, organization, form, or phone number just to get the support they need. Students shouldn't have to figure everything out by themselves, either.
Schools cannot, and should not, solve every problem a family faces. But they are a critical part of the ecosystem surrounding our students.
And after years of working alongside families from outside of institutions, I am stepping into a new challenge: running for school board.
I am doing this because I am tired of seeing our students' needs get lost in the systems that are supposed to serve them. I want our students to be centered in the decisions we make, not as an afterthought, but as the reason we make them.
I'm ready to fight for our students, for the families who raise them, for the educators and staff who show up for them every day, and for a stronger Franklin Township ecosystem.
I want to help build a school community where students feel supported, families know where to turn, educators have what they need, and our community works together instead of making people navigate everything alone.
That's the ecosystem I want to help strengthen.
Want to Know More?
Meet Komal
Learn more about my education, professional experience, community work, and the workshops I've led.
My Priorities
See what I believe our schools should be focused on and where I want to help move the conversation.
For My Neighbors
A place for Franklin Township school information, resources, questions, and things I think our community should know about.
Thank you for taking the time to learn a little bit about me and why I’m stepping into this new challenge. I look forward to listening to you, learning from you, and, hopefully, earning your vote.
— Komal Kaur