Weekly Wrap Up
SALDEF in the News
US Air Force Grants Religious Accommodation to Sikh Airman
Harpreetinder Singh Bajwa became the first active Airman to be authorized to adhere to “Sikh religious grooming and dress principles while serving his country. This article includes SALDEF Executive Director Kiran Kaur Gill’s statement that “SALDEF is thrilled with the announcement that Airman 1st Class (A1C) Harpreetinder Singh Bajwa received accommodations from the Air Force to wear his turban and remain unshaven.”
Recent Events
Religion in the classroom: Where the faithful and the ACLU can agree
The current religion problem in the United States is more due to an ignorance of religion. Not all of the schools in the U.S. school system include lessons on world religions, and this ignorance can “not just keep Americans from understanding their world. It can also lead to violence.”
Learning To Tie His Turban Brought A Sikh Boy Closer To His Father
Gagan Sachduv, an engineer in Austin, Texas, describes the relationship he built with his father through learning how to tie a turban. Sachduv describes his experiences by saying ‘“He walked me through the process very patiently and made me comfortable in my own skin, so I’m very grateful to him for that.”’ Moreover, he describes that his father’s example taught him that being a Sikh also involves “‘earning an honest living and sharing your earnings with the needy people.”
A Closer Look at U.S. Hate Crime Statistics
An analysis of hate crime data from the FBI’s crime reporting program and the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ survey, has confirmed an “uptick in hate crimes on school or college campuses.” Additionally, “70% of cities reported an increase in hate crimes from 2017 to 2018 and just under half hit a decade high.” Moreover, the FBI’s 2017 Hate Crime Statistics revealed that 20.7% of hate crimes were motivated by religious bias.
100 Ethnic Minority Executives 2019
On the 2019 Ethnic Minority Role Model List, Mastercard CEO Ajay Singh Banga was named top business role model. Ajay has made many inclusion efforts in Mastercard since joining in 2009 such as the expansion of its global inclusion and diversity council. The list includes other Sikh executives like Raj Verma, Senior Vice President of Human Resources in Sodexo and Mandeep Heer, Director of People Strategy & Transformation in Telefonica O2 UK.
Sikh senior citizens visit MAFS in Schaumburg
Sikh senior citizens from Chicago visited the MAFS (Metro Asian Family Services) Center in Schaumburg to discuss basic principles of Sikhism. The senior citizens hosted a program which included the recitation of Ardas and a presentation on the vices and basic principles of Sikhism.
Upcoming Events
June
July
As always, we’re on the frontlines. We are making sure that our community’s concerns and needs are being addressed. Whether it’s training and recruiting new volunteers, passing legislation to condemn hate crimes, or holding events such as Know Your Rights Forums, we exist to serve you.
None of our work is possible without your support, please consider a gift today