Sacramento Sikh Cab Driver Severely Beaten

November 29, 2010: Earlier today, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) called on local authorities and the FBI to initiate a hate crime investigation into a vicious attack on a Sikh American cab driver in Sacramento, who was allegedly called Osama bin Laden as he was attacked.Early yesterday morning, 56-year-old Harbhajan Singh, a cab driver in Sacramento, CA, was brutally assaulted after picking up passengers at a local restaurant. Singh believes, if he had not gotten away, the two men who attacked him would have killed him. SEE: Robbery or Hate Crime? Sacramento Cabbie Severely Beaten (FOX – Sacramento) Mr. Singh picked up the passengers, two men and two women, in Midtown Sacramento. Upon informing Mr. Singh that they wanted to change their destination, the male passengers began to attack Singh and demanded his money. Even after giving them his money, they continued to attack him, leading Singh to believe the attack was motivated by his dastaar (Sikh turban). One of the attackers shouted expletives and called him Osama bin Laden.One of the female passengers put herself in between the attackers and Singh to protect him, which allowed Singh to get away.  Singh banged on the doors of an apartment complex until he found someone to call 9-1-1. Singh received several stitches on his head and other parts of his body and sustained bruising along his rib cage and bone chips in his nose. The attackers and the female passengers disappeared. “Attacks on innocent individuals are always inexcusable, but the use of racial, ethnic and religious slurs are especially heinous and have no place in our society,” said SALDEF Associate Executive Director Jasjit Singh. “We call upon the West Sacramento Police Department and the FBI to ensure a thorough investigation is conducted and that hate crimes charges are brought against any culprits that are found.” SALDEF urges all Sikh Americans to immediately report any incidents of harassment, bullying or assault to SALDEF and your local authorities. If you or someone you know has been a victim of any racially motivated crime, please contact SALDEF directly toll free at 1.877.91SIKHS or via our Report an Incident Form

  • SALDEF Encourages All Sikh Americans to VOTE
  • ADL Concert to Honor Balbir Singh Sodhi
  • Know Your Rights Forum in LA
  • Government Launches Anti-Bullying Website
  • SALDEF Participates in Southern California Youth Mentorship Program
  • One Year Anniversary of Hate Crime Prevention Act
  • SALDEF Signs on to Several Amicus Briefs to Support Civil and Religious Liberties
  • US Immigration Services Redesigns Naturalization Certificates
  • Upcoming Events

SALDEF Encourages All Sikh Americans to VOTE The November 2nd General Elections are today, with many intiatives and candidates that need your voice and input. The elections process is a celebrated institution at the root of our democracy. SALDEF urges all Sikh American citizens to take this opportunity to ensure that every Sikh American fulfills this vital civic duty and VOTE! Visit www.866OurVote.org to find your voting place, understand the type of identification you might be asked to provide, and report voting problems. The Election Protection Hotline, 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-888-687-8683). To find out more information about voting visit: http://www.apiavote.org/ ADL Concert to Honor Balbir Singh Sodhi The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), one of the nation’s premier civil rights organizations and a key SALDEF partner, is hosting their annual ADL In Concert Against Hate at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. on November 15, 2010 at 8:30pm. This year, the ADL will honor Balbir Singh Sodhi, the first hate-crime murder in the wave of post-9/11 backlash, Mr. Sodhi was tragically murdered outside of his gas station in Mesa, Arizona by a man who wanted to kill a Muslim in retaliation for September 11. He selected Mr. Sodhi simply because he had a beard and wore a turban. The concert will be performed by the National Symphony with awards narrated by members from the cast of Glee. We encourage Sikhs to attend this event and participate in honoring the memory of Mr. Sodhi. If you would like to attend, please send us an email with the guests in your party by Wednesday, November 3rd. Know Your Rights Forum in Southern California As a part of SALDEF’s ongoing effort to empower the community to understand their civil rights and strengthen partnerships with key government agencies, SALDEF will be  holding a Know Your Rights (KYR) forum for the Sikh American community of Los Angeles on Sunday, November 14, from 2 – 4 pm. Representatives from the FBI, DOJ and EEOC will be in attendance, as well as recruiters from these agencies to talk about job opportunities. For additional information about this event, or if you would like to organize a similar event in your community, please contact us. Government Launches Anti-Bullying Website The Department of Education has issued guidance to support educators in combating bullying in schools by clarifying when student bullying may violate federal education anti-discrimination laws. We encourage you to access the following new website by the Department of Education – Bullying Info – which is a “one stop shop” for all federal resources on bullying. The site will be updated from time to time with new and additional resources for educators, students, parents and community members who are working to end bullying. SALDEF Participates in Southern California Youth Mentorship Program SALDEF recently participated in a prominent community outreach program called Stopping Hate And Delinquency by Empowering Students (SHADES) in Los Angeles, CA.  The program provides youth juror training for a specialized Teen Court that focuses on crimes rooted in prejudice and bias on inner-city campuses in Los Angeles.  The goal of the program is to train the youth participants to serve as informed and effective jurors in these school-based cases.  Bhupinder Kaur, SALDEF Western Regional Director, conducted a workshop on hate crimes and bias-motivated incidents, explaining the affect that hate motivated actions have had upon the Sikh American community.  The students engaged in a discussion about hate motivated violence and crimes.  Such outreach efforts educate the community not only about the challenges that Sikh Americans face, but more importantly about the values of our faith. Marking the One Year Anniversary of the Hate Crime Prevention Act On October 28, 2009, The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed into law by President Obama. Named after two victims of bias-motivated crimes, the law expanded the existing federal hate crime law giving the Department of Justice the power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence based on the person’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. SALDEF was a member of the coalition that worked to garner support for this important piece of legislation. If you feel you are the victim of a bias-motivated incident, please contact SALDEF. SALDEF Signs on to Several Amicus Briefs to Support Civil and Religious Liberties SALDEF joined in submitting an amicus brief to the Ninth Circuit in Ibrahim v. Department of Homeland Security, which challenges the government’s policies,  procedures, and implementation of the No-Fly List, which has increasingly been used as a tool of manipulation and control. A positive outcome in this case will help curb this abusive practice. In another case, alongside the ACLU and other parties, SALDEF submitted an amicus brief to the Seventh Circuit in Does v. Elmbrook School District, a case challenging public-school graduations held in a church near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The brief argues that the policy of holding graduations in a church sanctuary is unconstitutional because it is coercive, sends a message of religious endorsement, and creates religious divisiveness. By serving as a amicus curiae, or “friend of the court,” SALDEF hopes to influence the outcome of these important cases. U.S. Immigration Services Redesigns Naturalization Certificate U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the launch of a redesigned Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550) with new security features. The new certificate features the naturalization candidate’s digitized photo and signature embedded into the document. The background also features a color-shifting ink pattern that is difficult to reproduce. All previously issued Certificates of Naturalization will remain valid. Upcoming Events

The Know Your Rights program creates an open forum encouraging all Sikh Americans to understand their rights.

As a part of SALDEF’s ongoing effort to empower the community and strengthen partnerships with government, we are pleased to announce a Know Your Rights (KYR) Forum for the Sikh American community of Los Angeles County in cooperation with the Khalsa Care Foundation on Sunday, November 14th.

The following government agencies and representatives will provide community members with important information about employment discrimination, hate crimes, and government resources. Additionally, this will be an opportunity to network with government recruiters and discuss employment opportunities.

Since 2002, SALDEF has organized numerous educational workshops for Sikh American communities in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. SALDEF would like to thank the management of the Khalsa Care Foundation Gurdwara and the leaders of the local Sikh American community, as well as the participating government agencies for their support. For additional information about this event or if you would like to organize a Know Your Rights Forum for your community, please contact Birpal Kaur by email at info@saldef.org or via phone at 213.985.1116. Please distribute this widely to family, friends and at the local Gurdwara.

•    Sikhs Attend White House Reception for AAPI Month •    Panel Discussion on Post 9/11 Era at U.S. Social Forum •    Arizona’s Immigration Law: SALDEF gives an opinion to the Court •    Meeting Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez •    Presentation at the Chaplaincy Institute •    SALDEF Invited to Participate on Diversity Panel at California High School •    Follow us on Twitter Sikhs Attend White House Reception for AAPI Month Earlier this summer, SALDEF was invited to attend a White House reception celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) heritage month.  In his remarks, President Obama highlighted the Whitehouse’s engagement with Sikh Americans by saying, “[W]e’re always welcoming your input – from meetings with Sikh Americans to Native Hawaiians. The goal is to make sure that our government is successfully working to address disparities in health care, in education, and economic opportunity that exists within various AAPI communities.” The reception, held in the East Room, was also attended by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), and Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA).  We were pleased to be joined by members of the Sikh Coalition and UNITED SIKHS. Panel Discussion on Post 9/11 Era at U.S. Social Forum During this year’s US Social Forum Conference, SALDEF Community Relations Associate Birpal Kaur was a panelist on a session entitled “The 9/11 Movement: Intersections and Movement Building Strategies”. The Forum brought together more than 10,000 activists from across the country who are interested in social justice. Panel attendees learned about challenges affecting the South Asian communities in the post 9/11 era. Topics of discussion included hate crimes, racial profiling and the mental and social abuses that have increased dramatically since the attacks. To read more about the experience on, please click here to visit our blog. SALDEF Signs on to Amicus Brief to Inform Department of Justice about SB1070 Earlier this month, SALDEF joined a national coalition of civil rights groups to voice concern over Arizona’s controversial SB 1070 law by signing on to an amicus brief.  The document, which provides useful information for the judge evaluating a case, highlighted the consequences of the law on minority and immigrant communities.  Taking our brief into consideration, Judge Susan Bolton prevented the most concerning aspects of the Law from being implemented on July 28th. To read more about SB1070 click here. To read more about the Judge’s ruling, click here. Meeting Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez On July 12, 2010 members of the SALDEF team attended a reception hosted by the America Constitution Law Society. Among the presenters in attendence was Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez. Mr. Perez delivered an inspiring speech on the need to push the frontiers of civil rights in America and later, acknowledged SALDEF’s strong relationship with the Department of Justice. SALDEF Conducts Presentation for Students of the Chaplaincy Institute in California On June 27, 2010, SALDEF Managing Director Kavneet Singh delivered a presentation to over a dozen ministers and chaplains from the Chaplaincy Institute on the Sikh religion at the El Sobrante Gurdwara in California’s Bay Area. The presentation covered the core Sikh beliefs and traditions, discussed the manners in which Sikhs pray and conduct services, and also addressed the history of Sikhs in the United States, including post-9/11 challenges facing the Sikh American community. Prior to the presentation, attendees watched the SALDEF produced DVD On Common Ground as a primer. Students also received copies of SALDEF’s 2010 Pocket Calendars and Who are the Sikhs educational brochures and took a tour of the Gurdwara, partaking in langar and sitting with the congregation. SALDEF Invited to Participate on Diversity Panel at California High School Last month, SALDEF was invited to participate in an interfaith religious panel at Laguna Hills High School in Orange County, CA.   The panel was an opportunity to educate students about Sikh beliefs and practices and also build connections with local leaders of other faiths. The students were engaged throughout the presentation and received SALDEF publications. The high school administration also agreed to keep SALDEF posted on future educational opportunities as they arise and utilize SALDEF as a content expert going forward.  If you would like to coordinate a presentation at your high school, or in your local community, please contact us. Follow us on Twitter Become a follower of SALDEF on Twitter and get realtime updates about issues we are working on, meetings we are attending and the people we are working with.  Check out recent activity and signup at twitter.com/saldef.

  • SALDEF Announces Job Openings for New Positions
  • USCIS to Issue Redesigned Green Cards
  • SALDEF Presents at California High School Diversity Event
  • Dept of Homeland Security and Dept of Justice Training in Boston
  • SSA Spotlight: Princeton Sikh Student Association Celebrates Vaisakhi
  • College Students – Apply for a Scholarship
  • SALDEF Remembers Life and Contributions of Dr. Dorothy Height

SALDEF Announces Job Openings for New Positions SALDEF is pleased to announce the opening of three new positions. We are looking for experienced candidates to fill the positions of Executive Director, Community Relations Associate/Manager and Grant Writer. Candidates applying must be able to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, and have a passion for working towards the strengthening of the Sikh American community. To read more about the positions, click here. USCIS to Issue Redesigned Green Cards U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has redesigned the Permanent Resident Card – commonly known as the “Green Card” – to incorporate several major new security features. The Green Card redesign is the latest advance in USCIS’s ongoing efforts to deter immigration fraud. State-of-the-art technology incorporated into the new card prevents counterfeiting, obstructs tampering, and facilitates quick and accurate authentication. Beginning May 11, 2010, USCIS will issue all Green Cards in the new, more secure format. In keeping with the Permanent Resident Card’s nickname, it will now be colored green for easy recognition. USCIS will replace Green Cards already in circulation as individuals apply for renewal or replacement. For more information on permanent residency and other immigration benefits, visit www.uscis.gov, or call USCIS’s National Customer Service Center at (800) 375-5283 SALDEF Presents at California High School Diversity Event This past March, SALDEF Representative Gaganpreet Kaur and Managing Director Kavneet Singh, conducted four one-hour workshops for students at Castro Valley High School in Castro Valley, CA as part of their annual Days of Diversity program. This is the fourth straight year that SALDEF has been invited to participate at this forum. The first workshops introduced students to Sikh culture and the history of Sikhs in the United States and was followed by a question and answer session. The following workshops discussed specific civil rights issues faced by Sikh Americans. Students also engaged in an interactive discussion about how law and policy affect people of faith and received copies of SALDEF educational resources. If you would like a SALDEF volunteer or staff member to conduct an anti-bullying and cultural awareness presentation for students at your children’s school, please contact us. Dept of Homeland Security and Dept of Justice Training in Boston On April 8th, SALDEF Board Member Navjeet Singh, trained roughly 40 members of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agency Office of Investigations along with special guests from the Department of Justice (DOJ) Community Relations Service. The Cultural Awareness training seminar consisted of an overview of the Sikh faith, religious practices and culturally sensitive protocol for interactions with Sikh Americans. The training was hosted by the DHS ICE Office of Investigations and the DOJ Office of Community Relations in Boston, MA. SSA Spotlight: Princeton Sikh Student Association Celebrates Vaisakhi Last month, like Sikh Student Associations (SSA) across the country, the Princeton SSA took the opportunity to educate their fellow students about the Sikh faith. They invited attendees to learn about Sikh practices, theology and history through a slideshow presentation. Following the presentation, Langar was served while Kirtan played in the background. During the presentation, the SSA distributed SALDEF’s Who are the Sikhs brochures and 2010 Sikh American Pockets Calendars to the attendees. Congratulations to the Princeton SSA on a great event. If we can assist your SSA in any way – by providing speakers, materials, etc – please contact us. College Students – Apply for a Scholarship The Sikh Education Fund, a project of the Association of Sikh Professional has been granting scholarships and interest free loans to college students since 1989. The Association is now receiving applications for the academic year 2010-2011. The last date for receiving applications for new applicants is June 1, 2010. Apply here or email the Association for more information SALDEF Remembers Life and Contributions of Dr. Dorothy Height On April 20th, the civil rights community, and the country lost a pioneering voice for civil, women’s, and human rights. Dr. Dorothy Height, passed away at the age of 98 from natural causes. She will be remembered for her legacy of empowerment and over seven decades of community service. Throughout her distinguished career, she served as President Emeritus of the National Council of Negro Women and Chair of The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, where she worked closely with a broad coalition of groups for several decades.  Read more here.

Join us on

Sunday, June 6, 2010 from 6pm to 9pm

at

Sheraton Cerritos Hotel at Towne Center
12725 Center Court Drive
Cerritos, CA 90703

Featuring:
Live entertainment by Comedian Rajiv Satyal
1984 Photo exhibit
Art exhibition and silent auction
Performances by SCAL Bhangra and Giddha teams
Separate play area for children

For more information about tickets or sponsorship, please contact:
Bicky Singh: (714) 504-5264; bsingh@fscinet.com
Bhupinder Kaur: (818) 416-2952; bhupykaur@gmail.com
Jagjit Singh: (562) 244-7487; jagjit-guninder@sbcglobal.net

Rep. Mike Honda (CA)

Attended a reception at the Capitol Building today for the members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. It was an opportunity to meet Congressmen and leading Asian American activists who are making a difference in Washington. The highlight of the event (for us) was when California Congressman Mike Honda, the Caucus Chairman, acknowledged us from the stage with a “Sat Sri Akal”! He went on to explain some of the challenges our community faces and even encouraged the crowd to “go to your local Gurdwara” and make a Sikh friend. Glad we had a Sikh in the room.

Richmond (CA) Police Department Welcomes Sikh American Police Officers; SALDEF Hopeful that Other Police Departments Will Follow Suit June 17, 2009 (Washington, DC) – Following the announcement last week that observant Sikh Americans are welcome to join the Yuba City Police Department with their articles of faith intact, Richmond (CA) Police Chief Chris Magnus issued written confirmation yesterday that observant Sikh Americans are also welcome to join the Richmond Police Department in Richmond, California. Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Richmond Police Department serves a community of more than 102,000 residents of diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds. Responding to an email dated June 16, 2009 from local Sikh American community leader Dr. J.P. Singh — an email which contained SALDEF’s recent Press Release regarding the Yuba City Police Department’s acceptance of the Sikh identity — Chief Chris Magnus confirmed that observant Sikh Americans are welcome to apply for jobs at his agency.

Chief Chris Magnus, Richmond (CA) Police Department

“The Richmond Police Department welcomes applications from members of the Sikh community for the position of police officer as well as other jobs within the Police Department.  We recognize and take pride in serving a diverse community which we are aware includes a significant number of Sikhs.  Our department continually looks for applicants who represent the diversity of the community and we appreciate the value they bring to our agency.  Any employee who is of the Sikh faith would not be prohibited from wearing a turban or having a beard.  We encourage anyone who would like information about employment opportunities with the Richmond Police Department to contact us.” SALDEF is grateful to Dr. J.P. Singh for proactively reaching out to the Richmond Police Department and to Chief Magnus and the entire Richmond Police Department for their leadership in the cause of promoting equal employment opportunities for observant Sikh Americans who aspire to serve as law enforcement officers.  As always, SALDEF will continue to work with police departments nationwide to strengthen relations between law enforcement agencies and the Sikh American community under the auspices of SALDEF’s Law Enforcement Partnership Program.

The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) is proud to announce that three more California police chiefs and one county sheriff have issued written confirmation that observant Sikh Americans are welcome to join their respective departments. (more…)

SALDEF to partner with Poway Unified School District on Anti-Bullying Program Washington DC; January 15, 2009 — The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the oldest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, has entered into a proactive partnership with the Poway Unified School District in San Diego to ensure that Sikh American students enjoy a safe and nurturing learning environment. Soon after announcing an anti-bullying partnership with a junior high school near San Francisco, SALDEF was alerted to an incident at a San Diego school in which a teacher made rude comments about a Sikh American student’s dastaar (Sikh turban).  SALDEF engaged both school and district authorities to ensure that this incident was documented and dealt with in an appropriate manner. Recognizing the sensitivity of this matter, school officials issued a formal apology to the student and his family; secured an apology from the teacher; and took other steps to rectify the situation, including partnership with SALDEF on administering a district wide anti-bullying program. This collaboration will include the integration of SALDEF resources into a district-wide school bullying survey to ensure that the experiences of Sikh American students are taken into account.  Additional projects are being planned to strengthen this partnership and create greater awareness about Sikh Americans and the problem of school bullying. “The Poway Unified School District has taken major steps toward creating a positive learning environment for Sikh American students,” said SALDEF Legal Director Rajdeep Singh Jolly.  “We hope that school districts across the country will follow the example of the Poway Unified School District.  SALDEF is particularly grateful to Mr. Hari Bhagat Singh, Associate Superintendent William Chiment, Ms. Sabriya Pedretti, and Dr. Tom McCoy for their leadership.” SALDEF will continue to work with school officials to foster collaboration with the Sikh American community. If you believe that your child is experiencing difficulties in school, please contact SALDEF immediately at education@saldef.org or by phone at (202) 393-2700 so that your concerns can be addressed.