Lakshmi Dev is the Digital Media Manager for the America’s Why Project. She is an undergraduate student at The George Washington University, where she studies Political Science and Computer Science, with a minor in Music. Her work on the podcast centers on website design and written content, including shaping episode descriptions and developing the project’s broader digital presence.

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​She was drawn to the America’s Why Project because of its commitment to asking deeper questions and creating space for thoughtful, civil dialogue. The project’s focus on listening, rather than reacting, aligned with her interest in understanding how people form their beliefs and how stories, when shared carefully, can bridge divides. Through her work, she helps translate conversations into accessible, reflective spaces beyond the microphone.​

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Lakshmi’s relationship with America has been shaped by movement and adaptation. She immigrated to the United States in elementary school and grew up learning what it means to belong by navigating new systems, languages, and expectations while forming her own understanding of American identity. Recently becoming a U.S. citizen marked not an endpoint, but a continuation of that process. For her, “America’s why” lives in everyday experiences: in listening, learning, and continually redefining what it means to be American.