1. SALDEF Summer Internship Program: Don’t miss this opportunity! 2. SALDEF Co-Founder Discusses the Effects of Hate Crimes in California 3. EEOC files Federal Lawsuit supporting Sikhs right to wear the Kirpan 4. SALDEF Sponsors Nationwide Screenings of A Dream in Doubt with PBS 5. SALDEF Discusses Naturalization Delays with the FBI 6. SALDEF Lobbies Congress on Workplace Religious Freedom 7. Legal Updates 8. Upcoming Events SALDEF Summer Internship Program: Don’t miss this opportunity! Intern with SALDEFThe SALDEF Internship Program offers Sikh American youth rare opportunities for political advocacy and leadership development. The program educates students on issues of civil rights, public policy and the legislative process. Students will gain hands-on experience in community organizing, research, writing, legal issues affecting the community, political action, and education outreach. Applications are still being accepted! Current opportunities available include: Legal, Legislative, Communications and Development Fellows. Click here for more information. SALDEF Co-Founder Discusses the Effects of Hate Crimes in California On March 13, SALDEF co-founder Jaideep Singh spoke on the plenary panel of a day-long program in Palo Alto, California examining the continuing danger of hate crimes in our society. Entitled Beyond Us and Them: Confronting Hidden Bias in Our Community, the event was attended by over 150 community activists and leaders, including the police chiefs of Palo Alto and East Palo Alto, police detectives, the Mayor of Palo Alto, and the Deputy District Attorney for Santa Clara County. Mr. Singh described the domestic terrorism directed at Sikh Americans during the national hate crime epidemic of historic proportions following September 11, 2001. In addition, he discussed the inordinate number of shootings of Sikh American cab drivers in the San Francisco Bay Area since 9/11, and the resulting fatalities. He also highlighted the pervasiveness of racial profiling in the post-9/11 era, emphasizing how Sikh Americans have been particularly affected by this “illegal, immoral, ineffective” policing method, contextualizing his comments within the long history of the practice in the United States. Co-Sponsors of the event, which was organized by “Not In Our Town: Silicon Valley”, included the Santa Clara County Network for a Hate-Free Community and the Palo Alto and Mountain View Human Relations Commissions. EEOC files Federal Lawsuit supporting Sikhs right to wear the Kirpan The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a Federal lawsuit against ManorCare Health Services, a nursing home operator, for refusing to allow a Sikh American employee to wear her kirpan, a religiously mandated article of faith. The EEOC asserts that Baljit Bhandal, a 41-year-old dietary aide, lost her job because ManorCare Health Services refused to accommodate her religious beliefs. Bhandal, an amritdhari Sikh employee of ManorCare’s Citrus Heights, Calif. facility, wore a small, dull and sheathed kirpan (religious sword) strapped underneath her clothing as a symbol of her commitment to defend truth and moral values. Although her faith requires her to wear a kirpan in order to comply with the Sikh Code of Conduct, her employer instructed Bhandal not to wear the kirpan at work because it violated the company policy against “weapons” in the workplace. According to the EEOC, ManorCare forced Bhandal to choose between her job and honoring her religious belief even after receiving literature explaining that the kirpan is a religious artifact, not a weapon. This is the second such allegation of discrimination against ManorCare. The EEOC’s Detroit Field Office filed the first suit against Manor Care (EEOC v. HCR Manor Care, Case No. 2:07cv1370) in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in August 2007. If you have been denied access or been subjected to any form of harassment due to your faith or for carrying your mandated Sikh articles of faith, please report it to SALDEF immediately at 202-393-2700 or via info@saldef.org SALDEF Sponsors National Screening of A Dream in Doubt with PBS SALDEF presents A Dream In Doubt. SALDEF is proud to be one of the national partners of ITVS’s screening of A Dream in Doubt. The film was co-produced by former SALDEF National Director Preetmohan Singh and Directed by Tami Yeager. A Dream in Doubt is the story of Rana Singh Sodhi, the brother of Balbir Singh Sodhi, the first causality of post-9/11 backlash and his journey to reclaim the American Dream and fight the hate which threatens his community. A Dream in Doubt will be screened in 28 locations starting on April 1, 2008, across the nation culminating with a May 20, 2008, National Airing on PBS. SALDEF will be sending periodic emails about upcoming screenings in your area. Make sure you and your friends are on SALDEF’s email list so that you receive announcements about these local opportunities. SALDEF Discusses Naturalization Delays with the FBI In a meeting with senior officials at FBI Headquarters, naturalization delays took center stage. Over the course of the past year, SALDEF has been working with the FBI and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to bring to their attention that millions of Americans are not becoming naturalized within the 180 day mandated time frame due to pending FBI name checks. Total incoming applications amount to on average of 78,000 per week. While the FBI has committed to hiring additional staff to decrease the backlog, reports show that 74% of the applications which cleared the FBI background checks have been stalled by USCIS. Along with the increase in staff, the FBI has implemented key management changes in order to stream line the process of naturalization applications. If you are, or know of a community member, who is facing a delay in naturalization contact SALDEF immediately at 202-393-2700 or info@saldef.org. SALDEF Lobbies Congress on Workplace Religious Freedom On February 12, 2008, the House Committee on Education and Labor held the 110th Congress’s first hearing on the Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2008. The bill would increase protections of Sikh Americans from discrimination based on their daastar (turban), kirpan, kesh, or kara. This piece of legislation is vital to the future economic success of the most vulnerable within our community. Throughout February, the WRFA coalition, of which SALDEF is the only active Sikh organization, met with dozens of Congresspersons encouraging them to support the bill and co-sponsor including Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), Rep. Chris Holt (D-NJ), Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), and Rep. George Miller (D-CA). Legal Updates Since January, SALDEF has received 50 requests for legal assistance of which SALDEF has accepted to engage in 20. These cases involve broad issues from immigration and naturalization, DMV concerns, violations involving the right wear a kirpan, and the denial of entry of a Sikh simply due to his daastar. Unfortunately, SALDEF’s limited resources do not allow us to take on all the cases we receive as we wish we could. Recent Cases include: * Defending the right of Sikhs to wear turbans when getting a driver’s license * Ensuring Sikhs receive fair treatment during the immigration process * Defending the right of Sikhs to carry their kirpans * Representing Sikhs denied services due to their faith We need your support now to ensure all members of the Sikh community receive the support they need when their faith is under attack. Click here to support SALDEF’s efforts in protecting and advocating for the Sikh American community.
SALDEF Advocate – April 2008
Help Support local efforts to educate about Sikhs As part of SALDEF’s Law Enforcement Partnership Program, 4,200 police officials of the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department are now informed about Sikh Americans and Sikh religious practices. SALDEF and its volunteers provided similar Sikh awareness training over a period of one year to the entire 3,000+ officers of the Boston Police Department. When police officers are informed and aware of the Sikh identity, their response is positive and appropriate when interacting with Sikh Americans, unlike what we saw last month when local Texas police initially refused to file a complaint when a Texas A&M University Sikh international graduate student was accosted outside a Wal-Mart parking lot by an unknown male who assaulted the Sikh student screaming ‘terrorist’ while punching him in the face, knocking his daastar off. Unfortunately, many police departments do not have the budget to pay for the training that SALDEF provides. Every one hour of training, along with free educational materials, that SALDEF delivers on behalf of the Sikh American community costs $250. Help us increase our capacity and resources to take SALDEF’s Law Enforcement Partnership Program to other police departments across the country. Your monthly contribution of $20 will help fund one such training session for a police department. In 2007 alone, SALDEF’s staff and volunteers were directly responsible for training over 12,000 law enforcement officials in 17 states. Additionally, as of February 2008, all 43,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners at the nation’s airports have been trained on Sikh culture and beliefs by watching SALDEF’s training video
Over 40,000 calendars have been distributed across the country Washington, DC: March 7, 2008 – For the fifth straight year, SALDEF has produced the Sikh Awareness Pocket Calendars which have been again been a tremendous success. A limited quantity still remain so hurry and place your order for these easy-to-use tools that can aid in increasing the awareness about Sikh Americans to your local community. The 2008 calendars have full-color images of Sikh Americans, along with examples of core Sikh values and facts about Sikhs in the United States. On the reverse, they feature an easy to use 2008 calendar. Additionally, to help you reach out more effectively to your community, friends, and neighbors, Spanish language versions of the 2008 pocket calendars are also available. To date, over 30,000 English and nearly 10,000 Spanish Calendars have been distributed in 2008. The calendars are available in packages of 100 for $10 plus shipping and handling fees. Order Your 2008 Pocket Calendars Today! The calendars are perfect for distribution at your workplace, schools, convenience store, gas station, senior citizens center, or public library. Sikhs across the nation have shared them with their friends, neighbors, customers, and local officials. Over the past five years, over 300,000 calendars have been distributed across the country. Additionally, SALDEF is also offering community members the opportunity to order personalized Sikh Awareness cards. These cards will have the design of the purchaser’s choice on the front and will have information about Sikh Americans on the back. This option is great for college students, professionals, and anyone else wanting to expand understanding of the Sikh religion. SALDEF commends the Sikh American community for taking the initiative to inform their friends, co-workers, customers, and acquaintances about their culture and faith. To order the calendars and other SALDEF publications, please click here or email SALDEF at pubs@saldef.org.
Community Relations Service adds On Common Ground to Website Washington D.C; February 5, 2008 – Yesterday, The U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service (CRS) made the SALDEF-DOJ Sikh Cultural Awareness Training Video available via high stream video on the web. The video, titled On Common Ground: Sikh American Cultural Competency Training for Law Enforcement was designed to inform law enforcement officials across the United States on Sikh American religious and cultural practices in an effort to better work with the community. Click here to view On Common Ground The Sikh American Law Enforcement training video was released in January 2007 and has since been viewed by over 65,000 law enforcement officials in the United States including all TSA screeners working in the nation’s airports. Additionally, individuals in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, India, and Brazil have requested and received copies of this DVD for use with their local law enforcement agencies. The Acting Director of DOJ-CRS, Ondray T Harris remarked, “On Common Ground serves as a valuable tool in educating law enforcement officials, airport personnel, and various communities across the United States on the cultural and religious practices associated with Sikhism. Awareness of cultural and religious observations can help avoid misunderstanding and tension. Towards this goal, On Common Ground can assist the public in understanding the challenges and realizing the contributions of the Sikh community in the United States. Former CRS Director Sharee Freeman, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), and other local, state, and federal agencies are to be commended for their extraordinary efforts in making On Common Ground possible.” This training video effort follows many ground-breaking achievements of SALDEF’s Educational Outreach Programs, including most notably: In 2004, SALDEF collaborated with the U.S. Department of Justice to publish a poster entitled, Common Sikh American Head Coverings. This purpose of the poster was to provide Local, State and Federal Officials with basic information about the Sikh faith and the significance of the daastar (turban), as well as to provide recommendations when meeting with Sikh Americans. In 2006, SALDEF collaborated with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to publish the poster, entitled, Sikh Americans and the Kirpan. The purpose of the poster was to provide Local, State, and Federal Officials with increased awareness about the Kirpan and will help in the appropriate handling and ensure a positive interaction between Sikh Americans and Federal law enforcement personnel.
SALDEF urges you to tell Congressional Leaders to support the Hate Crimes Prevention provisions in the Department of Defense conference report. This legislation brings much needed uniformity to federal hate crime laws and reflects the growing support for stronger hate crime legislation on the state level. Every year, Sikh Americans across the nation find themselves the victim of a hate crime. It is important that the victims of hate crimes see justice. Unfortunately, current law does not always offer them that hope. Click here to learn more and urge Congress to take action.
Background: Founded as the Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART) in 1996, SALDEF is the oldest Sikh American civil rights and educational organization in the United States. We empower Sikh Americans through four program areas: legal assistance, educational outreach, legislative advocacy and media relations. Summary: The SALDEF Internship Program offers Sikh American youth rare opportunities for political advocacy and leadership development. The program educates students on issues of civil rights, public policy, and the legislative process. Students will gain practical experience in community organizing, research and writing, legal issues, political action, and educational outreach. SALDEF is seeking interns to assist in the following 4 areas: Legal Research Interns (2 positions) Intern(s) will conduct legal research on issues relating to religious freedom under the supervision of SALDEF’s Legal Director. The Intern(s) will be encouraged to develop writing projects for submission to law reviews and other legal periodicals. Applicant must be enrolled at an accredited law school, have excellent research and writing skills, and must be mature, responsible, and goal-oriented. Legislative Interns (2 positions) Intern(s) will be intimately involved with lobbying on National and State legislation. Functions include organizing lobby visits with Congressional offices, drafting official correspondence supporting specific legislation, and engaging in an innovative legislative strategy on hate crimes, religious freedom, racial profiling, and immigration. Applicant must be highly self-motivated and mature. Legislative experience is not necessary. Communications Intern (1 position) Intern will work with SALDEF staff to develop a comprehensive professional communications strategy with the goal of expanding SALDEF’s reach into the community and relationships with national and international media outlets. Applicant must have some background in Journalism, Communications, or a comparable field. Experience in advanced Web 2.0 initiatives required. Development Interns (2 positions) Intern(s) will work with senior SALDEF staff assisting in the design and implementation of a development strategy to grow SALDEF’s organizational capacity and community outreach efforts. Applicant must have experience in Business, Management or comparable field. Qualifications: The program is designed for Sikh American students, although students of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Applicant must exhibit; excellent writing/research skills; demonstrated academic achievement; skill in the use of personal computers and related software applications; good work ethic and motivated highly desirable; attention to detail a must. Benefits: Applicants will have the opportunity to be mentored by civil rights leaders and attend political events in the Nation’s Capital. Applicants will have the unique opportunity to work on National issues of concern and develop critical project management and implementation skills and techniques. College credit for internship has also been arranged in the past. Education: Applicants must have completed at least one year of undergraduate studies. Preferred College Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors; Graduate Students. Location: Applicants are preferred to work in Washington, DC. Remote access work is offered on a case-by-case basis. Time: Internships are offered full-time (40 hours per week) and with occasional weekend and evening commitments Schedules are flexible according to each candidate’s commitments. Stipend: Availability is based on a case-by-case basis. Deadline: ROLLING To Apply: Interested applicants should send a cover letter with references, resume, and 5-page writing sample to the below address. If applying for a stipend, please add a Statement of Need. SALDEF C/O Internship Director 1413 K Street NW, 5th Floor Washington, DC 20005 Faxes accepted at (202) 318-4433 Email applications as word attachments to info@saldef.org
The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) continues to work for the community to ensure the Sikh American voice is heard at all levels of government, from Congress to State Legislatures. Hate Crime Legislation SALDEF is the only Sikh American organization working with Congress. This vital piece of legislation would assist state and local anti-bias efforts by enabling the Justice Department to assist officials in the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes. Religious Freedom Legislation SALDEF is the only Sikh American organization working with Congress to ensure that Sikhs are not forced to check their religion at the door of their workplace. The Workplace Religious Freedom Act (WRFA) would prevent employers from denying employment or advancement to a Sikh simply because of his or her daastar, kesh, kirpan, or kara. Anti-Bullying Legislation SALDEF is the only Sikh American organization working with Congress to ensure our children attend school free from harassment and bullying. Our children have the right to be academically successful and free from bullying; however, many schools across the country have inadequate policies governing school harassment. Racial Profiling Legislation SALDEF is the only Sikh American organization working with Congress on the End Racial Profiling Act (ERPA). This legislation will prohibit law enforcement from engaging in racial profiling and targeting Americans solely based on their physical appearance. If you believe in protecting your fellow Sikhs from hate crimes, workplace discrimination, and bullying show your support today! Government Relations SALDEF continues to collaborate with government officials, representing the interests of the Sikh American community. SALDEF is continually the sole Sikh representative at meetings with the United States Attorney General and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Through your generous support, SALDEF will be able to continue to ensure that Congress passes laws which protect the rights of Sikh Americans across the nation. Make your tax-deductible contribution before the year ends to support this work done in the spirit of seva.
Thanks to the largest Sikh pro-bono legal team in the nation, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), has successfully defended the rights of hundreds of Sikh Americans. Protecting Our Children: Pennsylvania SALDEF defended of Harshaan Singh Athwal to wear his patka while playing for his youth soccer team. Harshaan was barred from playing his favorite sport by a referee who felt concerned by his patka. SALDEF worked with his family and the Lehigh Valley Youth Soccer League to ensure Harshaan would be allowed to play soccer while wearing his mandated religious head covering. You can help protect our children across the country for as little as $5 or $10 a month. Defending Constitutional Rights: Texas SALDEF and the ACLU on behalf of Amardeep Singh who was denied his constitutional right to defend himself in court because he is a Sikh. Mr. Singh was thrown out of a Dallas Courtroom because the Judge felt the turban was a violation of the court’s dress policy. If you believe in protecting the constitutional rights and guaranteed freedoms of your fellow Sikhs show your support today! Ensuring Religious Freedom: Oregon Meherbani Kaur Khalsa was stopped by an agent at the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) from taking her driver’s license photograph while wearing her turban. SALDEF worked with the State of Oregon to clarify the exception for religious head coverings and allow Ms. Khalsa to maintain her Sikh identity for her Drivers License. Justice for Victims of Hate: Maryland On the anniversary of September 11, a horrified family saw their grandfathers return home severely beaten after their evening walk. SALDEF worked with county officials and the local community to identify the high school aged attackers. SALDEF continues to work with the police and local schools in Maryland increase awareness and understanding of the Sikh American community. Through your generous support, SALDEF will continue to defend the rights of Sikh Americans across the nation. Make your one-time or recurring contribution before the year ends to help continue this work done in the spirit of seva.
Over 60,000 law enforcement officials from across the United States have screened On Common Ground: Sikh American Cultural Awareness Training for Law Enforcement.
| Law Enforcement Trained in 2007 Federal Agencies: Local Officials in: |
In a groundbreaking partnership, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) and the U.S. Department of Justice – Community Relations Service (DOJ-CRS) produced this pioneering Sikh American cultural awareness training film especially for law enforcement. You can watch the film .
Then U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez reflected, “[On Common Ground] makes clear that Sikhs are an integral part of American society. I commend CRS, and I offer my sincere appreciation to CRS and SALDEF for their perseverance and creative effort in producing this educational film.”
Since its release in 2007, the training program has become an integral part of law enforcement education throughout the United States and is used extensively by federal, state, and local law enforcement. The training video is also being used as a model for law enforcement agencies worldwide including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand.
Through your generous support, SALDEF will continue to develop innovative strategies to inform the American public about Sikhism and create a more inviting environment for our families and children. Make your contribution before the year ends to support this work done in the spirit of seva.
Order Custom Sikh American Awareness Cards for Your Business Washington, DC: December 19, 2007 – With 2008 around the corner, now is the time to place your order for the popular Sikh Awareness Pocket Calendars. The calendars are an easy-to-use tool to increase awareness about Sikhs and Sikhism in your local community. In their fifth year of production, over 250,000 calendars have already been distributed. The 2008 calendars have full-color images of Sikh Americans, along with examples of core Sikh values and facts about Sikhs in the United States. On the reverse, they feature an easy-to-use 2008 calendar. The English and Spanish calendars are available in packages of 100 for $10 plus shipping and handling. Custom Sikh American Awareness cards are also available. Perfect for business and individuals, these cards feature your custom design on the front and an introduction on Sikh Americans on the back. For more information or to place an order, email pubs@saldef.org. The calendars are perfect for distribution at your workplace, convenience store, gas station, senior citizens center, schools, or public library. Hundreds of thousands of 2008 calendars have already been shared with friends, neighbors, customers, and officials.