The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) joined Members of Congress, and national civil rights organizations on Capitol Hill to honor the victims of hate violence in South Asian, Sikh, Muslim, Arab communities across the country last Friday. The event underscored the need to bring national attention to the increase in hate violence facing our communities.
“As we reflect on the tragic events of the past few weeks, we stand resolute and continue the fight for justice and freedom. We derive our inspiration in the strength and resolve that our communities have shown across the nation. Their resilience and fearlessness allow us to find love, compassion, and optimism during times of sorrow,” said Amrita Kaur Bamrah, SALDEF’s Policy Associate and SikhLEAD Director. “SALDEF stands firm in its belief that the goodness of our communities will prevail over hate, and we reaffirm our commitment to fight for the rights of all communities.” Watch: A One-minute Excerpt of Amrita Kaur Bamrah’s Statement at the Capitol Vigil Members of Congress at the event included Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Congressmen Ami Bera (D-CA), Joe Crowley (D-NY), and Ro Khanna (D-CA). SALDEF would like to thank South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) for organizing the event. To ensure Sikh Americans across the country are aware of their rights, SALDEF will be conducting a series of Know Your Rights (KYR) Forums at gurdwaras across the country this month. The first forum will take place in Durham, North Carolina on March 26. 
The purpose of these KYR Forums is to (1) introduce Sikh American community members to agencies and groups that can address complaints, incidents, or issues and (2) create opportunities for local, state and federal agencies the opportunity to build relationships with and address the specific needs of their local Sikh American community. Additionally, last week SALDEF joined the The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and 155 civil and human rights groups to call upon the Executive Branch to respond more quickly and forcefully to hate-based incidents, which have been occurring at an alarming rate in recent months. We encourage community members to report any hate crimes and bias incidents to SALDEF.
The purpose of these KYR Forums is to (1) introduce Sikh American community members to agencies and groups that can address complaints, incidents, or issues and (2) create opportunities for local, state and federal agencies the opportunity to build relationships with and address the specific needs of their local Sikh American community. Additionally, last week SALDEF joined the The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and 155 civil and human rights groups to call upon the Executive Branch to respond more quickly and forcefully to hate-based incidents, which have been occurring at an alarming rate in recent months. We encourage community members to report any hate crimes and bias incidents to SALDEF.