Local Representatives (LRs) are any youth age 14-29 who volunteer to assist Regional Coordinators (RCs) and members of the Executive Board with activities in their local temples or around their region. Serving as an LR is an excellent way to build valuable leadership skills and stay involved with YJA, and also a great stepping stone towards holding an Executive Board position.

Between planning and attending local events and collaborating on region-wide efforts, you can anticipate spending anywhere between 5-10 hours a month on LR duties. We rely on LRs to encourage local Jain youth to attend YJA events and to be liaisons to sangh leadership. LRs are vital to truly reaching youth in all communities big and small across the YJA regions!

LRs can also choose to work with other members of the Executive Board by joining their Subcommittees - they might write educational content, help plan webinars, develop graphics and media for Public Relations use, or help to keep the website updated.


If you’re interested in being an LR, let us know by emailing events@yja.org.

LR Spotlights

Regional events depend on our LRs, who are always going above and beyond to bring YJA to you. Congratulations to our current Local Representative Spotlights, who have gone above and beyond with their responsibilities. We appreciate you! Meet them and hear more about why they love being a part of YJA!

Vidhi Daga

Mid-West

"I love how we can connect with Jains all around America, and make new friends. It's a common ground for us Jains to get to know each other and make a bond that would last for a lifetime. I have just recently joined YJA and have been able to meet so many people since everyone is so welcoming. I can't wait to meet more people and get more involved with this organization. I am looking forward to involving more youth activities at JCOCO. I am also looking forward to the midwest retreat, I have heard a lot about the midwest retreats and I can't wait to be a part one. I am also very excited to meet a lot of new people who are close to Columbus."

Sara Jain

Mid-Atlantic

"I love the sense of community that YJA provides. The experiences I've had and people I've met have shaped my worldview, and will undoubtedly continue to have a huge impact on my life in the future. Throughout it all, I have been astounded by how caring and inspiring each person in YJA is. My favorite YJA event that I've helped plan has to be last year's Poco retreat. From co-presenting a session, to skiing for the first time, to the all-nighter, I loved the experience and I cannot wait to be a part of it once again this year! My favorite YJA memory is participating in the talent show at the 2018 convention with my best friends (shoutout 2jainz!!!). Dancing on that stage and pulling off what we'd been practicing for the past 3 months was one of the best feelings in the world."

Lavanya Jain

West

"What I love most about YJA is its community. It is a wonderful platform to network and connect with Jains from across the US, including my own city and region whether that is through local dinners or retreats or even YJA convention. Having the opportunity to meet new people has exposed me to a variety of perspectives and has transformed me into a more confident individual. Not just that, the YJA team is so friendly and I love interacting with other LRs from my region. All in all, YJA has provided me with such an amazing platform to connect and create long-lasting friendships. I am extremely excited about the 2020 YJA convention in Dallas. I have never been to the convention. As a first-year LR, I am really looking forward to meeting other LRs from across the US and spending time with my Jain friends."

Henil Rathod

South

"What I love the most about YJA is how everyone is like my second family. Events like our local dinners, regional events, or even the weekly LR calls always turn my frown upside down, especially during times of stress, because that’s just how amazing my YJA fam is! From planning the (best) South retreat to donating over 1,000 goods during the annual YJA interregional drive, being a local representative has been more than just creating awesome relationships, but also providing me the ability to reach out and give back to my community. What’s better than that? Further, as a student represented in a minority state (Oklahoma), I felt that furthering my YJA leadership would allow me to expand YJA’s networking into underpopulated rural areas!"

Bhavaya Shah

Southeast

"As an LR, I am most looking forward to participating and leading sessions at the annual retreat! Sessions are my absolute favorite because they allow everyone to voice their own opinions on various Jain topics. My favorite YJA memory is from my first retreat, where I met one of my best friends while splitting a bagel with them. We have been friends for about two years now and help each other through life, even though we live in 2 different states."

Dhruvi Vora

Northeast

"Being a part of YJA has allowed me to connect with the Jain community through local dinners, retreats and conventions. As an LR, I want to give back to YJA by helping to create a community that brings different types of people and opinions together. This year, I am looking forward to creating a new college chapter at UMass Amherst, because I want to provide support and help educate young Jains during this major transition. One of my favorite YJA memories is the Northeast Summer retreat this past August. Although it was one of my first retreats, it was fun meeting new people, catching up with old friends, and leading a session with my brother. On top of all the fun games and activities, I learned so many great skills on how to easily implement the Jain way of life in a modern environment."

Become a Local Representative!

If you’re interested in being an LR, let us know by emailing events@yja.org.

Why be a Local Representative?

I had just moved to Texas and I’m so glad I decided to be an LR! Not only did I make some of the best friends ever, but I finally understood what all my East Coast friends were bragging about when they said how much fun YJA is. I loved how YJA focused on fun, but also on giving back and doing community service. Can’t wait for next year!

Samir from Southeast Region

Becoming a part of the YJA family as an LR has not only enriched my understanding of Jainism, but also exposed me to the perspectives of others. My YJA experience has provided me with life long friends and a constantly evolving network. Choosing to be an LR is my simple way of giving back to the community which in return has enhanced my leadership qualities.

Mohana from Mid-Atlantic Region

Being an LR helped me learn about YJA, outside of the convention year. I loved helping plan events and making new friends! It’s really awesome being able to help out such a great organization while having so much fun.

Anuj from Mid-West Region