The Keynote Speaker for this year’s Gala, Mr. Perez was nominated by President Obama to serve as the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division on October 8, 2009. Since then, Mr. Perez has worked to restore and transform the Division, in the spirit of its traditional role as the “conscience of the nation,” to further fulfill the promise of our nation’s most treasured laws – advancing equal opportunity, leveling the playing field, and protecting the rights of all. Prior to his nomination, he served as the Secretary of Maryland’s Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation – an agency that safeguards critical consumer and worker protections – and was a principal architect of a sweeping reform package to address his state’s foreclosure crisis. In 2002, he became the first Latino elected to the Montgomery County Council, serving with distinction until 2006.

The award is presented to individuals who demonstrate outstanding leadership and collaborative efforts to achieve equality for all. Mr. Henderson is the President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), the nation's premier civil rights coalition. Mr. Henderson is also the Joseph L. Rauh Professor of Public Interest at the University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law. Mr. Henderson attended Howard University and received his law degree from Rutgers University School of Law. Mr. Henderson began his National career with the Washington office of the American Civil Liberties Union and wasDirector of the NAACP‘s Washington bureau. Mr. Henderson is well known for his expertise on a wide range of civil rights, civil liberties, and human rights issues. He works principally in the areas of civil rights enforcement; voting rights; public education reform; fair housing policy; immigration policy reform; media and telecommunication policy; economic and political empowerment for people of color, women, persons with disabilities, and the poor.

The award recognizes the contributions of an elected official in supporting the Asian American community. The award is named after the Honorable Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian American elected to the U.S. Congress. Mr. Hunt, the Oregon Speaker of the House, played a pivotal role in the passage of Oregon State House Bill 3686. The bill overturned the ban on Sikh Americans and other individuals of faith who wear religious garb teaching in Oregon public schools. Mr. Hunt is serving in his fourth term in the House of Representatives.

The award recognizes members of the Sikh American community who embody the spirit of seva (selfless service). This year we honor Mr. KP Singh. An active member of the Indianapolis community since 1967, Mr. Singh is an accomplished advocate and supporter of historic preservation, cultural diversity, and the importance of arts to life and human spirit. Mr. Singh is a Founding Member of The International Center of Indianapolis and presently serves as a Board Member of The Asian American Alliance; Advisory Board of The Brooke’s Place for Grieving Young Persons and Butler University Center on Faith and Vocation, Race and Cultural Relations Leadership Network and many interfaith initiatives and activities. For his contributions he most recently received the Sarah Lewis Lifetime Achievement Award (United Way of Central Indiana – 2010). Mr. Singh is also an accomplished artist, writer and speaker.

The award recognizes the contributions and efforts made by an individual for the betterment of society through their direct leadership and efforts. This year we honor Ms. Saba Ahmed for her pivotal role in the Oregon Campaign which overturned the ban on Sikh Americans and other individuals of faith who wear religious garb teaching in Oregon public schools. The leadership role she played in working with the interfaith coalition ensured the campaign’s success and as a result, observant members of faiths no longer have to make the false choice between their profession and practicing their religion. Ms. Ahmed is a patent lawyer in Portland, Oregon and would like to one day serve in the Oregon House of Representatives.

This award recognizes individuals for their achievements and contributions for the betterment of society through their direct leadership and efforts. This year we honor Ravitej Singh Khalsa from Eugene, Oregon who had been involved with the Oregon Teacher Campaign since the 1980's when a Sikh teacher was dismissed for wearing religions garb in the classroom. For 25 years Ravitej continued to approach politicians and candidates about repealing the law. Earlier this year the campaign was taken up by Dave Hunt (speaker of the Oregon House) and Ravitej played an instrumental role in ensuring the campaigns success. Ravitej states that the victory belongs to freedom loving Americans of all faiths, colors and national origin.

This award recognizes the extraordinary achievements of young Sikh Americans who have been leaders in the community and an inspiration to younger generations of Sikh Americans. The award recipients serve as role models for young Sikhs and exemplify Sikh values in their chosen careers. Before his untimely passing earlier this year, Ajeet Singh Matharu had completed his first year as a PhD student in history at Columbia University, where he was a dedicated and disciplined scholar focusing on South Asian history. Ajeet was an activist committed to social justice for all, driven by his passion for education and to contribute to the Sikh community. Ajeet played a leadership role in the Jakara Movement, a Sikh youth organization, and provided inspiration to all those who worked with him by forming close bonds with participants through his calm, welcoming demeanor and infectious enthusiasm. Ajeet also provided testimony to state legislators to repeal a discriminatory Oregon law, coordinated surveys of teachers and students on bias-based harassment and giving presentations in schools about Sikhi in New York, and developed detailed lesson plans for the Sojhi curriculum for Gurmat and Punjabi schools.

Ajeet's goal was to become a rigorous scholar of Sikh studies, with the aim of correcting misrepresentations written in books chronicling Sikh history. He presented his paper, "Punjab and Sikh Studies in Historiographical Moments" at the Sikholars Sikh graduate student conference in February 2010. Two of his book reviews were also recently published in the Journal of Punjab Studies.