On May 2, 2009, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) and more than 400 members of the Sikh American community of Southern California and from across the country, joined together to honor civic and community leaders for their contributions to the causes of civil rights and community empowerment. The Dalip Singh Saund Legislative Leadership Award was given to Dr. Judy Chu, Vice Chair of the California State Board of Equalization and former member of the California State Assembly, for her demonstrated commitment to creating greater public awareness about the problem of hate crimes against Sikh Americans. Dr. Chu reiterated her commitment to promoting mutual respect and understanding among all Americans. The Dorothy Height Coalition Building Award was accepted in absentia at a ceremony in Washington , DC by Mr. James Standish and Mr. Richard Foltin, of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom and the American Jewish Committee, respectively, in recognition of their leadership in promoting religious freedom in the workplace for all Americans. The SALDEF Youth Leadership Award was presented to Mr. Gurumustuk Singh for pioneering the use of the internet to create global awareness about the Sikh religion and developing Sikhnet into the preeminent website for the Sikh community worldwide. Because November 2009 marks the 25th anniversary of the anti-Sikh pogroms that swept through New Delhi and other parts of India in November 1984, the Bhagat Singh Thind Community Empowerment Award was given to the Nishkam Sikh Welfare Council in recognition of their ongoing efforts to rehabilitate individuals who were widowed and orphaned because of the carnage. SALDEF recognized Mr. Persichini for spearheading proactive community outreach to the Sikh, Arab, and Muslim American communities to address post-9/11 concerns about hate crimes and bias. Mr. Persichini acknowledged the work of SALDEF in the context of law enforcement partnerships and expressed optimism about ongoing efforts to build bridges between law enforcement agencies and post-9/11 communities. Other highlights of the evening included colorful artistic performances by local Sikh youth; an art auction organized by local community leader Mr. Bicky Singh; and a stand-up comedy performance by internationally renowned Sikh comedian Mr. Bali Bhan. SALDEF would like to thank the event sponsors for their generous support, as well as the Southern California Organizing Team, who put in countless hours in ensuring the success of this event. For additional information about the 2009 SALDEF Civil Rights Awards Gala, please contact Kavneet Singh, SALDEF’s Managing Director, at kavneet@saldef.org.
