This week nine parishioners of The Emanuel AME Church were killed in an act of terrorism and a race-based hate crime. This AME Church has historical significance in the movement against slavery and it has maintained a central place in the community to this day. As Sikhs, we connect to this loss of safety, to the desecration of a powerful home of a people, and a space in which people connect with the Divine and build community strength. In solidarity with our African American brothers and sisters, we ask you to show your Sikh spirit:
- Send a note of support to the Emanuel AME Church
- Hold a vigil at your Gurdwara or join one in your area, as SALDEF SikhLEADers did this Friday at DC’s Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church. Forward photos to media@saldef.org so we can share them on social media.
- Post SALDEF’s statement on Facebook and Twitter: Sikh American Community Stands with Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church: http://tinyurl.com/n9wty6q
- Go to any Wells Fargo bank and donate to the “Mother Emanuel Hope” fund created by Charleston’s Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr.
Additionally, as Sikhs, we join our partners in calling for the removal of the Confederate flag, a symbol of hate and division, from all government places. Throughout history, this flag has been used by hate groups to carry out horrific attacks, including the shooting in Oak Creek, Wisconsin and Charleston. Please send a messageto South Carolina’s legislators urging the removal of the Confederate flag. In solidarity and humility, The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)