6 Days Left, Make Your Dollars Count!

As 2013 comes to an end, SALDEF has diligently worked to deliver on its promise of defending and empowering you, the Sikh American community. We are effectively… Shifting Public Perception

Launched the community’s first Sikh Media Initiative so that we as the Sikh American community can begin to tell our own story. This nationwide initiative will harness the power of digital and traditional mainstream channels to educate the U.S. media and public about Sikh Americans and the Sikh faith. Additionally, over Columbus Day weekend, SALDEF’s inaugural Speakers Bureaureceived media training at NBC News headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Creating Future Leaders

In 2011, SALDEF launched a unique initiative called SikhLEAD to inspire, train and support young Sikh Americans as they prepare for a lifetime of community engagement and leadership.  Just two years late, we placed nine students on Capitol Hill and in the DC offices this summer, creating the largest Sikh voice in our nation’s capital in Sikh American history. Additionally we graduated our second Leadership Development Program (LDP) class in May, and welcomed our third LDP class this October, bringing the total to 52 emerging leaders and placing 16 young Sikh Americans in positions on Capitol Hill and in the Federal Agencies. With your support, we can continue to develop leadership skills, encourage political and civic engagement, and provide unparalleled experiences for our youth.

Raising the Community’s Voice

We used our SikhVote initiative to ensure Sikh Americans cast their vote in the 2012 and 2013 elections, after receiving information in English and Punjabi. SikhVote saw an increase in Sikh American voting through first of its kind English/Punjabi phone banking, registration drives across the county through online and in-person efforts, and publishing of a voter toolkit. Additionally, after many years of advocacy, working with FBI Director Mueller, congressional leaders, and national collaborations, the FBI will now begin the separate tracking and reporting of hate crimes committed against Sikhs. This is a huge victory for the community in ensuring that we can accurately tell how are community is affected by bias motivated violence.

Responding to Sangats in Their Times of Need Regrettably our sangat still faces incidents of hate and attack for the simple reason that they choose to follow their faith.  SALDEF has been at the forefront to responded to communities across the country in their time of need, be it:

• Gurdwara vandalized with hateful graffiti on its property in Riverside, CA
• Working with Dr. Prabhjot Singh following the senseless attack he went through to respond to media requests, conduct the press conference and serve as a resource to him and his family
• Working with Kanwaljit Singh and his family, after he was shot while driving in Florida, to assist local police, hold a community forum to discuss concerns, and work with the community to raise over $20,000 for a support fund for the family.
• Ensuring hate crime charges were brought against a man who ripped out part of a Sikh cab driver’s beard in Washington.
• Working with community and law enforcement officers in the aftermath of the vicious attack on 81-year old Piara Singh in Fresno, CA

Bringing Your Concerns to Key Decision Makers

This year, SALDEF worked with members of the community and United States Congress to inaugurate the American Sikh Congressional Caucus, with the purpose of educating Members of Congress and the general public about Sikh American issues and to also allow Members to strategize on how to best support the Sikh American community. Additionally, we have met with over a dozen congressmen, senators and Administration officials over the past year to raise community issues related to voter rights, racial profiling, school bullying and workplace religious freedom. Your support gives us the opportunity to participate in high-level government advocacy such as this.