The Know Your Rights program creates an open forum encouraging all Sikh Americans to understand their rights. As a part of SALDEF’s ongoing efforts to empower the community and strengthen partnerships with government, we are pleased to announce a series of Know Your Rights (KYR) Forums for the Sikh American communities of Northern and Southern California in the month of December. December 4th: Guru Nanak Sikh Temple-Buena Park 12-1pm December 11th: Sikh Gurdwara Sahib-San Jose 11-12pm The following government agencies and representatives will provide community members with important information about employment discrimination, hate crimes, and government resources. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice, Local Law Enforcement Officials, Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and Department of Education will be presenting to community members. 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, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. SALDEF would like to thank the management of Guru Nanak Sikh Temple, Buena Park and Sikh Gurdwara Sahib, San Jose for participating, 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.
SALDEF Know Your Rights Forums to be Held Throughout California
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 Las Vegas and Clark County, NV in cooperation with the Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh on Sunday, March 20th from 2-4pm.
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.
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Lucy Orta Director U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) |
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Superintendent Dwight Jones (Invited) Superintendent Clark County School District Nevada Department of Education |
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Holly James Community Outreach Specialist Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) |
Kenneth Mead
Detective
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
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 Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh 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.
700,000 Facebook Users No Longer Receiving Anti-Sikh Messages; Over 2 Million Remain
Image attempting to link Sikhs to terrorists
- Sign the Petition to Facebook to have these pages removed
- If you have already signed up, encourage others to do so by clicking here
- Post this link on your Facebook wall: www.saldef.org/FacebookPetition
- Report these offensive pages directly to Facebook. Visit each page and click ‘report this page’
The following are examples of pages that have been closed down as a result of your actions: • My turban brings the Taliban to the yard and they’re like we wanna bomb cars • How long are these turban jokes on Faceboook gonna curry on for? • My Turban Only Comes Off During Sex 😉 “It’s critical that we keep the pressure on Facebook to remove these Anti-Sikh pages,” said Jasjit Singh, SALDEF’s Associate Executive Director. “The misinformation being spread from these pages puts our community in harm’s way by promoting misconceptions about our identity. These pages directly undermine our educational efforts.”
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.
The November 2nd General Elections are only weeks away, with many initiatives and candidates that need your voice and input. The election 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! 
Still need to register to vote? No problem, do it here!
Unable to get to the polls on November 2nd? Click here to get an Absentee Ballot! During elections, less than 60 percent of the American public actually utilizes their right to vote. This means that less than 60 percent of American citizens influence and contribute to the laws and decisions the entire country must adhere to. Sikhs have a history of ensuring that our voices are heard so we urge you to continue that tradition. Today’s votes affect tomorrow’s decisions; it is our responsibility to vote! If you need to register to vote, locate your polling place, or need more information regarding absentee ballots, please take the opportunity now to explore the links here. Most state deadlines are coming up over the next week, and if you miss the deadline, you won’t be able to vote in this election cycle. Information regarding the voting process is also available in Punjabi. SALDEF is a registered 501(c)3 organization, and does not endorse any political candidates, ballot measures, or initiatives. If you would like more information regarding the current 2010 elections, please visit the above linked sites for nonpartisan perspectives.
Welcome to our new online home! SALDEF is pleased to announce the launch of our new website, a resource for the Sikh American community. Through the new website you will learn about our latest programs, find out about the issues facing the community, and share your thoughts. Here are some ways you can interact with us on the site: * Learn about Your Rights * Report an Incident of harassment or discrimination * Watch our videos * Leave a comment at the SALDEF Blog * Connect with us via Facebook * Join us on Twitter @ SALDEF * Use the tools in the Resource Center Let us know what you think! Send us ideas about what you would like to see via email, fill out the poll on the homepage, or comment on this posting below. Stay tuned for additional features and resources coming out in the next few months.
SALDEF Seeks Executive Director, Community Relations Associate/Manager and Part Time Grant Writer The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) is pleased to announce the opening of three new positions. We are looking for experienced and dynamic 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. Organizational Description: SALDEF is the nation’s oldest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization. Its mission is to protect the civil rights of Sikh Americans and ensure a fostering environment in the United States for Sikh Americans. SALDEF provides services and programs to empower Sikh Americans through legislative and legal advocacy, educational outreach and media relations. SALDEF’s vision is to create an America where:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Full-Time) The Executive Director will report to the Board of Directors, communicate the vision and direction of SALDEF to lead its full-time staff, numerous volunteers and interns, and seek out, identify, and nurture relationships with the organization’s donors and stakeholders. The Executive Director is charged with implementing the organization’s strategic vision; overseeing SALDEF’s direct services, advocacy, and other programs; leading the annual fundraising process along with donor relations; and serving as a public voice for the organization. She/he will serve as an advocate on issues of civil rights related to Sikh Americans in the government, media, and the community. Annual salary range will be commensurate with experience. Benefits include, vacation, holidays and sick days and medical and dental insurance. The full job description of the Executive Director position is available here. COMMUNITY RELATIONS ASSOCIATE/MANAGER (Full-Time) The Community Relations Associate/Manager will report to the Executive Director and the Executive Committee, work to conduct programs to educate and empower the Sikh American community, serve as a resource to government and civil officials, coalition partners and the media on issues related to Sikh Americans and outreach to local organizations to develop partnerships. Annual salary range will be commensurate with experience. Benefits include, vacation, holidays and sick days and medical and dental insurance. The full job description of the Community Relations Manager position is available here GRANT WRITER (Part-Time) The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) is seeking a part-time Grant Writer to identify grant opportunities for a small non-profit organization to support the growth of the organization; research grant requirements and proposals; complete grant applications, write grant proposals and reports. The full job description of the Grant Writer position is available here To Apply: Send cover letter (referencing qualifications above) and resume as attached Word or PDF documents to careers@saldef.org with the position you are applying for (example, “Executive Director Search”) in the subject line. Review of resumes will begin immediately upon receipt. APPLICATION DEADLINE: TILL FILLED
Yesterday 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. Dr. Height was a leader in the civil rights movement beginning in the 1930s, when she participated in local protests in Harlem, NY. Among the issues she initially worked on included efforts to prevent lynching of African Americans in the South, desegregating the armed forces, reforms to the criminal justice system, and establishing free access to public places. Throughout her career, she worked alongside such lumiaries as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Eleanor Roosevelt. For her dedication to fighting inequality she garnered many accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation’s highest civilian honor, by former President Bill Clinton, and the Congressional Gold Medal, in 2004 by then President George W. Bush. “Dr. Height is a truly historic figure in the civil rights community and her loss is one that will be felt in hearts across the county,” stated SALDEF Managing Director Kavneet Singh. “Her legacy though will live on through the countless people she has mentored and inspired to follow in her path to make sure that we truly do have an American where all people belong and are equal.” In 2004, as part of an effort to honor and acknowledge her tremendous service and pioneering spirit, SALDEF inaugurated the Dorothy Height Coalition Building Award which recognizes leadership and collaborative efforts to achieve equality for all by an individual or organization.
Repealing an 87-year old law is hard work. There are countless hours spent understanding the issue, defining strategy, building partnerships, engaging the media and of course, writing letters and calling lawmakers.
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The repeal of this Law represents one of the first contributions Sikh Americans have made to the broader civil rights community. The achievement marks progress for our community, as we have begun to advance the broader agenda of inclusion and diversity in America. As we celebrate this Vaisakhi day, we ask you to make a real difference this year, by helping us spread awareness about Sikhs and stem the ignorance driven attacks on our community. Together we can turn the tide of ignorance and foster an American society aware of the Sikh identity. Your tax deductible contribution will ensure SALDEF can build on its tradition of pioneering successes. Your valued support will help to create a fostering environment for We could not have done this work without your support, and we cannot continue to do it unless we receive your financial support. On this Vaisakhi day, please take a moment and DONATE to us today – you will be ensuring that all Sikhs, especially future generations of Sikh Americans, can practice their faith openly and are not denied employment opportunities. Sign-up for a monthly contribution, to help ensure that SALDEF has the resources to continue to defend your civil and religious rights.
Welcome to our new website! In the coming weeks we will be putting out new features and resources for you to use. But for the moment take some time to explore the new website and let us know what you think. One of the new features on this site is this blog. It will be a place you can come to learn about things going on the civil rights community. Through the blog we want to give you a window into the world that the SALDEF staff works in — from the events we take part in, the people we work with, and some of the issues we work on. We will also be sharing items of interest from around the community or that may affect the Sikh American and civil rights communities. Let us know what you you want to see on the blog and any suggestions you may have! –SALDEF Staff