Mira Shah – ABCD

by Mira Shah, Pitzer College ’27

Hi! My name is Mira Shah, and I am a rising junior at Pitzer College, pursuing a double major in Economics and Human Centered Design (HCD) with a minor in Dance. I am incredibly thankful to be one of this year’s Hive Summer Internship grantees! I got my first introduction to the Hive a year ago when I took Intro to Human-Centered Design and fell in love with its interdisciplinary approach to deeply understanding people’s needs to propel innovation. Since then, I’ve taken Advanced Human Centered Design, become a Teaching Assistant for the Intro to HCD class, and joined the Hive steering committee. This summer, I am excited to have received a Hive internship grant to intern with the early-stage startup ABCD (American-Born Creative Desi), conducting user experience (UX) and market research.

ABCD (American-Born Creative Desi) is a startup building a curated online marketplace to support South Asian Americans in connecting more deeply with their culture. We aim to achieve this by showcasing a diverse range of products, from fashion and art to food, all made in-house by ABCD, other South Asian American-founded brands, or through collaborations between the two. The company name is a renaming and reclaiming of the acronym ABCD, meaning American-Born Confused Desi, originally a derogatory word applied to people of South Asian Descent. Each product on the site features information about the maker, and ABCD offers a community forum and blogs about standout products so that ABCDs can feel a strong affinity to the products, founders, and ultimately to their ABCD identity. 

My first sketch of what a product page would feature, most notably a spotlight on the maker. 

I was especially excited to work in a startup environment after working for Edulis Labs last spring in the Advanced Human Centered Design class (read more about that here.) Additionally, I was committed to applying the UX research skills I gained through HCD project partnerships and Product Space Claremont to a new company.  Since coming to a more diverse college environment after growing up in a predominantly white town, I have been increasingly passionate about connecting with my South Asian background.  When the opportunity arose to do UX and market research for a South Asian focused early stage startup, I jumped at the chance. 

I began my work with ABCD by researching analogous online curated marketplaces like Goop and Pooch. I then conducted in-depth interviews primarily with women who identified with the term ABCD to identify pain points across multiple generations. Next, I researched potential collaborators and vendors, reading about the founders’ stories and products. I ultimately identified over 100+ American South Asian brands that align with ABCD’s values. This work culminated in collaborating with the ABCD’s founder, Namita Kapoor, to design and build a website and pitch deck that was aligned with ABCD’s brand values and aesthetic.

I am limited in what I can share due to the privacy of ABCD, but here is a snapshot of our in-progress website! More is coming soon!

I am eager to continue pursuing opportunities in market research and UX design and have developed a more substantial interest in brand and marketing strategy as well. I loved the fast-paced environment of a startup and the ability to wear many hats, which  has piqued my interest in working for more startups in the future.  

This internship had a considerable impact on me both personally and professionally. I felt empowered by the opportunity to interview other American-born South Asian women and understand their stories. As one of the first hires at a small company, I knew I had the power to shape ABCD’s future. I feel much more confident in my voice and am excited by all that I still get to learn. 

Thank you to my boss, the founder of ABCD, Namita Kapoor, for providing me with this fantastic opportunity and truly believing in me. Thank you again to the Hive for selecting me as a grant recipient and for the continued and constant support! 

Please feel free to reach out with any questions or chat! 🙂

My email is mshah@students.pitzer.edu.