As I packed my belongings for the summer and said goodbye to my family, I felt feelings of insecurity and hesitancy to live in an unfamiliar city for so long. But as I left home to fly to Washington D.C. feeling anxious and unsure, I would have never imagined that in the weeks following I would watch the President depart in the Marine One helicopter, stand on the South Lawn of the White House listening to the President speak, or make friends that are going to last me a lifetime. During my first week in Washington D.C. I had the chance to staff the first ever White House Briefing on Sikh Civil Rights Issues. Here I proudly sang a Jakara alongside my Sikh brothers and sisters and heard our voices echo through the halls of the White House for perhaps the first time in history. During the briefing we heard from representatives from several executive agencies speak about issues concerning Sikhs in America. For those of us in the audience it was truly a moving moment.
In the White House for a briefing on Civil Rights and Sikhs.
It was a moment symbolic of the reality that regardless of the hate crimes, discrimination, and racial profiling that American Sikhs face today, we have a voice in our country and can proudly walk alongside other citizens knowing that we too are Americans. Since then I have had numerous opportunities to be in the presence of individuals who are leaders of their communities and of this country. I’ve learned from leaders from many diverse communities such as the Hmongs, the Native Hawaiians, and the Koreans. I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Congressional Picnic on the South Lawn of the White House. Here I prepared food beside the Executive Chef for President Obama and ate delicious barbeque with members of Congress. Best of all, I had the opportunity to not only watch President Obama and the First Lady welcome the guests, but also personally shake their hands.
On the South Lawn of the White House volunteering at the Congressional Picnic!
The SikhLEAD program has given me clarity and opened many doors for the future. But as much as I have claimed from my internship experiences, I have gained from the friendships that I built here in D.C.. My friends at SALDEF, fellow interns, and coworkers, have made this experience one of the best of my life. I’ve been inspired and learned so much from each and every one of them. These are friendships that I expect to keep for a lifetime. My time in Washington D.C. has exceeded any expectations that I ever had. Each day has been filled with memories and experiences that have helped me grow professionally and personally. The gratitude that I have for SALDEF is beyond words. -Amrita Bamrah
