We Must Stand Firm and United Against Hateful Policies and Rhetoric

Today, the United States Supreme Court upheld the Trump Administration’s Muslim Travel Ban, in a 5-to-4 decision. This decision further advances the attack the Trump administration has on immigrant and minority communities. The hateful rhetoric and blanket statements that the administration has used when talking about specific groups of people will further create unnecessary bias against these communities.

SALDEF understands the implications of hateful rhetoric and the creation of policies meant to separate and stigmatize populations. It is important to push back on policies such as the Muslim Ban and the Zero Tolerance policy to ensure we live up to the ideals laid out in the US Constitution.

This country was built on diversity and we have always been an amalgamation of immigrants from across the world.  We must continue to uphold high standards of diversity and inclusivity to ensure a brighter future for our children.

We call upon Congress to act and pass legislation to rescind the Muslim Ban and rebuke any attempts to target Muslims, or anyone on the basis of national origin, faith or background.

SALDEF’s 8th annual SikhLEAD Internship Program is proud to introduce our 20 new interns! This year we’ve placed ten college students across Capitol Hill, in Federal Agencies and non-profit organizations through our Washington DC National Internship Program.  We are also excited to announce a huge expansion our SikhLEAD New Jersey Internship Program. This year we are placing 10 New Jersey high school and university students in New Jersey, at state government and non-profit positions.

These internships provide students with skills that are essential for becoming community leaders that can foster social change. From Senators, to Representatives, to Assemblymen—the offices that the SikhLEAD interns will be working in will give Sikh American youth the opportunity to learn and gain hands-on experience, while the offices themselves get to engage, interact, and learn about the Sikh religion and culture.

Welcome the 2018 Washington D.C. SikhLEAD Interns

Raj Karan Ghambir – Congressman Ami Bera
Navpreet Kaur Brar – Faith in Public Life
Manmohan Kaur Dhawan – Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote
Hakikat Bains – Congressman Adam Smith
Mailika Machra – Congressman Hank Johnson
Simrinjit Seehra – Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership
Anmohl Purewal – Senator Dianne Feinstein
Vinamarata Kaur – Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Mehr Suri – Senator Cory Booker
Kiran Ahluwalia – Senator Dianne Feinstein

Welcome the 2018 New Jersey SikhLEAD Interns                        Not Pictured are Gurdeep Mangat and Apaar Singh Anand.

Amritpreet Kaur Dhesi – Assmeb. Craig J. Coughlin
Suhail Singh Gurm – Senator James W. Holzapfel
Ameek Kaur Bhindra – SALDEF New Jersey
Gurmehar Kaur – One Project
Harleen Kaur – Sikh American Veteran Alliance
Simran Bhathal – Assemb. Daniel R. Benson
Kimran Sandu – Assemb. Daniel R. Benson
Kabir Suri – NJ Department of Health
Gurdeep Mangat – Governor Phil Murphy
Apaar Singh Anand – Senator Cory Booker NJ Office

SikhLEAD Summer Internship is a great program that provides a safe area to share ideas, work in collaboration with teammates and other interns, and become a next generation leader. Congratulations to our twenty selected interns, we hope you have an inspiring and fulfilling experience. Welcome to SikhLEAD!

This program was funded through generous support of sangat and community members across the country and our sponsors Comcast and Ik Manzil.

Please support these youth and play a part in the success of our younger generation by making a 100% tax-deductible donation at www.saldef.org/donate on your computer or mobile device now. It takes only 45 seconds and it is secure!

The Sikh American PSA created by SALDEF in 2014 has been airing for the past 2 weeks on Comcast networks across the nation. This is the 5th consecutive year that SALDEF in collaboration with Comcast has aired the PSA.

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CLICK HERE TO WATCH!

This year we have received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback by both Sikhs and non-Sikhs! Read what some of our Twitter followers had to say!

Get involved by amplifying this Sikh American message by sharing it with your family, friends, and neighbors! Here is how you can share:

  1. Post it on Facebook and Twitter and tag @SALDEF
  2. Post a screenshot on Instagram and tag @SikhAmericans

These efforts would not be possible without support from our community.

Please make a 100% tax-deductible donation to support SALDEF so we can continue to educate our nation about our values and make a real and meaningful impact on the perception of Sikhs in America.

An investment in us is an investment in our efforts to create meaningful partnerships with organizations that contribute to our community without cost.

**Please Share this Announcement on Email, Social Media, and Please Post at your Local Gurdwara**

The first ever Sikh American public service announcement will be airing again throughout the month of June. The message conveying Sikh values, and Sikh American lives will be played throughout the month on national airwaves. 

As apart of a collaboration between SALDEF and Comcast, the PSA first debuted on cable air in 2013. The message features Sikh American Actor and Designer, Waris Singh Ahluwalia, while also incorporating pictures and videos from other Sikh Americans around the country.

Thanks to the efforts by Comcast to educate their audiences on a variety of issues, the PSA will receive approximately a million dollars worth of airtime this summer. This will be the fifth year that the PSA is airing, so don’t forget to be on the lookout!

Get involved by amplifying this Sikh American message by sharing it with your family, friends, and neighbors! Here is how you can share:

The SALDEF team is incredibly thankful to Comcast for their ongoing support to create awareness about diverse communities by continuing to broadcast the Sikh American PSA. Comcast, a global media and technology company, aired this PSA as part of the company’s commitment to educate audiences on a variety of issues. Of note, this PSA was produced, developed, and aired with absolutely zero money from the Sikh American community.

Highlights of past coverage include: MSNBC Coverage, BBC: Video coverage, Identities Mic, PBS: TV news segment, Fast Company, Center for Asian American Media, The Huffington Post, The Aerogram

This past Memorial Day Weekend several Sikh organizations including Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sikh Seva Foundation, Ghadar Memorial Foundation, SAVA, and SikhLens, along with the local Sikh community organized a program in celebration of Dr. Bhagat Singh Thind’s service and activism.

The event took place prior to the Portland Oregon Memorial Day Parade. LTC Kamal Singh Kalsi and Johanna Ogden spoke about history and service. The program included elements of film, music, dance, and discussion.

After the event attendees went to the Portland Oregon Memorial Day Parade were the Sikh community created a float in honor of Sikhs in Service.

SALDEF would like to thank and congratulate our Regional Director Sathanuman Singh for organizing this important event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you know that 96 people are killed each day by guns? This past weekend was Wear Orange weekend which brings to light the growing issue of gun violence. Why orange? Orange is the color hunters wear to make sure that they don’t get shot in the woods.

SALDEF in conjunction with Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action hosted events across the DC Metro area this past weekend to highlight the increase in Gun Violence, honor the victims and their families, and to bring awareness to our community.

On Saturday morning SALDEF Executive Director Baldev Singh gave an Ardas in Baltimore MD, this event was attended by many survivors of gun violence. The morning rain did not keep the attendees away and instead added to the overwhelming emotion felt by everyone. Saturday evening Mr. Singh gave another Ardas in Alexandria VA. This event was attended by many people from the region.

Sunday afternoon SALDEF hosted a Wear Orange at the Raj Khalsa Gurdwara, the event included speakers from Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action and Vishavjit Singh it was followed by an activity for kids and snacks.

To learn more about gun violence visit: https://everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-by-the-numbers/

#wearorange #SALDEF #orange #gunviolence