Events in Indianapolis and Miami garner support from hundreds of community members December 10, 2008, Washington, DC – In November, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the oldest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, organized Know Your Rights workshops for Sikh American communities in Indianapolis, Indiana and Miami, Florida. Miami KYR These groundbreaking educational forums featured presentations by representatives from several government agencies and nonprofit organizations, including the Equal Employment Employment Opportunity Commission; Department of Justice; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Immigrant Welcome Center of Indianapolis; Broward County Public Schools; and Miami-Dade County Equal Opportunity Board. Since 2005, SALDEF has organized Know Your Rights workshops for Sikh American communities in California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Texas. These educational forums not only allow Sikh Americans to learn about their rights and interact with government officials but also enable government agencies to learn about the Sikh religion and ongoing challenges faced by Sikh Americans, including hate crimes, employment discrimination, and school bullying. Indiana KYR Please ask your local Gurdwara to host a SALDEF Know Your Rights workshop, and please support the work of SALDEF. Your donation of 10 or 20 dollars a month will help SALDEF empower the Sikh community in 2009 and beyond. If you would like to organize a SALDEF Know Your Rights workshop for your community, or if you or children have experienced violence, discrimination, or bullying, please contact SALDEF immediately by email at info@saldef.org or via phone at 202-393-2700.
