We are excited to announce the successful completion of the 2017 SikhLEAD Leadership Development Program (LDP) in Washington, DC last weekend! This year’s Leadership Program included 16 talented Sikh American women and men from across the United States with various education, professional and socioeconomic backgrounds. With the conclusion of this sixth class, 106 young Sikh women and men have graduated from the SikhLEAD Leadership Program to date.
The SikhLEAD Leadership Program is a seven-month long transformational program that empowers Sikh American youth to become effective leaders committed to exploring and realizing both their personal potential and that of the Sikh American community. Participants gain skills in areas such as leadership development, effective communication, community organizing, public speaking and teamwork. The curriculum requires participants to design and successfully implement a community project, by forming their own teams, in order to graduate from the Leadership Program.
The program begins with a weekend residency in Los Angeles in February and concludes with a residency in Washington, DC in October. After attending the first residency, participants continued to work closely within their teams and under the guidance of SikhLEAD Program Manager, Amrita Kaur Bamrah, to implement a community service project in their local communities.
SEE: Slideshow of Class of 2017 – LDP6 in Los Angeles
Participants share the profound impact the Leadership Development Program has had on them. “My experience with LDP was extremely valuable, inspirational, and impactful,” said participant Hakikat Bains from Washington who worked on a project called Project Chaanan. “I was able to not only connect with other young leaders within the Sikh American community, but also to learn more about my own identity and how it impacts my experiences.”
SEE: Slideshow of Class of 2017- LDP6 in Washington, DC
The Leadership Program included various workshops held by esteemed speakers including:
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Vishavjit Singh who presented “Social Justice Through Art” and “Professional Aspiration Scenarios: Defining Success and Creating Change”
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Navdeep Singh and Nisha Ramachandran who presented “Building Power”
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Tyler Lewis who presented “Telling Our Story: A Media Workshop”
During the weekend, the participants had the opportunity to have lunch with successful DC entrepreneur Sonny Kakar of SevaTec. Sonny shared his personal values, principles, and what being a Sikh American means to him. Mark Keam, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, shared his professional journey that lead him to run for public office.
“I was incredibly impressed by each participant’s dedication to the program and drive to complete successful community leadership projects. In a span of just a few months, they each impacted their local communities in a positive light,” said Amrita. “I’m confident they will continue to build power together and be strong voices for the Sikh American community.”
READ: Emerging Leaders Build Community Across America
Stay tuned for information on applications and deadlines for the next round of our SikhLEAD Leadership Development Program!
This program was funded through generous support of community members across the country and sponsors like Comcast and Ik Manzil.
Play a part in the success of our younger generation by making a 100% tax-deductible donation at www.saldef.org/donate on your mobile device now. It takes only 45 seconds and it is secure!
We appreciate your support as we continue to make a difference in the Sikh American community and give our youth the tools they need to succeed as leaders and activists for our community.