December Advocate: SALDEF 2014: The Momentum Continues to Grow
MEDIA
A Sikh American Reflects on Gratitude and Giving 
SALDEF’s Communications Manager Sumeet Kaur Bal shared her family’s Sikh American Thanksgiving Celebration with NBC News. “Thanksgiving is one day when my family takes time to reflect upon our blessings…each year we come away rejuvenated. We’re a little stronger, a little tighter, and much more grateful about what we have as individuals and together, as an American family.”
How Cartoonist Vishvajit Singh Addresses Ignorance
Cartoonist Vishvajit Singh (aka Sikhtoons.com creator and Sikh Captain America) was asked to be in a 30 second ad for Facebook. When Singh subsequently encountered hate speech online, he penned an article for Salon on what he wanted to tell those who were hateful towards him for his Sikh articles of faith, exemplifying courage in the face of intolerance, and enlightening others on Sikh values in a high-impact way. We are appreciative of the Sikhs who thanked Singh for his advocacy when we shared the initial news with the community on social media.
READ: What’s Up With the ‘Raghead?’: When I Starred in a Facebook Ad
Sikhs Show Solidarity With Those Looking to Advance Civil Rights – #ICantBreathe
Want to express your solidarity with those seeking to reform the legal system and create a fairer world for all after grand juries failed to indict in both Ferguson, MO and Staten Island, New York? Thinking of what policies you want to support on a local and national level this coming year? Here are some Sikh American perspectives.
SALDEF SikhLEADer Harmann P. Singh, spoke out in the Huffington Post calling for greater education and advocacy with local law enforcement asking, “Where Do We Go From Here?”
Howard Law Faculty Member and SALDEF Board Member Jesse Kaur Bawa discusses how the nation can move forward in her Huffington Post article America Can’t Breathe.
SALDEF SikhLEADer Takes Urban Outfitters to Task 
Urban Outfitters has built an unfortunate reputation for disrespecting Hindus, Jews, and Native Americans’ traditions through the items they’ve sold, including Native American headdresses. Complex Magazine,Gawker, and the Huffington Post reported that this year’s corporate holiday party invite asked employees to dress in kurtas, turbans, saris, langhas, and harem pants. SALDEF SikhLEADer Simran Kaur explains in the Huffington Post, “Our dress comes from a legacy of marginalization, generations of resistance, yet renders us targets of violence….Cultural exchange is possible, but it requires engagement, humility, and respect, none of which are present in Urban Outfitters’ party.
A host of media outlets and SALDEF have reached out Urban Outfitters, asking for an apology or some type of explanation. The corporation has yet to respond. We will keep the community posted on their response.
SALDEF Media Team Generates Sikh American Awareness
Sumeet Kaur Bal discussed the importance of sharing our Sikh American narrative, in the context of California, in The Aerogram’s : Why Sikh Awareness & Appreciation Month Matters
Elsewhere in California, SALDEF secured media coverage of the first-ever Sikh American Rose Parade Float in NBC News and PBS. “For the first time in our Sikh American history,” SALDEF Executive Director Jasjit Singh told reporters, “125 years of Sikh American heritage will be on display at the Rose Parade.” We need financial support to ensure that a high quality float is created and represents our community properly.Donate here. NOTE: The management of this fund is being handled by United Sikh Mission, a 501c3 based in Southern California.
GIVE: IT’S THE SIKH WAY
Become a Member of the Give a Dollar a Day Campaign
To continue raising the profile of Sikh Americans and to further our impact, we are kicking off our A Dollar a Day Campaign! We are asking each Sikh to give just one dollar a day to SALDEF and see what our collective power can do. Before the end of 2014, join the campaign and give $365 dollars for every day of the year, or commit to pledging $30 a month.
POLICY
JOIN Sikh Americans: Petition the White House to Strengthen DOJ Guidance Regarding Race The U.S. Department of Justice announced reforms to its 2003 policies on racial profiling. The DOJ failed to close the loophole: the new guidance continues to allow the Department of Homeland Security to profile based on religion and national origin and single out community members at places like airports and borders. Further, any new restrictions that have been add to the DOJ’s guidance does NOT impact local law enforcement. The message the DOJ has sent is that certain groups of Americans, including Sikhs, Latinos and Muslims, are suspicious. JOIN: Tell the President that this Policy Perpetuates Bias and Discrimination Against Sikhs and Other Communities.
SALDEF Board Member Speaks on Post 9/11 Sikh American Experience
This fall, SALDEF Board Member Kavneet Singh, spoke about Islamophobia and the Sikh American experience post 9/11 on a panel at San Jose State University hosted by South Asian Advocacy Group (SAAG). Singh, who was joined by CAIR-Bay Area Executive Director Zahra Billoo, discussed the bias and xenophobia the Sikh American community faced post 9/11 including bullying, workplace discrimination, and hate violence, shared key findings from SALDEF’s groundbreaking study, Turban Myths, and stressed how the media often fails to highlight incidents of hate violence or dispel misinformation about the Sikh American community. Singh, also emphasized the importance of Sikh, Muslim, and other South Asian communities to stand with their fellow minority communities on all issues relating to civil and human rights. SALDEF thanks SAAG for creating a space for the the Sikh American voice in the discussion.
EDUCATION Will We See You in DC This Summer? 
SALDEF has placed over 25 interns on Capitol Hill, at the White House, and across Washington, D.C. through its SikhLEAD Internship Program. Don’t miss the chance to kick-start your career with these credentials, no matter the trajectory you take.Applications are due Friday, January 26, 2015. Early applications will be given priority. The White House is accepting applications to its prestigious White House Internship: A Public Service Leadership Program but the deadline is fast approaching. Serious candidates must apply by January 11, 2015. (NOTE for potential SikhLEAD interns: Applicants are encouraged to have a resume vetted by a career counselor or career development office; all applications submitted after the midnight deadline EST on January 26, 2015 will NOT be considered.)
SALDEF Florida Regional Director Conducts TSA Training in Orlando
SALDEF Regional Director Navtej S. Khalsa conducted a cultural competency training for over 80 TSA officers at the Orlando International Airport on Wednesday, October 29. The training—which included a presentation of the SALDEF/DOJ video On Common Ground—addressed issues surrounding the Sikh kirpan, turban and potential profiling.
The feedback on the training was positive: Officers remarked that the training was “very educational and useful.” The airport serves over 35 million passengers a year with over 1,000 TSA officers.
The International Institute of Gurmat Studies Seeks Qualified Sikh Candidates for Scholarship Program The International Institute of Gurmat Studies is seeking qualified Sikh high school seniors or current college students for its annual scholarship program. The organization will award three $1000 Scholarships to qualified candidates (previous awardees are eligible). The deadline for applications is January 31, 2015.
SALDEF Invited to Bridging Communities Leadership Program
Bridging Communities is a cross-cultural leadership training program initiated by Japanese Americans in the aftermath of 9/11. This year, the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL-PSW) and the Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR)—who funded and facilitated the event— joined SALDEF and the UCLA’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) to host a cross-community leadership institute on Sunday, November 23rd for 20 UCLA students.