A Conversation with Masum Momaya
It’s difficult to encapsulate Masum Momaya or her journey. As a Doctor of Education with 20 years of diverse experience working around the world, Masum Momaya has charted her own path. Her professional experiences include working as a researcher, curator, writer, educator, grantmaker, and nonprofit organization director. Young Minds recently spoke with Momaya about her journey so far, what she’s learned from her travels, and why it’s okay not to know where your journey is going to take you.
YM: Growing up, how did your parents influence you?
MM: My parents were always there for me but as far as Indian parents go, they were also somewhat hands-off. They gave me the freedom to study what I was interested in, to travel, to chart my own path, and to make mistakes. This was very influential in me finding my way into the world.
YM: How did you find your way into the world?
MM: My high school focused on discovery-based learning. We were encouraged to be curious, and teachers nurtured that by helping us learn about what we were interested in exploring. This way of approaching knowledge through inquiry was instilled early on. I went to college not knowing what I was going to major in, but I landed on two contrasting subjects: public policy (largely conservative professors) and feminist studies (largely progressive professors).
I had two study abroad experiences, both of which were as intense as they were influential. The first was at the University of Oxford, which was the first time I had traveled on my own. In Europe, you can travel from one country to another in hours, which allowed me to see much more of the world. I also studied in India for a summer to do research on domestic violence. At times, I had no idea what I was doing, and I encountered a lot of obstacles I didn’t anticipate. Through this summer, I learned more about myself and how to navigate unfamiliar terrain.
After college, I knew I wanted to go to grad school, but I didn’t know what I wanted to study. So, I joined the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs, rotating through monthly internships in a variety of sectors, from unions to foundations. This was an intense experience, a common thread in my journey; a lot of days, we didn’t know exactly what we were doing, but we figured it out as we went along. The Fellowship gave me more insight into what I enjoyed working in. Afterwards, I went to graduate school to pursue studies in human development. But I was only in school half the time; I was also teaching, engaging in activism, and serving on organization boards, roles which allowed me to explore more careers.
When I finished graduate school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do next. That’s a theme in my journey. I don’t have a set five-year or 20-year plan; I discover the next thing while doing the thing before it.
I stumbled into the world of museums and eventually got a job as a curator at the Smithsonian, which is something I had known very little about. Curators piece together exhibitions from stories they learn about through research and travels. I recently curated an exhibition on the history of Indian immigration to the US. During this process, people from across the US would call me, sharing significant stories and objects and pointing me to important sites. For instance, I traveled to the Stockton Gurdwara (Sikh temple), the first gurdwara in the US, in California, to learn about the history of Sikhism. I took many trips like that around the country to collect and share stories, things, and ideas. I also traveled throughout the US (New Jersey, Indiana, Minnesota, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, California) and India (Bombay, Calcutta, Chennai, Delhi) to open the traveling exhibition, talk about the process of making it, and answer questions about the history of Indian immigration.
My travels also involve exchanging knowledge in conferences. I’ve gone to places as diverse as Morocco, Mexico, Russia, the UK, France, Spain, and Singapore to meet with colleagues who are my counterparts in other parts of the world. We exchange ideas about how we can solve problems, face challenges, and work together on areas of common interest.
YM: What has been your favorite journey so far?
MM: South Africa is fascinating on so many levels: intellectually, culturally, and socially. Its history of anti-apartheid struggles and the Indian diaspora in the region as indentured laborers is interesting and personal.
My other favorite journey would be to Russia. I grew up during the Cold War in the 1980s, when there were strong stereotypes of Russia in the American imagination as the enemy. When I went to Russia in 2014, I saw it through my own eyes. I saw its complex and difficult history, the beauty of its art forms, and great geographic diversity. It was entirely different from the conception I had growing up.
YM: What kind of impact can traveling have in today’s world?
MM: Real people debunk stereotypes. In traveling, you learn that on a basic level, people struggle with the same things. Everybody wants a life that has some sort of meaning, though meaning can be defined in different ways. There’s a lot of tragedy and suffering in the world, but also a tremendous amount of beauty in different cultures, languages, landscapes, ecosystems, and histories.
We are interconnected, not only because of technology but also because of common challenges. Travel reinforces that knowledge, wisdom, and solutions are everywhere. It will take us coming together across many lines of difference — cultural, political, social, geographic — to tackle these challenges.
Travel also teaches you about yourself, as you’re faced with uncertainty. I’ve been in many places where I didn’t speak the language, a very humbling and disorienting way of being in the world. You learn about yourself, what you value, and what brings meaning to your life when you’re in very different contexts than your own.
YM: Which principles of Jainism have been most influential in your journey?
MM: Ahimsa affects how I communicate with others, treat myself, and my choice of work. I’ve always sought out contrasting viewpoints (Anekantavad) and sought to bring them together, particularly in interpersonal relationships. Aparigraha is also really influential. I’ve been learning a lot about climate change in the past year, and I’ve been thinking about the choices I make and the ideas I want to promote. Recycling is a starting point, but we need deeper conversations about our needs and resources. Do I really need more? Can I live with less? What do I want my life to be in the future? I’m proud to have these principles as pillars in my life.
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
