SALDEF Advocate April 2015: Demonstrating SALDEF’s Reach

SALDEF Advocate April 2015: Demonstrating SALDEF’s Reach—From Amtrak to Starbucks to the FBI

Members of U.S. Congress Join SALDEF and Allies in Making Update to FBI Training Manual On March 25, the FBI, members of Congress, and community leaders, including SALDEF, released an updated version of Hate Crime Data Collection Guidelines and Training Manual. It lays the foundation to track hate crimes against Sikhs, Hindus and Arabs. Learn more about the changes to the manual here. Read comments made by Congressman Bera (D-CA), Congressman Crowley (D-NY), Congressman Garamendi (D-CA), Congressman Honda (D-CA), and Congresswoman Meng (D-NY), during the press conference here. Congressman Pascrell (D-NJ) also attended and spoke, alongside representatives of the Sikh Coalition, SAALT (South Asian Americans Leading Together), and the Hindu American Foundation. SALDEF Executive Director Jasjit Singh’s remarks from the press conference appeared in a variety of America’s top news outlets, including:

    What Are the Challenges Ahead [FBI Hate Crime Announcement] On April 2, SALDEF’s Executive Director Jasjit Singh and Communications Director Sona Simran Kaur participated in a live Twitterchat facilitated by Colorlines, which has a Twitter audience of more than 77,000 people. Both Singh and Kaur, alongside panelists from the Sikh Coalition, discussed the next types of reforms needed to a create a more fostering environment for Sikhs. Read the robust discussion today. SALDEF on Starbucks and How to Create Change SALDEF Board Member Jesse Kaur Bawa speaks out about race-based inequities and why the initially proposed Starbucks’ RaceForward program, which has since changed, fell short. READ: Starbucks’ #Racetogether Campaign is Not the Answer SALDEF Conducts Training for Amtrak On March 25, SALDEF Executive Director, Jasjit Singh, conducted a cultural sensitivity training for the Amtrak Police in Washington, DC. Jasjit spoke to the 25 attending officers about Sikh beliefs, articles of faith, and how to engage with the Sikh American community more effectively. Training materials featured SALDEF’s On Common Ground video, which will now be included in the Amtrak Police online training portal and will be part of Amtrak’s mandatory training curriculum. SALDEF Highlights Sikh American Women’s Leadership During Women’s History Month SALDEF kicked off Women’s History Month by honoring strong Sikh female voices in the media on International Women’s Day. Get to Know These Sikh Female Voices highlights women who bring a strong Sikh American perspective to the most important topics of the day. And more media stars are being born through SALDEF’s Media Initiative! This month SikhLEADer Simran Kaur joined Navjot Kaur of CU Sewa to speak out against a company who wrongly uses cultural appropriation and false marketing to generate profits in The Problem With ‘Punjammies.’ SALDEF Speaker’s Bureau Member Uses Seva to Break Down Barriers SALDEF Speaker’s Bureau Member and co-founder of ONE project, Amman Singh Seehra spoke at the Mayor’s annual “State of the Township” dinner on April 1, in Hamilton, New Jersey, as part of the One Project’s effort to help a local middle schooler suffering from spina bifida. Learn more about how SALDEF’s Speaker’s Bureau training inspired Seehra, and how he brings people together as One. SALDEF Speakers Bureau Member Trains Future Leaders On Rapid Response SALDEF’s Speaker’s Bureau Member and Adjunct Professor Deanna Singh introduced Trinity Fellows at Marquette University (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) to the Sikh American experience in her spring class, Social Justice & Social Movements, using SALDEF’s Rapid Response Plan. The plan explains how to respond to any type of media scenario and was created with the advisement of the Red Cross. Students also learned about SALDEF’s media relations process and about the Sikh American community. SikhLEADer Uses Media To Raise Awareness About Low Income Realities at Ivy League Schools SikhLEADer Mandeep Singh, a senior at Columbia University, is combining the leadership and media and communications skills he learned at SALDEF with his university platform and strongly-held beliefs to raise awareness about the isolation that first generation lower-income students face at Columbia University in New York City. Columbia’s First Generation Low-Income Partnership (FLIP)—where Singh is co-President— was recently covered in Bloomberg News for its Columbia University Class Confessions project. SALDEF Board Member Honored at ADL Seder On March 29, The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of New England honored SALDEF Board Member Navjeet Singh as a co-chair in its annual “Nation of Immigrants” Community Seder in Boston. While honoring the traditional Jewish holiday, Passover— a celebration of Jewish freedom from slavery in Egypt—the event also asked for faith leaders, including Navjeet Singh, to share their own unique journeys. Truman Foundation Selects Two SALDEF SikhLEADers as Finalists for Scholarship Two SALDEF SikhLEADers, Gurchit Singh Chatha and Harmann P. Singh have been selected as finalists for the highly competitive Truman Scholarship. Chatha, a senior at the University of California spent last summer working for Representative Mike Honda, (D-CA) while Singh, a junior at Columbia University, worked in the White House, as part of SALDEF’s Washington Internship Program. Both were instrumental in organizing the first-ever Langar on Capitol Hill with their SALDEF SikhLEAD class. Finalists will be announced April 15.

The FBI Wants Sikh American Youth!The FBI’s Washington Field Office is looking for high school students ages 16-18 for its Future Agents in Training (FAIT) program hosted in its DC office August 3-7. FAIT educates prospective students about the FBI’s divisions and mission. The application deadline is May 1, 2015. Apply Now! ASP Scholarship For College Bound Sikhs The Association of Sikh Professionals is offering a scholarship to college bound students, ranging from $400 to $4000 per year. Awards will be distributed in the form of scholarships, grants through endowments, and interest-free loans (repayment expected after graduation). Financial need is taken into consideration, as well as academic ability and involvement in Sikh activities. All applicants must be attending, or admitted to an accredited course of study. All applications must be received through the application portal. The deadline for new applicants is June 1, 2015 and June 28, 2015 for re-applicants. Results will be announced in September.