Originally posted on Kaurista.com

Inspired doesn’t seem to cut it. SikhLead’s Leadership Development Program (LDP) was more than a retreat, a program, or any type of conference I have attended. I went in with no expectation. I walked away with a feeling, a desire, a hope that went far beyond my ‘comfort zone.’ I have started a journey of introspection, of self-evaluation that needs a particular attention I have not yet had the reason or time to give.

I cannot thank the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) enough for the opportunity and the experience that I shared with sixteen other bright, ambitious, and talented individuals from all across the country. The seventeen of us, our mentor Craig Bowman and all of the SALDEF staff organized a program that challenged us to grow, to think, and to figure out what kind of leaders we want to be for our generation.

The weekend started with a practical yet inspirational talk from Satjiv Chahil, who once held the title of Senior Vice President Worldwide Marketing at Apple, preceded and followed by a trail of top marketing positions in companies across the U.S. His explained that the path to his field of marketing was not easy, nor was it expected. He faced unknown territory when he started out, both as a young man dealing with the onslaught of the “computer” and as a Sikh American.  But he proudly stated, “I never feel like a minority because I know I can take on sava laakh.” We had the privilege of hearing several similar stories over the weekend from guest speakers such as Gurinder Ahluwalia, CEO of Genworth Tech, and panelists including Ravi Bhalla, Councilman of Hoboken, NJ, Jyotswaroop Kaur, Associate Director of Strategic Actions for a Just Economy, and Jaideep Singh, Assistant Professor of Sikh and Punjabi Studies at CSU East Bay. Each followed a non-traditional career path. Each had a story to tell. Each had a lesson from which we could learn.

These amazing speakers book-cased the crux of the weekend – several workshops administered by Craig Bowman, Founder and President of Common Ground Consulting, LLC. Though each workshop forced us to delve into our inner-workings and question what makes us tick, I would like to talk about one in particular. We were asked to speak on the fountain of Dupont Circle, one of the busiest parks in Washington, DC. It was a Sunday afternoon. African drums that could be heard in the background and the soothing flow of the fountain set the mood. We had to speak to the people of Dupont, to whoever would listen, to the DC residents walking their dogs, to our own LDP group. We were asked to share a story or write a piece that revealed a core personal belief. It was the most intimidating thing some of us had done. Not only were we going to be talking to strangers, but we were talking to the other sixteen LDP students, showing them, telling them what we were each truly about. It took guts, but everyone one of us went up there and had something powerful to say. The experience was unlike any debate speech, symposium speech, or class presentation I’ve ever had. We were vulnerable and nervous but we each pulled through and faced the world in a sense. We put our inhibitions aside and focused on what are truly about – and having that strong sense of self, having that core, is what enabled us to withstand the stares, the doubtful looks, and justspeak.

It is apt that inaugural class of SikhLead’s Leadership Development Program was also able to attend SALDEF’s National Gala which celebrated 15 years of achievement. Since 1996, SALDEF itself has done so much for the community, from organizing Know Your Rights Forums with local gurdwaras, training Law Enforcement and government officials across the country on Sikhism, to fighting for Sikh American rights in every piece of diversity legislation that passes through or is presented to Congress, all the while maintaining its initial goal to keep Media in check on how they portray Sikh Americans. Now, SALDEF has become the pioneer of building the Sikh leaders of tomorrow.

Whether we were doing bhangra outside the White House, quietly reflecting at the MLK memorial, or telling our personal stories during workshops, this LDP class shared an experience that will never be forgotten and I look forward to new feats that each of us will inevitably achieve in the future. Stay hungry, stay foolish.

The producers of the FX show “Louie” took the time to show the world that Sikhs are part of the American landscape.  In the episode, Louie is driving from New York City to Pennsylvania and comes across some Sikh American kids at the gas station.

Join us in letting FX and the producers of Louie know you appreciate their inclusion of Sikhs in the show by leaving a comment below.

Watch the clip for a limited time at http://www.hulu.com/watch/260145/louie-country-drive.  The scene is just before the 8 minute mark.  (Please note: “The video intended for mature audiences”.)

Thankfully, there is a loophole to the extra-screening policy: go to airports that don’t have screening at all! Okay, not literally, but you can go to airports that have less use of the new backscatter, radiation scanning devices that have become all the rage. A website started in 2010 by a man named Ari Ofsevit tracks the security measures at several major airports around the United States. He has color coded the level of security, ranging from green indicating no scanners, to red indicating scanners were used for all or mostly all passengers. Scanners are different from metal detectors, which are instated at every airport. So for an airport like LAX in Los Angeles, Ofsevit has recorded that scanners range from yellow to red, meaning on some instances he could choose a line without a scanner while at other times everyone had to go through scanners. However, LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York was green for the most part, meaning no scanners were being used.

Remember a couple years back when the new whole body imaging machines were causing so much controversy over privacy of the body? Well, apparently if you know how to choose the right airport, you could avoid yourself being vaguely seen by an off-site attendant altogether. As sarcastic as that sounds, I have to admit that I wish our airport security was not so inconsistent. I understand that LAX may be a more frequented airport than LGA, but what makes the people travelling through either airport any more or less threatening. If airports want to have extra security, it should be by extra and equal security. I say TSA should take heed of www.tsastatus.net, not to be threatened or annoyed that citizens are taking notice of the inconsistencies, but to improve and make consistent the security of our nation’s airports.

Coming to you from 634 S Spring Street,
Jasleen K Singh

The deputies who had come to the Sikh household saw the kirpan Kaur was wearing, one of the five religiously mandated articles of the Sikh faith. A deputy pointed a taser gun at her and then called for backup. The family, including her 60 year old mother, was then handcuffed and detained.

Due to this incident as well as evidence of a racist string of emails sent by the Sheriff at that time, the US Justice Department launched an investigation into the Harris County Police Department for alleged religious and racial discrimination.  Recently, current Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia agreed to hire a third party internal affairs expert to monitor his department’s internal affairs division as well as develop “diversity and cross-cultural awareness” for current and new staff.

I commend Sheriff Adrian Garcia for taking a step in a direction that will educate police forces about the diversity of America’s population as well as hold officers accountable for their actions. Law enforcement officers represent the law in our everyday lives. Whether that means calling 911 knowing that a deputy that knows the law will be showing up to help or having to slow down and actually stop at a stop sign, we have a degree of respect and expectation for policemen.  However, when a representative of the law treats us unjustly based on racial or prejudiced grounds, that deputy is violating the very foundation of trust that we put into law enforcement. The actions of the deputies who detained Kawaljeet Kaur and her family were violating the first amendment of freedom of religion. They were not representing the law.

This is why it is so critical to educate and inform the men and women who are most prevalent in the daily lives of Americans. If they are aware of the particular religious dress or practices that people of faith have in this country, they will be better equipped to discern non-threatening versus threatening situations, thereby enabling themselves to focus their time and resources to actual crime.

To read more about the incident in Harris County, please click here.

Coming to you from 634 S Spring St,
Jasleen K Singh

The DREAM Act is a piece of bi-partisan legislation pioneered by Senator Orin Hatch (R) and Senator Richard Durbin (D). Legislation similar to the bill has been introduced to Congress since 2001 and reintroduced in various other immigration bills. However, it was first introduced as the DREAM Act in 2007 by Senator Durbin. After failing to garner the necessary votes to pass, it was re-introduced in 2009, and most recently in May 2011. Each time, it failed to pass.

Students all across the country have rallied around the Act since its inception. America is known as a land for immigrants to fulfill and accomplish their goals and dreams. The DREAM Act would ensure that young men and women who have lived here most of their lives and perceive themselves as American, can be legally deemed so. Again, the DREAM Act would apply to all illegal immigrants who satisfy the initial requirements. Students like Mandeep Chahal would not have had to face the anxiety and painful ambiguity about the future of her life and her residency in America.

Mandeep is a third year UC Davis student who intends to go to medical school. After eight years of failed appeals to stay in the country, Mandeep and her mother were scheduled for deportation to their home country India on Tuesday, June 21. When friends and classmates of Mandeep first heard about the situation, they started a campaign to stop the deportation. The campaign rallied the support of the South Asian community as well as America’s Voice, an organization dedicated to comprehensive immigration reform. Their website launched a petition for Mandeep. Thousands of letters were sent in from across the country to stop the deportation and to have Mandeep stay at home in California. She and her mother have been granted a year long stay in the United States, a small victory in a battle that plagues many students just like Mandeep.

The DREAM Act would ensure that illegal immigrants who are viable contributors to academia and the workforce are allowed to stay at home in America and to actually utilize the talents and skills they have learned as American students. There are hundreds of cases like Mandeep Chahal’s in every immigrant community in the United States that need legislation like the DREAM Act to ensure that they can pursue their dreams.

Though the bill has not been passed several times, Senator Durbin still has hope. “We’re not quittin. I have not given up on you and you shouldn’t give up on me” (HuffingtonPost). I couldn’t have articulated the need for continued support of this act any better.

Coming to you from 634 S Spring St,
Jasleen K Singh

The attendees were very receptive to the panelists, who went over the background of each religion and outlined the major holidays and possible religious dress that men and women of the religions may adorn at the work. The difference between observing required holidays by the religion and desired holidays by the employee was also a major topic of discussion, to ensure that with this new knowledge of different faiths, employers would be able to tell which requests by employees are legitimate and which are not. Questions from the audience were plenty and frequent throughout the hour and a half discussion, and the conversations were continued well after the seminar. Some asked whether the traditional Indian attire for women, the salwar kameez, was a part of the Sikh faith or just the Punjabi culture. Others were curious as to how to deal with the turban when safety measures, such as those of construction companies, overrule the ability for a Sikh to wear a turban in the field.

For many employers, this was the first time hearing about the Sikh religion, finding out that 97% of people who wear turbans in the United States are Sikh, and realizing that they have Sikh men and women on their staff. These employers have any number of employees under their payroll – reaching out and raising awareness with even one of those in attendance would ensure better hiring practices as well as equality and accommodation in the workplace for employees that do observe a religion.

Kudos to the EEOC for providing such an opportunity for so many employers and for SALDEF to educate others on Sikhism, all towards the goal of equality in the workplace.

Coming to you from 634 S Spring Street,
Jasleen K. Singh

One woman asked why there was even a need to even identify oneself as a “Sikh-American” or a “Coptic-American,” and so on. We are all Americans, why the need to indicate a more specific identity? I believe Kavneet Singh answered this question most adequately – we shouldn’t think of the hyphenation as something negative; we should think of it as something being added to being American. Hyphenations do not take away from being American, but add to the diversity that marks the uniqueness of America. There is a difference between acculturation and assimilation that is critical to the hyphenated name. To lose Coptic-, Sikh-, Christian-, Chinese-, Israeli-, is to lose part of one’s history, culture and background. Acculturation to American values and way of life is different from assimilation. To assimilate is to forget roots and history of an ethnic or religious background, and without individuals’ pride in their ties to a certain history, America would be much less interesting place.

Religious pluralism, thus, is not only a matter of recognizing and merely tolerating other religions. It is the acceptance of other religions and the ability to be open-minded towards working with one another to reach goals such as religious freedom in the workplace or the ability to wear religious headdress as a teacher. Many religions face similar problems. Ms. Loskota pointed out that if you want to get a temperature reading of Islamaphobia, ask a Sikh. The targets of many hate-motivated attacks are based on a highly biased perceptions, perpetrated by media, of who the “enemy” is – identified as turbaned, Muslim fundamentalists. Thus anyone that looks Middle Eastern and anyone with religious headdress is targeted and because 97% of those who wear turbans in America are Sikhs, they are especially stereotyped as threats. The media, probably the most powerful tool in creating such biased stereotypes, had done very little to change such biases. Even to this day, major news stations will use images of Sikhs in conjunction with reports about terrorists in the Middle East. The misrecognition and blatant disregard for reality runs deep. That is why it is up to targeted communities to work together and rally behind this idea of religious pluralism in order to create change and overcome the negative perceptions about those who look different from the average Caucasian American, have foreign accents, or alternative religious practices.

The forum was a small but very positive step in a direction of needed change in America’s perceptions of the unknown. I commend SALDEF for contributing to the evening and hope that the Sikh community can continue to be involved with discussions such as these in the future.

Coming to you from 634 S Spring Street,
Jasleen K Singh

We call our country a melting pot, but in reality the melting pot is holding together individuals that have not yet coalesced. There is no wholehearted acceptance of the diversity that America has to offer or of the Americans who practice different faiths, believe in non-Christian gods, and whose spirituality lies outside “normal,” known religions. If we truly believed in religious pluralism and read the First Amendment as a stamp of approval for the practice of any and all faiths, TSA would not have to continuously update their policies to respect those with religious headdress, surveys would not have to be given out to assess how often children with particular religious background are bullied in school and organizations like SALDEF would be able to focus more on education that fighting hate crimes and injustice across the country. Until the obvious existence of multiple religions in America is recognized and accepted, the very first freedom listed in the First Amendment can only be cited superficially.

Sikhism itself promotes the utmost respect for all religions. There are many paths to reaching God, to attaining Enlightenment. It is not our job to criticize or demean another’s path; instead we should encourage each individual to follow their path and create their own journey. Thus, as Sikhs and as Americans, religious pluralism should be an accepted fact of life.

Religion is a right. Religion is a freedom. To bar the beliefs and practice of faith is unconstitutional. To raise awareness of religious pluralism and to move toward a nation that can honestly uphold its constitutional promises is crucial.

To learn more about religious pluralism, please join us for a Public Forum entitled “Religious Pluralism: Shaping the American Identity” on Wednesday, June 22, 2011, from 6 – 9 pm at Van Nuys City Hall Chambers. SALDEF’s Managing Director Kavneet Singh will be speaking on the panel. It should be an evening of insightful commentary by several panelists with varied viewpoints on the topic.

Coming to you from 634 S Spring Street,
Jasleen K. Singh

I am back at SALDEF this summer interning at the recently opened LA office! That’s right, I get to work in the City of Angels all summer long, using the much berated LA public transportation system – which I will hopefully prove to be somewhat efficient, though I admit that I’ve already started using my car to get into the city. How LA of me.

I got right back into action, helping to organize some last minute details for SALDEF’s annual Southern California Fundraising Banquet which took place last Sunday, June 5. The Banquet celebrated the 15th anniversary of SALDEF – an amazing achievement because each of those fifteen years have been packed with monumental achievements. To read more about the SoCal Banquet, please click here.

Then last week, I headed over to Laguna Hills High School to attend an insightful interfaith panel on which SALDEF Community Relations Associate Birpal Kaur represented the Sikh perspective. Also in attendance were representatives from Buddhism, Catholicism, Mormonism, Hinduism, and a man who adheres to no organized religion at all. Questions from the senior class of the high school ranged from each faith’s beliefs on reincarnation, the definition of faith, misconceptions around their faith, intelligent life-forms and tolerance of other faiths. It was humbling to be reminded that there are so many ways that we can connect with God, and Sikhism is just one path within a myriad of religions and belief systems that guide individuals. Each faith, each belief system has its own place in this world. That’s why it is vital for organizations like SALDEF to protect that right and ensure the ability of men and women to practice their faith unhindered by regulations and attitudes that may be discriminatory and unjust.

I am looking forward to a fun and productive summer packed with similar experiences, meaningful research and definitely a lot of blogging!

Coming to you from 634 S Spring Street,
Jasleen K. Singh

TAKE ACTION:  Contact hospital urging accommodation and acceptance of religious diversity in their workplace

Mr. Khalsa was employed by Presbyterian Health Services (PHS) as a Paramedic and Field Operations Supervisor for nine years from 2001 to 2010. Beginning in 2008, the working environment at Española Hospital became progressively hostile to Mr. Khalsa and other Sikh American employees. When Mr. Khalsa reported this discrimination to the hospital human resource office, they acknowledged the hostile work environment, but failed to discipline those responsible. Instead of supporting Mr. Khalsa, the hospital administration targeted him by suddenly implementing a “no-beards” policy in retaliation for his complaints, telling Mr. Khalsa he must either shave or lose his job.

READ MORE: Defender of the Faith (Santa Fe Reporter)

Mr. Khalsa proposed a reasonable compromise, offering to wear a larger respirator that would cover his facial hair while he administered aid, but this accommodation was refused without justification. Hospital administration reportedly continued this pattern of discrimination and retaliation. Having exhausted every reasonable option, Mr. Khalsa was forced to resign in December 2010. On May 11, 2011, The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico filed charges with the New Mexico Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against Española Hospital and PHS.

READ MORE: Sikh American Paramedic Sues Hospital for Discrimination

“Presbyterian management’s behavior is unacceptable and un-American. We cannot stand for the systematic removal of all Sikh Americans, or any other minorities, who work for them. I am very appreciative of the support the community has shown to my family and me over the past few weeks. It will be a long road, but the support of the community is a source of strength to me,” stated Mr. Khalsa.

TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION: Show solidarity with Mr. Khalsa now and convey your outrage over workplace discrimination and ask for religious accommodation. In addition to writing a letter, forward this to friends and family.

(Washington DC, 5/12/2011) – Yesterday, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico (ACLU-NM) filed charges with the New Mexico Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against Española Hospital and Presbyterian Health Services (PHS) for religious discrimination against a Sikh American. The plaintiff, Sahaj Singh Khalsa, alleges that hospital administrators actively discriminated against him because of his religion, made disparaging remarks and threats, and, in one incident, physically assaulted him.

Mr. Khalsa was employed by PHS as a Paramedic and Field Operations Supervisor for nine years from 2001 to 2010. During this time, Mr. Khalsa maintained an exemplary work record and provided excellent care to people in need. However, beginning in 2008 the working environment at Española Hospital became progressively hostile to Mr. Khalsa and other Sikh American employees.

When Mr. Khalsa reported this discrimination to the hospital human resource office, they acknowledged the hostile work environment, but failed to discipline those responsible. Instead, hospital administration targeted Mr. Khalsa by suddenly implementing a no-beards policy in retaliation for his complaints, telling Mr. Khalsa he must either shave or lose his job. Mr. Khalsa suggested a reasonable compromise, offering to wear a larger respirator that would cover his facial hair while he administered aid, but this accommodation was refused without justification.

Hospital administration reportedly continued this pattern of discrimination and retaliation until Mr. Khalsa was forced to the conclusion that PHS had no intention of making reasonable accommodations for his sincerely-held religious beliefs as required by law. He also concluded that PHS had no interest in truly addressing the toxic environment of workplace discrimination. Having exhausted every reasonable option, Mr. Khalsa was forced to resign in December 2010.

Mr. Khalsa, who contacted SALDEF last year seeking assistance, said, “All I wanted was to do my job helping people in my community get the urgent medical care they needed. My Sikh religion did not prevent me from performing that job, but the prejudice of my supervisors did. I am thankful that organizations like the ACLU and SALDEF are safeguarding our basic freedoms.”

“The actions of Española Hospital and Presbyterian Health Services are another example of the widespread and serious problem of workplace discrimination against practicing Sikh Americans,” said Kavneet Singh, SALDEF Managing Director.  “Every day, Sikh Americans face employment discrimination, hate crimes, school bullying, and harassment due to misconceptions about the Sikh identity. We commend Sahaj Singh Khalsa for demanding his constitutionally guaranteed civil rights.”

SALDEF commends the ACLU of New Mexico for their leadership in this case. If you or someone you know has suffered workplace discrimination, please report the incident.

Arizona Bill Automatically Becomes Law if Not Vetoed by Monday, May 2

April 28, 2011: The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) and thousands of Americans from all backgrounds are demanding that Arizona Governor Jan Brewer veto HB 2230, a bill that removes the memorial of Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh American who was the first post-9/11 fatality caused by hate violence on September 15, 2001. The bill proposes the removal of Mr. Sodhi’s name from the state’s 9/11 memorial and subsequently selling the memorial plaque as scrap metal.

Over 4700 letters have been sent in the past two days to Governor Brewer demanding that she veto the bill. SALDEF encourages Americans to continue to voice their outrage to Governor Brewer and demand that she veto HB 2230 by the Monday deadline, at which point the bill becomes law.

TAKE ACTION: Sign the petition urging Gov. Brewer to veto the bill

The bill’s sponsor, Republican Representative John Kavanaugh, outrageously claimed that Mr. Sodhi “was not a 9/11 victim” after conducting a cursory Internet search. In fact, Mr. Kavanaugh believes the tragic hate crime was unconnected to 9/11. The bill has passed both houses in the Arizona legislature on party-line votes and is now on the desk of Governor Brewer, who has until Monday to veto the bill before it automatically becomes law.

The efforts of the Arizona legislature come as a blow to the entire Sikh American community, which has endured a decade of hate crimes. Whereas Arizona rallied behind the Sodhi family and Sikh American community in the wake of Mr. Sodhi’s tragic murder, the state is now seeking to erase him from its history.

In addition to signing the petition, contact Governor Brewer asking that she veto HB 2230:

• Call: 602.542.4331, then dial option 4
• Facebook: facebook.com/govjanbrewer
• Twitter: @govbrewer

Take action now and forward this to your family and friends.

Members of the community expressed concerns around racially motivated threats within the local Las Vegas community and had a chance todiscuss the issue directly with FBI officials.  “The Sikh American community is every bit a part of the larger Las Vegas community, and we would love to continue to engage with community members and leaders to ensure safety and quality of life,” commented Holly James, the Community Outreach Specialist with the FBI-Las Vegas Division.  Special Agent Jeffrey Williams presented on behalf of the Cyber Crimes Squad, discussing Internet related threats including Identity Theft, social media, and bank fraud.  Having a community that is focused on the development of our Sikh youth, the focus on social media gave the parents in the congregation a chance to really hear and understand the outside threats that families and students are exposed to on a daily basis and how to protect themselves.

The sangat also got a chance to hear from Kenneth Mead, a Detective with the Las Vegas Metro Police Department on the issue of Hate Crimes.  Detective Mead has been part of the Las Vegas law enforcement community for quite sometime, with experience within the Sikh American community via collaboration with SALDEF on various outreach efforts.  He took the opportunity to discuss what the process is for investigating hate crimes, how they are declared as such, and how to report any incidents that happen to Sikh Americans.

Lucy Orta, Local Director of the Las Vegas Office with the EEOC took some time to discuss various types of workplace related discrimination issues, as well as the process in which to report these problems.  It was a great opportunity for community members to connect with her regarding issues they have faced while in the work place or applying for work.  The EEOC and SALDEF have a collaborative relationship that allows Sikh American community members to report issues either directly to SALDEF that will reach the EEOC immediately. We encourage members to report any issues they have in the workplace to SALDEF via info@saldef.org.

All of the agencies representatives also took some time to discuss employment opportunities and career development paths with the community members present, encouraging all eligible applicants to apply.  If you interested in any of the opportunities discussed, please email info@saldef.org.

On behalf of SALDEF, we would like to thank the government agencies that took time our of their Sunday to come and speak with community members in Las Vegas, as well as the Las Vegas sangat members that made the time to engage with the guest speakers during the program at Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh.

If you would like a SALDEF volunteer or staff member to conduct Know Your Rights Forum for your local sangat, please contact SALDEF by email at info@saldef.org.

The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) is pleased to announce a national initiative called SikhLEAD – Sikh Leadership, Empowerment and Development. SikhLEAD aims to inspire, train, and support a diverse, motivated and enterprising group of young Sikh Americans as they prepare for a lifetime of community engagement and leadership.

SikhLEAD is a multifaceted initiative consisting of several programs that will be offered annually to aspiring Sikh youth. The Congressional Internship Program (CIP) is the first effort in this series of programs. In its inaugural session, SALDEF’s CIP will select exceptional Sikh students to intern this summer with a member of Congress in Washington, DC.

The internship will afford a first-hand perspective into the functioning of the federal government, as a way of providing experience-based training to individuals interested in civic engagement and public service. Through the unparalleled experience of interning in a
congressional office, interns will:

•    explore a potential career track
•    create a network of professional contacts
•    develop real-world skills
•    build confidence and professional skills

Applications are due March 27, 2011 – Apply today at www.SikhLEAD.org.

Developing the next generation of Sikh American leaders and encouraging their civic participation is an important step in securing the future of our community in the United States. We believe that by providing opportunities to explore potential careers in public service, a growing number of Sikh Americans youth will pursue positions of leadership in civic society, thereby increasing visibility and awareness of Sikh Americans and advancing our community’s interests.

In early October, The Washington Times reported statements made by Director Mueller, which singled out Sikh Americans and linked them to extremist groups. SALDEF immediately issued a letter of concern calling for Director Mueller to clarify his remarks and issue a formal apology to the Sikh American community.

In response to SALDEF’s letter of concern, the Office of the Director writes:

“I would like to apologize for, and clarify, any misunderstanding that the account in this newspaper story may have caused. The statement cited was intended to reiterate the FBI’s responsibility for, and commitment to, deterring and investigating terrorist threats and activity. I can assure you it was not meant to single out any specific community, including Sikh-Americans.”

The letter went on to recognize SALDEF’s partnership with the FBI:

“The FBI and you, representing Sikh Americans and communities across the country, have worked closely together and developed an ongoing dialogue on a variety of issues of mutual interest. This includes cultural awareness training to agents and professional staff, giving all of us a greater awareness into the struggles and concerns you face in relation to hate crimes and public misconception of your faith.”

“We are pleased that the FBI has addressed this issue promptly, however, this is indicative of the need for greater dialogue with the Bureau,” stated Jasjit Singh, SALDEF Associate Executive Director.  ”SALDEF will continue to ensure that public officials do not malign or otherwise denigrate the Sikh American community with their comments or actions.”

Image attempting to link Sikhs to terrorists

This summer, SALDEF reported forty-five (45) Anti-Sikh or Anti-Turban pages reaching a combined audience of over 3 million individuals on Facebook, the world’s most popular social networking site.

Thanks to the community’s support, a handful of pages have been shut down resulting in over 700,000 facebook users no longer receiving Anti-Sikh messages.  The majority of pages, however, are still active and spreading misinformation about Sikhs.

TAKE ACTION:

1. Sign the Petition to Facebook to have these pages removed
2. If you have already signed up, encourage others to do so by clicking here
3. Post this link on your Facebook wall: www.saldef.org/FacebookPetition
4. Report these offensive pages directly to Facebook.  Visit each page and click ‘report this page’

The following are examples of pages that have been closed down as a result of your actions:
•    My turban brings the Taliban to the yard and they’re like we wanna bomb cars
•    How long are these turban jokes on Faceboook gonna curry on for?
•    My Turban Only Comes Off During Sex

“It’s critical that we keep the pressure on Facebook to remove these Anti-Sikh pages,” said Jasjit Singh, SALDEF’s Associate Executive Director. “The misinformation being spread from these pages puts our community in harm’s way by promoting misconceptions about our identity.  These pages directly undermine our educational efforts.”

SEE: Robbery or Hate Crime? Sacramento Cabbie Severely Beaten (FOX – Sacramento)

Mr. Singh picked up the passengers, two men and two women, in Midtown Sacramento. Upon informing Mr. Singh that they wanted to change their destination, the male passengers began to attack Singh and demanded his money. Even after giving them his money, they continued to attack him, leading Singh to believe the attack was motivated by his dastaar (Sikh turban). One of the attackers shouted expletives and called him Osama bin Laden.One of the female passengers put herself in between the attackers and Singh to protect him, which allowed Singh to get away.  Singh banged on the doors of an apartment complex until he found someone to call 9-1-1. Singh received several stitches on his head and other parts of his body and sustained bruising along his rib cage and bone chips in his nose. The attackers and the female passengers disappeared.

“Attacks on innocent individuals are always inexcusable, but the use of racial, ethnic and religious slurs are especially heinous and have no place in our society,” said SALDEF Associate Executive Director Jasjit Singh. “We call upon the West Sacramento Police Department and the FBI to ensure a thorough investigation is conducted and that hate crimes charges are brought against any culprits that are found.”

SALDEF urges all Sikh Americans to immediately report any incidents of harassment, bullying or assault to SALDEF and your local authorities. If you or someone you know has been a victim of any racially motivated crime, please contact SALDEF directly toll free at 1.877.91SIKHS or via our Report an Incident Form

As a part of SALDEF’s ongoing effort to empower the community and strengthen partnerships with government, we are pleased to announce a Know Your Rights (KYR) Forum for the Sikh American community of Los Angeles County in cooperation with the Khalsa Care Foundation on Sunday, November 14th.

The following government agencies and representatives will provide community members with important information about employment discrimination, hate crimes, and government resources. Additionally, this will be an opportunity to network with government recruiters and discuss employment opportunities.

Since 2002, SALDEF has organized numerous educational workshops for Sikh American communities in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

SALDEF would like to thank the management of the Khalsa Care Foundation Gurdwara and the leaders of the local Sikh American community, as well as the participating government agencies for their support.

For additional information about this event or if you would like to organize a Know Your Rights Forum for your community, please contact Birpal Kaur by email at info@saldef.org or via phone at 213.985.1116.

Please distribute this widely to family, friends and at the local Gurdwara.

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.

Since he could not attend the 2010 National Gala in person, he recorded this message:

Finn: “Dude, why didn’t you tell us you just wanted to pray in Muslim?”
Singhnee: “I’m not Muslim. I’m a Sikh.”

Tuesday night, FOX’s top rated show, Glee, told the over 11 million Americans watching that Sikhs wear turbans.

In the scene, the characters discussed saying the prayers of different faiths to help Kurt’s ill father.  When a Sikh woman walks in, Finn thinks she is a Muslim because she wears a turban.  She responds that she is actually a Sikh.

Join us in letting FOX and the producers of Glee know you appreciate their inclusion of a Sikh in the show.

Watch the clip for a limited time at http://www.hulu.com/watch/181761/glee-grilled-cheesus. The scene is around the 24 minute mark.

The law forbids state and local governments from imposing a substantial burden on the free exercise of religion in cases of land use restrictions and institutions such as prisons, hospitals and group homes, unless they can demonstrate that imposition of such a burden is the least restrictive means of furthering a compelling government interest.

In a report on the 10th anniversary released by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Department noted that RLUIPA “has had a positive impact on protecting the religious freedom of a wide range of faith groups, and had a particularly significant impact protecting the religious freedom of minorities.”

The Department reported that:
•    It has opened 51 RLUIPA land use investigations, filed seven lawsuits, filed 10 amicus briefs, and intervened in 71 lawsuits to defend RLUIPA’s constitutionality.
•    Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist land use cases made up a disproportionate number of its RLUIPA investigations —13 times their representation in the population.
•    Half of its land use investigations involving Christians have involved racial or ethnic minorities.
•    Of the 18 land use matters involving Muslims it has reviewed, eight have been opened since May of this year.

When private lawsuits are factored in, the report states that “thousands of individuals and institutions from a wide range of faith traditions” have been actively protected by RLUIPA in its 10 years of existence.

RLUIPA was introduced in the U.S. House by Rep. Charles Canady, R-Fla., and co-sponsored by Reps. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., and Chet Edwards, D-Texas. It was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. The measure passed Congress on July 27, 2000, and was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on September 22, 2000.  In signing the bill, Clinton thanked members of the coalition for the “central role they played in crafting the legislation.”

The law was challenged before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2005 in Cutter v. Wilkinson. The case reached the Supreme Court after members of Satanist, Wicca and other non-mainstream religions sued Ohio‘s corrections department, claiming its officials denied them opportunities to gather for worship or use particular religious ceremonial items.

The High Court ruled unanimously that the section of RLUIPA dealing with prisoners does not violate the Establishment Clause. “RLUIPA … protects institutionalized persons who are unable freely to attend to their religious needs and are therefore dependent on the government’s permission and accommodation for exercise of their religion,” wrote Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg for the Court.

Today marks the 47^th anniversary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream Speech” and the March on Washington.  In the speech he set out a vision for an America that looked beyond its racial and religious boundaries and came together recognizing the fundamental equality promised to all.

While addressing the divisions and inequality prevalent in segregated America, his message inspires and motivates all of us today.  We at SALDEF work every day to make sure that the promise of equality and justice extends to all. We hope you draw as much inspiration from his speech as we do.

This means that Sikh American students in North Carolina can get a day off to observe Vaisakhi or Gurpurab.  They just need to give written notice to the school beforehand.

SALDEF has contacted some schools in North Carolina to make them aware of a few Sikh holidays.

Read More:

• The Religion Clause
• Charlotte Observer: Missing School for Religion? Excused

What ever your opinion about the proposed Islamic Center in Manhattan which prompted these remarks, these are some very powerful and true words from the President.

Read the remarks given by President Obama.

Legislative Intern – Intern will be involved with lobbying on National and State legislation. Functions include organizing lobby visits with Congressional offices, drafting official correspondence supporting specific legislation, and engaging in  legislative strategy on hate crimes, religious freedom, racial profiling, and immigration.  Legislative experience is not necessary.

Communications Intern – Intern will work with SALDEF staff to implement a comprehensive communications strategy with the goal of expanding SALDEF’s reach into the community and build relationships with national media outlets. Applicant must have some background in Journalism, Communications, or a comparable field. Experience in advanced Web 2.0 initiatives preferred.

Development Intern – Intern will assist senior SALDEF staff in the implementation of a development strategy to grow SALDEF’s organizational capacity and community outreach efforts. Applicant must have experience in Business, Management or similar field.

Technology / Media Intern – Intern will assist SALDEF staff in the development and design of new media. Applicant must have background in Computer Science, Web Design, Photography, and / or have experience with video-making or Adobe Photoshop.

Qualifications:  The program is designed for Sikh American students, although students of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Applicant must exhibit: excellent writing/research skills, demonstrated academic achievement, computer skills, strong work ethic, and attention to detail.

Benefits:  Applicants will have the opportunity to be mentored by civil rights leaders and attend political events in the Nation’s Capital. Applicants will work on National issues of concern and develop critical project management and implementation skills. College credit for internship has also been arranged in the past.

Education:  Applicants must have completed at least one year of undergraduate studies. Graduate Students are also welcome to apply.

Location:  Applicants are preferred to work in Washington, DC.  Remote access work is offered on a case-by-case basis.

Time:  Internships are offered full-time (40 hours per week) with occasional weekend and evening commitments.  Part-time programs also available (minimum 10 hours per week required).

Stipend:  Available based on a case-by-case basis.

Deadline:  Applications for Fall Semester will be accepted on a rolling basis however early applications will receive preference. Application deadline is September 16, 2010.

To Apply:  Email a cover letter with references, resume, and 5-page writing sample to Click here to email or send faxes to (202) 318-4433. If applying for a stipend, please add a Statement of Need.

The judge stopped the following provisions from going into effect:

Portion of Section 2 of S.B. 1070: requiring that an officer make a reasonable attempt to determine the immigration status of a person stopped, detained or arrested if there is a reasonable suspicion that the person is unlawfully present in the United States, and requiring verification of the immigration status of any person arrested prior to releasing that person

Section 3 of S.B. 1070: creating a crime for the failure to apply for or carry alien registration papers

Portion of Section 5 of S.B. 1070: creating a crime for an unauthorized alien to solicit, apply for, or perform work

Section 6 of S.B. 1070: authorizing the warrantless arrest of a person where there is probable cause to believe the person has committed a public offense that makes the person removable from the United States

Judge Bolton actually issued the opinion in connection with the case brought by the United States Government in a suit against the state of Arizona. The core of her reasoning was agreeing with the Department of Justice (and the civil rights groups) that federal trumps state law (the idea of federal preemption).

On the bright side, Judge Bolton recognized some of the civil rights and profiling challenges we suggested would come up in the law. For example, she said: “All arrestees will be required to prove their immigration status to the satisfaction of state authorities, thus increasing the intrusion of police into the lives of legally present aliens (and even U.S. citizens), who will necessarily be swept up by this requirement.”

On the down side, while these portions of the law were stopped from going into effect, the feelings of fear and tolerance for possible discrimination still exist.

Of course, this isn’t the end of the road for the case. It will be heard on appeal by the Ninth Circuit and then the Supreme Court. But the federal preemption argument will likely hold up and the law will continue to be properly deemed unconstitutional.

Read the opinion here.

SALDEF joined thirty-seven other organizations in filing an amicus brief with the District Court, urging the Court to prevent the law from going into effect on July 29, as planned, until the lawsuit has ended and the courts have determined if the law is constitutional.  An amicus brief is chance for people who are not parties to a case (not the people suing or being sued) to submit their expert opinion to the Court.  These opinions are designed to help give the court a better sense of the legal and policy implications of the law.

So what does this mean and why are we interested in a bill that is aimed at regulating immigration into a US-Mexico border state?  A few reasons. Under the proposed law, law enforcement is allowed to request proof of citizenship or immigration status from anyone whose legal status they have ‘reasonable suspicion’ about. This seemingly simple task has extreme implications.  The phrase  ‘reasonable suspicion’ without guidelines or definitions is recipe for assumption of guilt, until proven innocent.  The United States is a country that prides itself on the inherent nature of law and justice within the concept of ‘innocent until proven guilty’; the implementation of this law goes against this very belief.

The brief SALDEF joined focuses on the impact that the law will likely have on minority communities—that it will result in discrimination and will have a negative impact on safety.  First, the law “will subject United States citizens and legal residents who are racial and/or ethnic minorities, and particularly those who may be perceived to be foreign, to the stress and humiliation of detention and interrogation, and to the constant fear of the possibility of such treatment.”  Second, the law “will chill the willingness of many United States citizens and legal residents to report and cooperate in the investigation of crimes, including hate crimes.”  Finally, the law, while ostensibly written in a neutral fashion, improperly targets and subjects members of minority communities to extra scrutiny.

This takes us into the core of the issues that many civil rights organizations are fighting, with one tactic of the battle being the amicus brief. Under this law, people who look “foreign” are more likely to be stopped for minor infractions – having a broken taillight, jaywalking or having an overgrown lawn – and then asked for their papers if police believe, just by looking at them, that they could be in the country unlawfully. That means that U.S. citizens and non-citizens alike will be required to carry papers on them at all times.  And how exactly is it that a law enforcement officer can ‘tell’ just by looking at someone that they are or are not an illegal immigrant?  Does the standard of review start at how you dress? How you talk, your accent or lack-of? The clothes you are wearing?  Being Sikh Americans, some of us may know this treatment or mentality very well.  Being judged based on what you look like, sound like, or pray like is un-American and unacceptable.

By requiring law enforcement officials to question every individual they stop about their citizen or immigration status, the law is inviting things like race, gender, ethnicity, and language as ‘structures’ to rely upon. This law actually invites racial profiling at two junctures. First, law enforcement might find a reason to stop people on a very minor infraction based on the way they look, and then demand their papers. Or they can stop them for an unbiased reason and then, based on appearance and nothing else, demand their papers.

Furthermore, imagine living in a society that operates as a police-state; community safety is no longer the primary goal.  It actually makes us less safe because community members will be reluctant to report crimes, violence, or disturbances for fear that a family member (for example) might be detained or deported because law enforcement was called.  This means domestic violence situations are MORE likely to go unreported, as are thefts, robberies, and assaults. These crimes affect all residents, legal or not.  Furthermore, it is important to realize that this is not a single-minority race issue, it includes everyone.  Even though  the majority of the immigrant population in Arizona is from Hispanic or Latin backgrounds, all other minorities that look ‘reasonably suspicious’ will be affected.

Several civil rights organizations have filed lawsuits, in addition to the one that SALDEF has signed on to, contesting the constitutionality of this law, in concept, practice and deliverance.

To read a more detailed opinion, Kevin Johnson, Dean of the UC Davis School of Law, has a great summary of the case and the arguments at his blog.

As a kickoff to the retreat, we attended a “mother of all dinners” to welcome everyone to DC.  Nearly 30 young Sikhs came out and essentially took over our favorite eatery Nando’s.  Four hours later it was time to call it a night. There was a long day ahead for SALDEF.The retreat commenced on a Thursday morning with a workshop on SALDEF the organization, its roots and its vision. Since its foundation, SALDEF has been determined to preserve religious liberty and educate both the Sikh community about their rights and resources and the greater community about Sikh Americans. The next workshop was about communication and how to effectively convey a message whether it’s through a blog, a press release, or a brochure that’s being passed out. After these extensive discussions, it was time to work on the intern video so other young students and volunteers in the community will be able to have the same great experiences we have had this summer. After an exhausting 10 hour day at the office, we headed over to Bertucci’s for dinner with a group of other DC area Sikhs, and then to SALDEF volunteer Navdeep Singh’s rooftop for an amazing view of the Washington Monument and a glimpse of the White House.

After a 5 hour “nap” Friday morning woke us up and demanded our full attention. The first workshop of the day was conducted by Bhai Sahib from Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara. He started off with a story. A blind man asks the Guru “Is there anything worse than being blind -  not being able to see anything?” The Guru replies “No, the worst is when you have sight but no vision.” It reminded us that as an organization, SALDEF must always keep its vision alive and present in the work being done. Another piece of  advice from Bhai Sahib was reminded us that we are not responsible for the whole universe, we are responsible for where we are, where we walk. Instead of trying to take on the problems of the world, we will much better serve the community if we focus on what we know and can handle. The second workshop that day focused on what SALDEF can do presently to continue its vision.

Friday night found us quite exhausted so we regrouped the next morning at the Potomac River for kayaking. And believe me, coordinating paddles is no easy task. After an hour there and some delicious eggs benedict, we met up with more DC area Sikh youth to visit the Natural History Museum, hung out on the National Mall for a bit, headed to Vappiano’s for dinner, then visited the World War II, Korean War, and Lincoln Memorials at night. It was quite an ambitiously touristy day spent with great people.

The weekend overall was packed and hectic but we were able to get work done, meet friends, and make time to explore the city.  As you can see from the pictures, it was the perfect combination of work and play.

Coming to you from 1413 K Street,
Jasleen Kaur Singh

The evening was set up as an Oxford-style debate, with a pro and con side. Each team was to support or negate the motion America should provide illegal immigrants a path to citizenship.

Pro Points:

Most of us interns (about 75%) were in support of the motion before the debate. We heard the usual arguments from the pro — illegal immigrants are an integral part of our economy, they are willing to take jobs that Americans are not interested in, and providing them amnesty would allow us to focus on allocating resources to border protection to reduce the influx of additional illegal immigrants. Additionally, many children of illegal immigrants have been receiving an education in this country through the public school system for years. Deporting them would be a waste of the federal money previously invested in them. The ‘Pro-Immigration’ debaters advocated that instead of creating a plan for deportation, which would be difficult and costly, it would be easier to invest that money in the legalization process so that illegal immigrants can start to contribute to the economy and create healthy American competition.

Con Points:

Although the Pro side offered a lot of strong support, it was the con points that really got us thinking. According to the ‘Anti-Immigration’ debaters, amnesty was offered to illegal immigrants in 1996 but was ineffective in stopping new illegal immigrants from entering the country, hence the present number of 11 million illegal immigrants in the country. They also pointed out that currently about 2,000 to 4,000 illegal immigrants leave the country every year and if we were to stop any illegal immigrants from coming into the country, essentially by investing in security on the border that actually works, then over the next decade or two, immigrants would filter themselves out of the country and the US would not have to physically deport anyone. Countering the Pro-Immigration argument about immigrants doing jobs Americans don’t want to do, the debaters highlighted that there is an average unemployment rate of 20% for Americans who are seeking blue-collar jobs. They contended that these jobs are offered to illegal immigrants because they are willing to work for lower wages and longer hours than American natives. And finally, it’s unfair for immigrants who go through the legal process of getting a Green Card and then applying for citizenship when people who came to the country illegally are given automatic amnesty.

Though the Pro Points had initially sounded convincing, by the end of the debate only 46% were in favor of the motion. The Anti-immigration debaters had changed our views. Why? Perhaps it had to do with the quality of the debaters and they way their points were presented. But it was probably because their points incited ideas that a lot of us had never considered before. Both arguments were very compelling and well thought out. I actually ended up being completely undecided after the debate. Immigration policy is one of those touchy subjects that needs to be addressed. It affects our economy, our foreign policy, and our education system, among many other aspects of American government.

What do you think?

And on a side-yet-related note, I would like to commend the Department of Justice on suing Arizona for passing SB1070, which has incited a surge of racial profiling in the state. For more information, click here.

Coming to you from 1413 K Street,
Jasleen K. Singh

9:09am: Wake up. Wait, 9am?! Realize that I was supposed to be at work 9 minutes ago. Brush my teeth. Dress myself. Redress myself after reading my post-it reminder to wear “business casual yet formal” (we have a lot of events to go to today).

9:38am: Burst onto the 5th floor of 1413 K Street, slightly moist from the humidity that never fails to remind me how much better California weather is. Look through my purse-that-carries-the-world to find my massive bunch of keys. It’s harder than you think. One of them opens the SALDEF office. Found it!

9:41am: Start checking e-mails. Post a blog onto the website. Yell at the publishing website (no not a customer service agent, the actual page) for not having my pictures show up the way I want them to. Thank the website dearly when I finally figure it out.

10:30am: Jasjit comes in and tells us we’re leaving in 30 minutes. Great. Not enough time to post my other blog. Enough time to start working on the SALDEF posterboard I’ve wanted to get to for the past week. It’s to take with us to the Gurdwara, or any place where people might be interested in what SALDEF does. I have just enough time to print out the text.

11:40am: After some delay, we reach the Organization of Chinese Americans’ (OCA) Brown Bag Lunch location. SALDEF, along with two other organizations, is presenting on racial profiling today. These Brown Bag Lunches are just a way for interns from different organizations to come, mingle with other interns that are interested in similar issues, mostly to do with civil rights, and learn about a topic that is affecting the Asian-American community. Jasjit discussed how racial profiling, though it has recently come to the spotlight because of Arizona’s law SB1070, has always been around for Sikh Americans because of the distinct look the turban has. After the presentation we did some role playing in groups to get practice on how to effectively lobby (I mean advocate) with congressional staffers.1:37pm: Leave the Brown Bag. Realize none of us have eaten, but we don’t have enough time to go back to the office. We have another meeting at 3:00pm. We’re near my apartment so I suggest a place. Enjoyed a decent Mediterranean lunch at Pasha Bistro on 17th.

2:54pm: Enter the meeting room for the Hate Crime National Coalition which to discuss school bullying. The coalition is trying to come to an agreement on a consensus document it should present at the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Summit happening in August. This meeting was an amazing exposure to how behind-the-scenes Washington works, how people get things done, and how the name of a few well respected organizations on a document can go a long way to converting suggestions into concrete changes. It was a round table discussion of some very smart people who had a passion for creating a more humane society, starting at the school level.

4:11pm: Walk back to the SALDEF office. Time to really get started on this posterboard.

7:54pm: Printer stops working. By default my ambitions to finish the board today have to be stalled until tomorrow. I’m okay with that. I finished drawing in the background and laying the text down; all I need are pictures now. I’m getting hungry too.

8:25pm: Finally get home. True I was tired but the night was still young and in the life of a young intern that offered me a range of possibilities.

Coming to you from 1413 K Street,
Jasleen K. Singh

The SALDEF team was headed to the Smithsonian stop for the Smithsonian’s annual Folklore Festival hosted on the grounds of the National Mall. The Festival had been going on for about a week now and was scheduled until Monday, July 5th. It was an interesting arrangement of Asian, Southeast Asian, and Mexican culture. Today was what I would call “Sikh day.”

As we exited the metro, we were greeted by the sound of kirtan by the sangat of the Guru Gobind Singh Ji Foundation. I hadn’t gone to Gurdwara in DC yet and all of sudden, Gurdwara had come to me. It was ridiculously cool, for lack of a better word. Here we were, surrounded by tourists with their fanny packs and water bottles who were sitting down to hear our kirtan, and genuinely interested in it. It was a proud moment for me. We took the opportunity to pass out Who are the Sikhs brochures and Sikh Information Cards.
After the kirtan was over, we walked around the festival for a bit. There was a turban-tying tent, a mehndi area, Punjabi cooking tent and a learn-how-to-write-your-name-in-Punjabi area. People were lining up for everything and I was really impressed with the curiosity and interest they had for the Sikh religion and Punjabi culture. It was a great opportunity to educate the public about who Sikhs are in a very interactive way where people were receptive to what we had to show and say.

Coming to you from 1413 K Street,
Jasleen K. Singh

Being in an environment where there were over 10,000 activists was a refreshing change of atmosphere. Imagine walking into a building where thousands of people have gathered with one mission: to promote a national agenda of inclusive change. The USSF provides an opportunity for activists working on a range of social justice issues to network and find ways to collaborate.

It was a unique experience to be sitting in a room with so many progressive South Asian voices, discussing issues that have been plaguing our individual communities in the post-9/11 era.  Inclusiveness was the name of the game for this panel, as we spent time identifying the backlash felt in terms of physical hate crimes, as well as the mental and social abuses that have increased dramatically since the attacks.

One of the key discussion points SALDEF highlighted was the unfair media coverage Sikhs faced in the days after 9/11.  On the one hand, the simple case of misidentification of Sher Singh in Rhode Island as a terrorist made immediate news on outlets across the country – images of an innocent Sikh being taken off a train in handcuffs because he ‘looked suspicious’.  On the other hand, Balbir Singh Sodhi’s tragic murder, the first post 9/11 hate-crime, did not gain the national coverage it warranted. These instances underscore the Media’s attitudes and lack of journalistic responsibility in the days after the attacks.

In addition to speaking about imbalances in the media, we had the opportunity to talk about SALDEF’s continued strategies to address racial and religious profiling via the Law Enforcement Partnership Program (LEPP).   We concluded the panel by discussing the need to create a “Pan-Asian” voice on hate crimes and discrimination.  Essentially, we cannot just look at the affect of 9/11 separately, but also show how it escalated and built upon many existing tensions of racial equality with minority communities and the sociopolitical contexts of these problems.

SALDEF Hosts Government Job Fair in Boston

On May 15th, SALDEF Board Member Navjeet Singh and local volunteer Jaswant Singh Chani collaborated with the Guru Ram Das Ashram in Boston, Massachusetts to hold a Job Fair focusing on federal jobs for the local Sikh Community. Among the agencies present at the Fair was the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  Additionally, Maura Healey, a representative of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, Civil Rights Division discussed how to address discrimination during the employment process and how to appropriately document instances and file complaints.

If you would like to hold a similar job fair or Know Your Rights Forum for your local sangat, please contact SALDEF.

Meeting with US Assistant Attorney General

AAG Thomas Perez

On May 4th, SALDEF met with Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez.  He is the head of the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice. SALDEF raised concerns about laws which prevent observant Sikh Americans from pursuing careers in certain states.  Additionally, SALDEF provided recommendations for how the Department can better address the challenges of post 9/11 affected communities.  Mr. Perez reaffirmed his and the Department’s commitment to combating discrimination.  He also congratulated the community for overturning the ban on religious grab in Oregon public schools.

Rep. Mike Honda (CA)

Congressional Reception for Asian American Politicians

On May 12, SALDEF attended a reception at the Capitol Building for the members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.  The event honored Asian American Congressmen and leading APA activists.  At one point during the event, California Congressman Mike Honda, acknowledged the Sikh American community from the stage with a “Sat Sri Akal”! He went on to explain some of the challenges the Sikh community faces and even encouraged the crowd to “go to your local Gurdwara” and make a Sikh friend.

Lobbying for Religious Freedom in the Workplace

On May 25, SALDEF Associate Director Jasjit Singh and Legislative Intern Dilroop Kaur met with Congressman Dan Burton’s staff to lobby for the Workplace Religious Freedom Act (WRFA). If passed, WRFA will positively impact the Sikh American community by strengthening the laws which allow for religious expression in the workplace. The visit was arranged by the Sikh Coalition and included a member of the Interfaith Alliance as well.  SALDEF has been engaged since 2004 working on this important piece of legislation. To read a blog entry about this visit, please click here.

To read about past engagement with this bill and SALDEF please click below:
•    Religious Freedom Bill Discussed in Congress
•    SALDEF Conducts Congressional Visits on Religious Freedoms Legislation
•    SALDEF Conducts Congressional Briefing on WRFA
•    The Sikh American Voice in Congress

TSA Introduces ‘Secure Flight’ Policy

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced the implementation of the Secure Flight Program to improve passenger travel experience, and most notably to better handle issues of misidentification. When making airline reservations, passengers will now be asked for their full name, date of birth, and gender. This information will be sent to ‘Secure Flight’ by the airline to be used in watch list matching. The matching results will be sent back to the airline. Thus, those individuals who have names which may be similar to individuals on the No Fly list or the Selectee List for enhanced screening can be cleared before a boarding pass is printed.

According to the TSA, the program will decrease cases of misidentified individuals, provide early identification of matches so that law enforcement and threat management may take proper measures, and reduce chances of compromised watch list data by centralizing it at Secure Flight.

For more information on Secure Flight, visit http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/secureflight/index.shtm#content.

USCIS Green Card Update

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on June 14 that a new version of  the Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Form I-90), more commonly known as the “Green Card” is available on the USCIS website.  The new version of the form is dated 8/10/09 and contains more user-friendly features.

The form can be found in PDF form here or by visiting http://www.uscis.gov/.

SSA Spotlight: UCLA Holds Sikh Awareness Day

On May 10, UCLA’s Sikh Student Association held its Annual Sikh Awareness Day on campus. The day included entertainment from local artists, demonstration of gatka (Sikh martial arts), and langar (community meal).

Congratulations to the UCLA SSA for hosting a great event. If we can assist your SSA in any way – by providing speakers, materials, etc – please contact SALDEF.

On the second day I was a speaker on a panel to discuss racial profiling and immigration.  I talked about the need for us to connect with Law Enforcement, especially in today’s environment where laws, such as 1070SB which recently passed in Arizona,effectively put Police and Community on opposite sides. I showed a couple minutes of On Common Ground to illustrate an effective use of media to educate a target audience and took questions from the audience.  Overall the experience was very enriching and OCA is doing a great job by bringing together diverse groups with a common goal.

To learn more about OCA please visit their website.
To watch the On Common Ground video, please click here.

- Jasjit

And because the core of the Library is formed by Thomas Jefferson’s personal collection (which we all were able to see, behind a thick glass protection), which included books from all languages and on all subjects, the Library has made it a point to collect any and every book that this country produces. In fact, by law it is required that two copies of any publication, be it in book, DVD or CD form, or any other media form, be sent to the Library of Congress. The genres range from religion, warfare, and music to games, philosophy, art, and science and everything in between.

This flood of knowledge was soon followed by a short reception with the Becket Fund and finally with an after-hours tour of the U.S. Capitol Building. I had been inside the Capitol once, but that was to a directed area for the CAPAL Washington Leadership Program. This time, the SALDEF team and I were given a grand tour, including the Old Senate Chamber, which actually used to house the Supreme Court, Emancipation Hall, and the old House of Representatives. But perhaps the most notable part of our tour was the privilege of stepping into the House Chamber, just 15 minutes after our Congressmen had stepped out. This is the location of all State of the Union addresses; where everyday Congress was legislating the next path of American history. It is a room, much smaller than I expected, that is filled with big decisions, big speeches, and big history.

The Crypt

The First Statue of Liberty

Old Senate Chamber

The Capitol tour, only expected to last 1 hour, had lasted 3 hours. This made us late to our ‘welcome to DC’ dinner with some local Sikhs but the wait was worth it. We had 20+ Sikh interns, students, and professionals attend the dinner. Later we all watched Game 7 of the finals I was able to show some Los Angeles Laker pride to a room full of Laker-haters.

The SALDEF Team

Overall, it was a thoroughly informative day, filled with plenty of laughs and food and painful heels. Just another day in life of a SALDEF intern.

Coming to you from 1413 K Street,
Jasleen Kaur Singh

For Part 1 of this blog, click here.

The Summit was held in the “Member’s Room” of the Library. This room, purposely designed to look like the most prestigious English library, was where members of our Congress would come to read and study the thousands (now turned millions) of books. I already felt cool. Representatives of the Becket Fund discussed three major topics that day: Religion in the Public Sphere, Conscience and Healthcare, and Religious Liberty and the Growth of a Regulatory State. Perhaps the most compelling discussion focused on the Pledge of Allegiance, under “Religion in the Public Sphere.”

A prelude to the not-so-old Pledge debate is an overall consensus that the government should remain neutral in matters of the religion, as established by Thomas Jefferson’s separation between church and state. The definition of neutral, however, becomes the first point of argument. Becket Fund identifies two views: first, that neutral implies that government should remain completely absent from religion and second, that excluding all religion would in fact indicate a governmental bias, not neutrality. I personally believe the latter. “God” is mentioned four times in the Declaration of Independence; even if some argue that these mentions are not necessarily religious, they are inspired by some degree of spirituality. Thus, from the very beginning, spirituality, often embodied by religion, has been a part of the “state” aspect of society.

Now back to the Pledge. Opponents to the phrase “under God” claim that it is a purely religious phrase that indirectly coerces children, who repeat it in schools, to repeat words that their family might not necessarily believe in or they themselves do not believe in. It predisposes them to believe in God. Proponents of “under God,” such as the Department of Justice, have justified the phrase by the idea of ceremonial deism. Basically, because it has been repeated so much, the phrase has lost all religious meaning, if it ever had any, and is said for merely ceremonial purposes. Becket Fund takes a different approach. The firm is defending the right to say “under God” by arguing that government is supposed to be defending pre-existing rights; it cannot create rights. Jefferson wrote that it is God that has bestowed us with inalienable rights, one of which is liberty. We should thus have the liberty to say “under God” on an individual basis. Because no child, no adult is required to say the Pledge of Allegiance, I believe they should have the right to say it the way they believe is correct, whether that includes “under God” or not.”

With a rise in American diversity, and consequently religious diversity, there has been a simultaneous rise in the hostility to public expression of religion. What role will government take? Will it start banning religious headgear in DMV photographs, or will “freedom and liberty for all” actually be respected? And how far will people of religious persuasions go to protect our first amendment right to practice our faiths, whatever they may be?

Coming to you from 1413 K Street,
Jasleen Kaur Singh

For Part 2 of this blog, click here.

Kiran Ahuja

When we finally found the place, we entered a room full of maybe 100 or more Asian, Southeast Asian, Pacific Islander and everything in between, interns who were all dressed and ready to network, mingle and eat the free food that was provided. The evening started with an address from Judy Chu, the first Chinese-American female member of Congress. The Keynote Speaker of the evening, Kiran Ahuja, took the podium a few minutes later. She is the Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI). Yes, another acronym. Ms. Ahuja’s most inspiring words were about how being able to make change and do something good is “not just about a seat at the table, but about what you do with the seat at the table.” You can have the powerful political position or be head of a non-profit organization, but just holding the position is not enough. Doing something with that position is where progress is made.

But perhaps the most memorable anecdote of the night came from Farook Sait, a member of CAPAL’s Advisory Council, who had spoken earlier in the evening. He started his address by waving a 100 dollar bill in the air, knowing that a group of student interns would love to get their hands on it. He asked 2 questions: Who was the first Asian American in Congress? Who was the first person to get to the top of Mount Everest? He gave 30 seconds to answer each question. No one could. His point: luck is the intersection of preparedness and opportunity. None of us were prepared or taught to know the answers to these two questions, so even though we had the opportunity to receive free money that would probably pay for a week’s worth of groceries, we couldn’t take it. Mr. Sait went on to say that we, as interns, are prepared to take on the various tasks our jobs challenge us with and we have the opportunities that the city of Washington DC offers. It is our responsibility to take advantage of both and make our own luck this summer.

Oh and in case you were wondering, Dalip Singh Saund was the first Asian-American elected to Congress and Tenzing Norgay was the first person to climb Mount Everest.

Coming to you from 1413 K St,
Jasleen Kaur Singh

Join SALDEF in asking South Carolina Republican State Senator Jake Knotts to apologize for the unmerited and hate filled comments that he made yesterday referring to both President Barack Obama and South Carolina State Representative and Gubernatorial candidate Nikky Haley as ragheads.

TAKE ACTION — SEND A MESSAGE TO SENATOR KNOTTS TODAY!

In an attempt to backtrack from his outlandish comments, Knotts went on to say that “My ‘raghead’ comments about Obama and Haley were intended in jest. Bear in mind that this is a freewheeling, anything-goes Internet radio show that is broadcast from a pub. It’s like local political version of Saturday Night Live.”

In another failed attempt to rationalize his comments, Knotts said, “Since my intended humorous context was lost in translation, I apologize. I still believe Ms. Haley is pretending to be someone she is not, much as Obama did, but I apologize to both for an unintended slur.”

“There is no place for comments like this is any situation, especially by political officials and public servants, and we are disappointed in Senator Knotts,” said SALDEF Associate Executive Director Jasjit Singh. “Such divisive comments only serve to further weaken the diversity that has made our country so strong. Racial slurs are unacceptable no matter the supposed intent of humor. We call on Senator Knotts to offer a real apology for his divisive comments and recognize the hateful nature of the term ‘raghead’.”

JOIN US AND TELL SENATOR KNOTTS THAT HIS APOLOGY IS NOT ENOUGH

Since the tragic events of 9/11, Sikh Americans and others have been the victims of discrimination, bias motivated attacks, and hate crimes because of their perceived ethnicity or religion.  Terms such as “raghead” have been a common feature in these incidents of harassment.

SALDEF is deeply concerned with comments like these that consistently try and categorize Sikh Americans, or anyone of Arab, Muslim or South Asian descent, as being un-American or having intentions to harm the country.

Read More about this Issue:
-    Knotts’ slur stirs the Haley storm (The State)
-    Knotts’  ‘Raghead’ Remark: Haley and Obama Called Racial Slur (Huffington Post)
-    SALDEF Press Statement
-    SALDEF Letter to Sen. Knotts

Congressman Dan Burton

Hurrying along the white marble halls of the House Office building, we passed an extravagant fountain as well as a number of carved oak doors with columns prodigiously perched on either side. I couldn’t help but worry about the tax-payers money. That thought was quickly forgotten as Jasjit and I saw a familiar face among the impressive surroundings. Sikh Coalition’s Rajdeep Singh Jolly awaited us by Congressman Dan Burton’s office. We were here to lobby for the Workplace Religious Freedom Act (WRFA).

Lobbying is similar to a sports game. There is a game plan, there are key players and the end goal is to win. The only difference is the outcome will affect millions of Americans. So there we stood outside the big oak doors, SALDEF and Sikh Coalition, huddled in our team circle preparing to go out and win it. Gaining Congressman Burton’s vote on the bill was equivalent to a field goal, his sponsoring and agreeing to lead WRFA was more of a touchdown.

Essentially WRFA came about due to a loophole in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Act required employers to provide a reasonable accommodation for their employees’ religious beliefs, practices, and observances unless it would pose an undue hardship. Turns out a lot of employers thought a lot of things were undue hardships. The Supreme Court addressed the issue in 1977 stating anything more than a de minimis cost, and even the possibility of an adverse impact was sufficient to claim an undue burden.

The phrasing of the Civil Rights Act and the Supreme Court decision essentially results in Americans having to choose between practicing their religion and keeping their jobs. WRFA aims to fix this issue by creating a comprehensive protection of workplace freedom, eliminating unfair loopholes.

Representative Burton was the man we were trying to draft onto the team. A lot of statistics and facts were spewed back and forth as the logistics and timing of the bill was discussed. As the big dogs discussed the Act I felt fortunate to be a bench warmer witnessing history in the making with a front row seat.

As we exited down the steps onto Independence Avenue the outcome of the meeting was up in the air. Whether we had scored a touchdown was yet to be determined but one thing was for sure the Sikh voice had been heard and it was wearing the same uniform.

- Dilroop Kaur

SALDEF is pleased to announce the launch of our new website, a resource for the Sikh American community.  Through the new website you will learn about our latest programs, find out about the issues facing the community, and share your thoughts.

Here are some ways you can interact with us on the site:

* Learn about Your Rights
* Report an Incident of harassment or discrimination
* Watch our videos
* Leave a comment at the SALDEF Blog
* Connect with us via Facebook
* Join us on Twitter @ SALDEF
* Use the tools in the Resource Center

Let us know what you think!  Send us ideas about what you would like to see via email, fill out the poll on the homepage, or comment on this posting below.

Stay tuned for additional features and resources coming out in the next few months.

SALDEF Announces Job Openings for New Positions

SALDEF is pleased to announce the opening of three new positions. We are looking for experienced candidates to fill the positions of Executive Director, Community Relations Associate/Manager and Grant Writer. Candidates applying must be able to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, and have a passion for working towards the strengthening of the Sikh American community.

To read more about the positions, click here.

USCIS to Issue Redesigned Green Cards

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has redesigned the Permanent Resident Card – commonly known as the “Green Card” – to incorporate several major new security features. The Green Card redesign is the latest advance in USCIS’s ongoing efforts to deter immigration fraud. State-of-the-art technology incorporated into the new card prevents counterfeiting, obstructs tampering, and facilitates quick and accurate authentication. Beginning May 11, 2010, USCIS will issue all Green Cards in the new, more secure format.
In keeping with the Permanent Resident Card’s nickname, it will now be colored green for easy recognition. USCIS will replace Green Cards already in circulation as individuals apply for renewal or replacement.

For more information on permanent residency and other immigration benefits, visit www.uscis.gov, or call USCIS’s National Customer Service Center at (800) 375-5283

SALDEF Presents at California High School Diversity Event

This past March, SALDEF Representative Gaganpreet Kaur and Managing Director Kavneet Singh, conducted four one-hour workshops for students at Castro Valley High School in Castro Valley, CA as part of their annual Days of Diversity program. This is the fourth straight year that SALDEF has been invited to participate at this forum.

The first workshops introduced students to Sikh culture and the history of Sikhs in the United States and was followed by a question and answer session. The following workshops discussed specific civil rights issues faced by Sikh Americans. Students also engaged in an interactive discussion about how law and policy affect people of faith and received copies of SALDEF educational resources.

If you would like a SALDEF volunteer or staff member to conduct an anti-bullying and cultural awareness presentation for students at your children’s school, please contact us.

Dept of Homeland Security and Dept of Justice Training in Boston

On April 8th, SALDEF Board Member Navjeet Singh, trained roughly 40 members of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agency Office of Investigations along with special guests from the Department of Justice (DOJ) Community Relations Service. The Cultural Awareness training seminar consisted of an overview of the Sikh faith, religious practices and culturally sensitive protocol for interactions with Sikh Americans. The training was hosted by the DHS ICE Office of Investigations and the DOJ Office of Community Relations in Boston, MA.

SSA Spotlight: Princeton Sikh Student Association Celebrates Vaisakhi

Last month, like Sikh Student Associations (SSA) across the country, the Princeton SSA took the opportunity to educate their fellow students about the Sikh faith. They invited attendees to learn about Sikh practices, theology and history through a slideshow presentation. Following the presentation, Langar was served while Kirtan played in the background. During the presentation, the SSA distributed SALDEF’s Who are the Sikhs brochures and 2010 Sikh American Pockets Calendars to the attendees.

Congratulations to the Princeton SSA on a great event. If we can assist your SSA in any way – by providing speakers, materials, etc – please contact us.

College Students – Apply for a Scholarship

The Sikh Education Fund, a project of the Association of Sikh Professional has been granting scholarships and interest free loans to college students since 1989. The Association is now receiving applications for the academic year 2010-2011. The last date for receiving applications for new applicants is June 1, 2010.
Apply here or email the Association for more information

SALDEF Remembers Life and Contributions of Dr. Dorothy Height

On April 20th, the civil rights community, and the country lost a pioneering voice for civil, women’s, and human rights. Dr. Dorothy Height, passed away at the age of 98 from natural causes. She will be remembered for her legacy of empowerment and over seven decades of community service.
Throughout her distinguished career, she served as President Emeritus of the National Council of Negro Women and Chair of The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, where she worked closely with a broad coalition of groups for several decades.  Read more here.

Rep. Mike Honda (CA)

Attended a reception at the Capitol Building today for the members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. It was an opportunity to meet Congressmen and leading Asian American activists who are making a difference in Washington.

The highlight of the event (for us) was when California Congressman Mike Honda, the Caucus Chairman, acknowledged us from the stage with a “Sat Sri Akal”! He went on to explain some of the challenges our community faces and even encouraged the crowd to “go to your local Gurdwara” and make a Sikh friend. Glad we had a Sikh in the room.

Les Jin from the DOJ visits the GNFA sangat (May 2010).

Les Jin from the Department of Justice joined SALDEF this past week at the GNFA gurdwara in Silver Spring, Maryland.  Mr. Jin is one of the Senior Counsels in the Civil Rights Division.

Mr. Jin met members of the sangat to help develop a strong relationship between DOJ and the Sikh American community in Maryland.   He shared some of the President’s plans to reach out to and work with the Sikh American and Asian Pacific Islander American communities.  He also talked about the work that the Civil Rights Division does, the ways they can help you and your sangat, and how we work with them.

Thank you to the GNFA sangat for hosting!

Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez (U.S. Department of Justice)

We met with Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez today.  He is the head of the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice.

It was a chance for us to share some of the issues that we are concerned about and to provide constructive recommendations about how the Department can better respond to employment discrimination and post-9/11 backlash.   He is very committed to combating discrimination and making sure that all are treated equally.

AAG Perez congratulated the community for overturning the ban on religious grab in Oregon.

This meeting helped to make sure that the Sikh American community has a strong relationship with the Department of Justice.

Now why did the religious community see victory in Texas and not in Michigan? According to the federal court ruling the difference between the two cases was pretty simple.  In Michigan, she did not say it was a religious article and removed it without hesitation. In Texas, the Sikh man told the judge his turban was a religious article and refused to remove it.

The lesson: Whenever you are told to remove your turban, make sure you clearly let the person know it is religious article that you cannot remove.  Don’t immediately agree to remove it.

The title of the talk was “SIKH AMERICANS: Towards a More Perfect Union“.  Dr. I.J Singh began the talk by discussing how Sikh Americans add to the diversity of America. Dr. Singh suggested that instead of thinking of America as a ‘Melting Pot’ or ‘Tossed Salad’ we consider the metaphor of an Orchestra.   “All the small chimes and bells add to the beauty and need to be protected,” said Dr. Singh. “Notice that the lowly cymbals or the triangle, too, have a place.  When they speak, even the naturally dominant violins and pianos listen.  When the mighty and the small talk to each other without drowning the other, the conversation becomes heavenly music.  That’s how a rich performance is born.”

Paramjit Singh, Jasjit Singh, and Dr. I.J. Singh at the City Club of Cleveland

Paramjit Singh added historical context for Sikhs in America by highlighting the contributions of Sikh American pioneers, entrepreneurs and social workers.  His examples illustrated that the Sikh identity is an asset, not a hindrance to success.  He also moderated the panel discussion following the talk.

Jasjit Singh reflected on the challenges Sikh Americans are facing in the US and his identity both as a Sikh and an American in a post 9/11 era.  He highlighted the sharp increase in reports of hate crimes, racial profiling and school bullying after 9/11.  He also discussed the imbalanced media coverage between the victims of the backlash and the cases of mistaken identity.  In the end, however, he concluded, “despite all the challenges, I see 9/11 as a unifying event in our shared history – something that makes Sikhs an even more integral part of America.”  Jasjit Singh pointed to increased focus on education about Sikh Americans and stronger relations with several branches of government and the law enforcement community as signs of progress.

“Education and acceptance is very much a two way street, and regrettably, it took such a tragic event to make not just the Sikh American community, but our entire country, realize that we needed to come together to create dialogue and ensure that we live up to the ideals laid out by our Founding Fathers of creating ‘a more perfect union’.”

Listen to the entire program here.

Additional coverage of the event:
Local Sikhs Seek Understanding (WKYC-TV)
Towards a More Perfect Union (Cleveland People Article)

Throughout her distinguished career, she served as President Emeritus of the National Council of Negro Women and Chair of The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, where she worked closely with a broad coalition of groups for several decades.

Dr. Height was a leader in the civil rights movement beginning in the 1930s, when she participated in local protests in Harlem, NY.  Among the issues she initially worked on included efforts to prevent lynching of African Americans in the South, desegregating the armed forces, reforms to the criminal justice system, and establishing free access to public places.  Throughout her career, she worked alongside such lumiaries as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Eleanor Roosevelt. For her dedication to fighting inequality she garnered many accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation’s highest civilian honor, by former President Bill Clinton, and the Congressional Gold Medal, in 2004 by then President George W. Bush.

“Dr. Height is a truly historic figure in the civil rights community and her loss is one that will be felt in hearts across the county,” stated SALDEF Managing Director Kavneet Singh. “Her legacy though will live on through the countless people she has mentored and inspired to follow in her path to make sure that we truly do have an American where all people belong and are equal.”

In 2004, as part of an effort to honor and acknowledge her tremendous service and pioneering spirit,  SALDEF inaugurated the Dorothy Height Coalition Building Award which recognizes leadership and collaborative efforts to achieve equality for all by an individual or organization.

The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) is pleased to announce the opening of three new positions. We are looking for experienced and dynamic candidates to fill the positions of Executive Director, Community Relations Associate/Manager and Grant Writer. Candidates applying must be able to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, and have a passion for working towards the strengthening of the Sikh American community.

Organizational Description:

SALDEF is the nation’s oldest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization. Its mission is to protect the civil rights of Sikh Americans and ensure a fostering environment in the United States for Sikh Americans. SALDEF provides services and programs to empower Sikh Americans through legislative and legal advocacy, educational outreach and media relations.

SALDEF’s vision is to create an America where:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Full-Time)

The Executive Director will report to the Board of Directors, communicate the vision and direction of SALDEF to lead its full-time staff, numerous volunteers and interns, and seek out, identify, and nurture relationships with the organization’s donors and stakeholders. The Executive Director is charged with implementing the organization’s strategic vision; overseeing SALDEF’s direct services, advocacy, and other programs; leading the annual fundraising process along with donor relations; and serving as a public voice for the organization. She/he will serve as an advocate on issues of civil rights related to Sikh Americans in the government, media, and the community. Annual salary range will be commensurate with experience. Benefits include, vacation, holidays and sick days and medical and dental insurance.

The full job description of the Executive Director position is available here.

COMMUNITY RELATIONS ASSOCIATE/MANAGER (Full-Time)

The Community Relations Associate/Manager will report to the Executive Director and the Executive Committee, work to conduct programs to educate and empower the Sikh American community, serve as a resource to government and civil officials, coalition partners and the media on issues related to Sikh Americans and outreach to local organizations to develop partnerships. Annual salary range will be commensurate with experience. Benefits include, vacation, holidays and sick days and medical and dental insurance.

The full job description of the Community Relations Manager position is available here

GRANT WRITER (Part-Time)

The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) is seeking a part-time Grant Writer to identify grant opportunities for a small non-profit organization to support the growth of the organization; research grant requirements and proposals; complete grant applications, write grant proposals and reports.

The full job description of the Grant Writer position is available here

To Apply:

Send cover letter (referencing qualifications above) and resume as attached Word or PDF documents to careers@saldef.org with the position you are applying for (example, “Executive Director Search”) in the subject line. Review of resumes will begin immediately upon receipt.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: TILL FILLED

The repeal of this Law represents one of the first contributions Sikh Americans have made to the broader civil rights community.  The achievement marks progress for our community, as we have begun to advance the broader agenda of inclusion and diversity in America.

As we celebrate this Vaisakhi day, we ask you to make a real difference this year, by helping us spread awareness about Sikhs and stem the ignorance driven attacks on our community.

Together we can turn the tide of ignorance and foster an American society aware of the Sikh identity. Your tax deductible contribution will ensure SALDEF can build on its tradition of pioneering successes. Your valued support will help to create a fostering environment for

We could not have done this work without your support, and we cannot continue to do it unless we receive your financial support.  On this Vaisakhi day, please take a moment and DONATE to us today – you will be ensuring that all Sikhs, especially future generations of Sikh Americans, can practice their faith openly and are not denied employment opportunities.

Sign-up for a monthly contribution, to help ensure that SALDEF has the resources to continue to defend your civil and religious rights.

In April, Confederate History Month is when Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell believes that all Virginians should reflect on “the sacrifices of the Confederate leaders, soldiers and citizens”.  Notice what is missing.  Any reference to slavery and the tragic impact it had on the lives of millions.

McDonnell declined to refer to slavery because “there were any number of aspects to that conflict between the states. Obviously, it involved slavery. It involved other issues. But I focused on the ones I thought were most significant for Virginia.”

James McPherson, a leading Civil War scholar, on the omission: “Confederate history was ultimately bound up with slavery. But that was the principal reason for secession — that an anti-slavery party was elected to the White House. . . . And without secession, there wouldn’t have been a war.”  Former Governor Douglas Wilder, the first African American to be elected governor in the nation, members of the Virginia Legislature, and the NAACP have also come out against the proclamation.

What do you think about the proclamation and the omission of any reference to slavery?  Do we have a responsibility to recognize and remember acts of injustice throughout history so that they are not repeated?

You can send a message to Governor McDonnell with your thoughts.

UPDATE: Governor McDonnell apologizes for ‘omission’ and amends proclamation

Governor McDonnell issued a statement: “The proclamation issued by this Office designating April as Confederate History Month contained a major omission. The failure to include any reference to slavery was a mistake, and for that I apologize to any fellow Virginian who has been offended or disappointed. The abomination of slavery divided our nation, deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights, and led to the Civil War. Slavery was an evil, vicious and inhumane practice which degraded human beings to property, and it has left a stain on the soul of this state and nation. In 2007, the Virginia General Assembly approved a formal statement of “profound regret” for the Commonwealth’s history of slavery, which was the right thing to do.”

The following amendment was made to the proclamation: “WHEREAS, it is important for all Virginians to understand that the institution of slavery led to this war and was an evil and inhumane practice that deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights and all Virginians are thankful for its permanent eradication from our borders, and the study of this time period should reflect upon and learn from this painful part of our history.”

One of the new features on this site is this blog.  It will be a place you can come to learn about things going on the civil rights community.  Through the blog we want to give you a window into the world that the SALDEF staff works in — from the events we take part in, the people we work with, and some of the issues we work on.  We will also be sharing items of interest  from around the community or that may affect the Sikh American and civil rights communities.

Let us know what you you want to see on the blog and any suggestions you may have!

–SALDEF Staff