- Investigation Ongoing in Michigan Gurdwara Vandalism
- New Information Released in the 2011 Murder of Elk Grove, CA Sikhs
- Attention All College Students and Recent Graduates!
- Advocating Against Racial Profiling
- Improving Hate Crime Data Collection
- SALDEF Presents to the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office
- SALDEF Conducts Training for United States Park Police
- Upcoming Events
Investigation Ongoing in Michigan Gurdwara Vandalism
Earlier this week a Gurdwara under construction in Sterling Heights, Michigan, was vandalized. The vandalism included spray painting of vulgar language, racial epithets, what appears to be a cross, and a large drawing of a gun. Read full story here. The FBI and Sterling Heights Police Department continue to investigate the crime. A press conference will be held at the Gurdwara site, 33340 Dequindre road, Sterling Heights, 48310, at 3pm EST, and all community members are encouraged to attend. Click here for press conference details.
New Information Released in the 2011 Murder of Elk Grove, CA Sikhs
The Sacramento Bee reports that Elk Grove police have updated the description of the suspect vehicle in a double-homicide of two elderly Sikh men who were shot last year when they were out for their routine afternoon walk. Gurmej Atwal, 78, and Surinder Singh, 65, were shot on March 4 as they walked on East Stockton Boulevard near Geneva Pointe Drive. Surinder Singh died at the scene and Gurmej Atwal died six weeks later in a hospital.
Police officials said the suspect drove a lifted full-size pick-up truck, tan or gold in color, with a standard-size cab. They do not have details on the make or model year of the truck. SALDEF encourages the public to continue calling the department with tips or leads. “No tip is too small,” said Elk Grove Mayor Jim Cooper. “Make no mistake, this was a cowardly act.”
Attention All College Students and Recent Graduates!
SALDEF’s SikhLEAD Internship Program partners with congressional offices to place exceptional Sikh American college students and recent graduates in internship positions on Capitol Hill. Through this program, Sikh American young leaders will have access to a competitive opportunity that will serve to further their academic and professional aspirations. To encourage application to the program, SALDEF has announced a $1,500 stipend for successful completion of the program.
Make this a summer you won’t forget and gain valuable experience to build your future!? Application deadline for summer 2012 is February 26th at 11:59PM EST. ?Early applications will be given preference. !
Advocating Against Racial Profiling
SALDEF continued its efforts of supporting the End Racial Profiling Act of 2011 (ERPA) by visiting the offices of Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR). Joined by partners from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Brennan Center, SALDEF urged the senators to support this important piece of legislation which aims to eliminate racial and religious profiling that has singled out various minority communities, including Sikh Americans. Contact your Congressmen and ask them for their support! Contact your Senators here and your Representatives here.
Improving Hate Crime Data Collection
On January 17, 2012, SALDEF gathered with other civil rights organizations for a Hate Crime Coalition meeting. The group discussed its strategies to improve hate crime data collection. Under the Hate Crime Statistics Act of 1990 (HCSA), the FBI is required to release an annual report and the 2010 HCSA report was released last November. An analysis performed by the Anti-Defamation League”s (ADL) however, showed that 80 cities with populations over 100,000 either neglected to participate in the 2010 HCSA report or reported to the FBI that they had zero (0) hate crimes. SALDEF will be reaching out to state and government officials such as governors, mayors, and police chiefs in these cities to ask and offer assistance in an effort implement better reporting at the state and local level.
SALDEF Conducts Sikh Awareness Presentation for Yolo County District Attorney’s Office
On January 5, SALDEF Board Member Kavneet Singh, presented to over 25 members of the staff of the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office about cultural awareness of the Sikh community. The DA’s Office forged a close relationship with Sikh community leaders during the successful prosecution of the hate crime assault and battery case in which Harbhajan Singh was beaten while being called racial epithets. Under the auspicies of SALDEF’s Law Enforcement Partnership Program, District Attorney Jeff Reisig asked Singh to speak with his deputies about the Sikh culture to increase insight and raise sensitivity among his staff. Mr. Singh covered the importance of the Sikh articles of faith, the types of crimes that Sikh Americans are vulnerable to, and tactics to increase engagement with the local Sikh American community.
SALDEF Conducts Sikh Awareness Presentation for US Park Police
On January 23, 2012, SALDEF conducted a training for the United States Park Police of the National Park Service in Washington DC. The U.S. Park Police provides law enforcement services to designated areas within our national parks and is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the country. More than 50 members of the service were in attendance and received the training. SALDEF has been invited to do a similar training for the Park Police later this month.
Upcoming Events
– Feb. 17 – Sikh Awareness Presentation for School and Staff, Chicago, IL
– Feb. 21 – United States Park Police Training, Washington DC
– Feb. 26 – Deadline for Congressional Internship Program Applications
– March 18 – Know Your Rights Forum, Riverside, CA
– March 23 and 24 – Presentation at Days of Diversity, Castro Valley, CA
– April 1 – Know Your Rights Forum, Seattle, WA