On June 6th, SMART’s Western Regional Director delivered its Sikhism 101: An Introduction to Sikh Beliefs and Culture presentation to members of the Our Brother Congregational Church in Fremont, CA. Members of the congregation attended the presentation which was followed by over one hour of questions and discussion. Tentative plans were also made to take the congregants to a local Gurdwara to show a standard Sikh divaan (congregation). If you, or someone you now would like to conduct a similar presentation in your neighborhood, please contact SMART.
Sikhism 101 Presented at Northern California Church
Before the end of the school year, SMART’s National Director Preetmohan Singh addressed the Sikh Studies class at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA. Organizers of the class, which consists of Sikh and non-Sikh students and as well as community members, invited Mr. Singh to provide an overview of the Sikh faith and discuss current issues within the Sikh Diaspora. SMART also held workshops with college students at the East Coast Asian American Students Union (ECAASU) annual conference at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. The workshops included information on critical issues facing the Asian American community, including hate crimes legislation, racial profiling, and immigration. If you would like to host a similar event on your college campus, please email SMART at info@sikhmediwatch.org.
SMART’s Western Regional Director Kavneet Singh recently testified before the California State Assembly Select Committee on Hate Crimes. The session was organized by the Applied Research Center and entitled, “California Civil Rights in an Era of National Security.” Attendees included representatives of the Asian Pacific, Black and Latino Legislative Caucuses. The event was organized to create a public record of the impact of national security policies on communities of color in California, assess the impact of some national security policies on civil rights, and explore policies to ensure protection for all California residents. SMART conducted the briefings at the State Capitol with representatives of the ACLU, California Human Relations Commissions, public policy advocates, and other civil rights organizations. If you would like to become more active with SMART’s legislative efforts, please email us at legislation@sikhmediwatch.org.
Following racist graffiti at a Fresno, CA Gurdwara earlier this year, SMART National Director Preetmohan Singh recently accompanied local representatives from the Sikh American community at a meeting with the city’s police chief. Participants discussed building better relationships between law enforcement and the Sikh American community through increased awareness, protocol, and strategies for successful engagement between both groups. Following the meeting, which also included four of the five district commanders for the city, Fresno officials requested and received 1,000 of SMART’s Law Enforcement Reference Cards. This pocket-sized card provides police officers recommendations about protocol for effectively working with the Sikh American community. SMART and the Fresno Sikh American community are also working on implementing plans to reduce bullying and harassment faced by Sikh American students in public schools.
SMART Representative Tejinder Singh recently conducted the Sikhism 101: An Introduction to Sikh Culture, Practices and Beliefs for a dozen members of the Tri City Ministerial Association at its monthly meeting in Fremont, CA. The TCMA is a group of ministers casino online real money and religious leaders in the San Francisco Bay Area that work together to carry out interfaith events and support each other”s religious centers. SMART also talked with the TCMA members about possible in-house workshops at their respective houses of worship.
The Applied Research Center recently released the report of their third “The Public’s Truth” event held in Santa Clara, CA. SMART co-sponsored and presented at the event, which was a forum for community members of different races, colors and religions to communicate with legislators and civic officials about the ill-effects they have endured since 9/11. Speakers at the event shared their personal experiences of direct harassment and discrimination they faced from law enforcement, airport security, workplace supervisors and immigration officials. SMART’s representative, who is featured in the report, discussed the Sikh community’s response to hate crimes. The Applied Research Center is a public policy, educational and research institute whose work emphasizes issues of race and social change. The report is titled “Stories of Racial Profiling & The Attack on Civil Liberties.”
SMART Encourages California Sikh Community to Attend California State Assembly Member Judy Chu will convene the Assembly Select Committee on Hate Crimes for a hearing entitled, “Hate Crimes in the Sikh American Community,” in both Northern and Southern California. The Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART) will deliver testimony at both hearings about hate crimes reporting, law enforcement, and bullying and harassment in public schools, as well as policy recommendations to effectively deal with these situations. SMART encourages members of the Sikh American community in Northern and Southern California to attend these hearings to make sure their voices are heard (details below). SMART has been working with Assembly Member Chu’s office for several months to arrange these hearings. At the hearing, law enforcement officials, government representatives, policy experts, and community leaders will discuss strategies and policies to address hate crimes and diversity in public schools. Northern California WHEN: Wednesday, September 22 TIME: 11:00 AM- 1:30 PM WHERE: Biblioteca Latinoamericano San Jose Public Library Community Room 921 South First Street San Jose, CA 95110 Southern California WHEN: Tuesday, September 28, 2004 TIME: 10:00 AM- 12:30 PM WHERE: Museum of Tolerance Simon Wiesenthal Plaza 9786 W. Pico Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90035
California Assembly member Judy Chu, Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Hate Crimes, recently convened two hearings to hear testimony and policy recommendations on hate crimes in the Sikh American Community. The hearings took place in both Northern and Southern California and community members testified regarding specific hate incidents including bullying and harassment in school, their places of work, and Sikh Gurdwaras. SMART’s Western Regional Director Kavneet Singh delivered testimony and organized other members of the Sikh American community to speak about their experiences in Northern California on September 22. On September 28, in Southern California, SMART local representative Nitasha Kaur Sawhney testified about the impact on the community, especially drawing attention to the severe effect on Sikh children, as well as the physical, economic, mental, and spiritual impact hate violence is having on the community at large. The hearings also included policy recommendations regarding reporting practices and resources provided by local and national governmental agencies. The testimony highlighted the unresolved problem of recording hate crimes against Sikhs due to state and federal agencies not collecting data specifically on anti-Sikh incidents as they do for incidents against the Islamic and Jewish communities. Unfortunately, most hate crimes against Sikh Americans are recorded as “other.” Another focus of this hearing included policy recommendations related to education, including the use of current resources and development of additional diversity curriculum. In addition to SMART, panelists at the hearing included representatives from the Office of the Attorney General, FBI, LA County Sheriff’s Department, Asian Law Caucus, California Sikh Council, Sikh Coalition, San Jose and San Francisco Police Departments, UCLA API Caucus, South Asian Network, Sikh Dharma, and the California Department of Education.
SMART Notifies FBI, Coordinating Local Response Fairfield, CA – Following the second shooting in the last two weeks at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara (place of worship) in Fairfield, CA, the Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART), is coordinating a response with the local community and law enforcement. While no individual was targeted in the shooting last weekend, several bullets pierced the sign of the Gurdwara, which followed a similar incident that occurred on May 29. Local and federal officials have not labeled this a hate crime and a thorough investigation is currently underway. If the shootings are determined to be hate-motivated, the Solano County Sheriff’s office, which is handling the case, would seek the support of the FBI and Department of Justice. SMART, along with the Sikh Americans across the country, extends support to the Fairfield Sikh community and will continue to work with them as the investigation and community relations efforts progress.
SMART Notifies FBI, Monitoring Fresno Police Investigation Fresno, CA – The Sikh Association of Fresno Gurdwara (place of worship) was vandalized with racist graffiti on Saturday, March 13. Two large scrawls drawn on a board in front of the Gurdwara read “Rags Go Home” and “It’s Not Your Country.” The Fresno police have not identified suspects and are investigating the case as a “racial incident.” The graffiti was reported to the Fresno police on Saturday. Since learning about the incident, the Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART), a national Sikh American civil rights organization, contacted the Fresno Police. SMART also notified the FBI field offices in Sacramento and Washington, DC, along with officials at the Civil Rights Office at the U.S. Department of Justice. Captain Marty West of Fresno police informed SMART that the police have reported the incident to the local Crime Stoppers. The local affiliate of NBC is also publicizing the incident and encouraging tips or information leading to the capture of suspects. The number to call is the Crime Stoppers hot line, (559) 498-7867. Captain West said that all local police squads have been asked to patrol the Gurdwara regularly and are working with the local Sikh community to ensure their safety. SMART, along with the Sikh Americans across the country, extends support to the Fresno Sikh community. We will continue to update the community about the investigation and community relations efforts.