I was in 7th grade when I saw smoke bellowing out of the Twin Towers from my history class, just a few blocks away from the site whose destruction would change so many lives. Even at that age, when I saw aftermath images of terrorists with long beards and turbans being constantly flashed on screen, I knew trouble was about to hit the Sikh community. From then on, we’ve all seen or been part of the stories that brown-skinned communities faced. It’s an incident “which has trickled down to the youth of today” – something that I heard from an 8 year old while having a group discussion at the most recent Sikh Scouts event. Sikh Scouts is a mentoring program that aims to provide guidance to at-risk Sikh youth, ages 9–16, by helping them forge and develop long-lasting relationships with older Sikhs, who serve as role models and mentors. It’s a program that needs no complex planning or budget. All that’s needed is one day, a group of enthusiastic sevadars, and a bit of extra sleep the night before (kids have way too much energy) to get this program going. The day and the outcome are always so worthwhile. We take the kids out, eat some pizza, have a group discussion about current events happening within our community, and their faces light up knowing a group of people are willing to listen and help out with anything they need. At each and every Sikh Scouts event, I see what that 8 year old was talking about as I hear about the effects that have trickled down due to the backlash of misconceived hate and ignorance that derived from 9/11. Almost every kid, girl or boy, has experienced or witnessed some type of bullying. It’s painful to see their faces change to looks of embarrassment, confusion, and defeat when we ask them to share their stories with us. However, I believe that knowing they have a mentor, a new friend who they can trust and talk with is a weight being lifted off their shoulders. These kids are going to be the future leaders of the world, the next generation of Sikh-Americans; each child deserves attention, an open ear, and a little guidance. I had heard a lot of plans over the years from older generations of Sikhs in the community who wanted to improve opportunities and support for Sikh youth. However, many times, such plans or expressed sentiments are not acted upon. But I felt it was time for me to act. I realized that in some way, I could be an asset to the kids in my community – my ideas developed into what is now Sikh Scouts. Now, I call upon you to act as well. Go to your local Gurdwara, Masjid, Mandir, or Church; or just contact some kids that you know would benefit from having a big brother or sister. Get a few of your friends together and take the kids out for a day. Tailor the concept of Sikh Scouts however you wish, as long as your efforts can result in friendships being formed. I will close with an anecdote. One of the mentees I had the pleasure of being paired with during the most recent Sikh Scouts event is a very bright individual. Speaking to him, I asked what his favorite books were. Casually he mentioned a Dr. Seuss book. This puzzled me a bit because the series was below his age range. He explained to me that one of his favorite quotes was from a Dr. Seuss book, “you have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself any direction you choose.” So to whoever is reading, steer yourself any direction you choose, but pick the path that will empower the world, even just one child at a time. – Jagdeep Singh, LDP Class of 2012
