English for Heritage Language Speakers(EHLS), an adult scholarship program for native speakers of specific languages, including Punjabi, Hindi, and others, offers advanced English classes and career training for those interested in working for the U.S. federal government.The program takes place at Georgetown University and lasts for 8 months.
All EHLS participants receive a full scholarship that includes tuition and a living stipend. For further details and schedule of information sessions, please click http://www.ehlsprogram.org/
April 17, 2012, 11:53 am by
manmeet
April 17, 2012 - Today, Senator Dick Durbin, Chairman of the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights Subcommittee in the Senate Judiciary Committee, has convened the first Senate hearing on racial profiling since September 11th. Over the past ten years, South Asian, Muslim, Sikh and Arab communities living in the United States have been targeted for heightened scrutiny by law enforcement based on their religion, ethnicity, national origin, or nationality. Examples include frequent searches by airport security and border inspection officers, mandatory registration of certain male nationals from predominantly Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, under the National Security Entry Exit Registration System (NSEERS) program, and targeted surveillance of South Asian places of worship by federal and local law enforcement. In a statement for the record submitted for the Senate hearing,SAALT underscored the ongoing harmful effects of profiling on South Asian community members. Continue reading ‘Action Alert: Support the End Racial Profiling Act’ »
http://unitedsikhs.org/PressReleases/PRSRLS-17-11-2009-00.html
UNITED SIKHS Partners with NC Health Department to Educate about Swine Flu Pandemic at Health Fair
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52nd Sikh Aid health fair offers free flu shots, free lab tests and health screenings for all ages at local Gurdwara in North Carolina
Charlotte, NC, USA – With concerns that the ‘Swine’ flu pandemic continues to spread worldwide this Fall, UNITED SIKHS Carolina Sikh Aid Team, in collaboration with Gurdwara Sahib of Charlotte, organized its second health fair this year and provided free flu shots, free lab tests (Cholesterol and Diabetes) and free health screenings for the public.
The fair, which was held on 1st November, 2009, at the local Gurdwara, is part of our ongoing effort to engage, educate and empower the community through health initiatives. Continue reading ‘UNITED SIKHS Partners with NC Health Department to Educate about Swine Flu Pandemic at Health Fair’ »
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http://www.unitedsikhs.org/Health_fair_Queens.htm
July 09, 2004 25th Harh, 536 Nanakshahi
PRESS RELEASE
HEALTH FAIR HELD IN QUEENS, NEW YORK
Queens, New York – UNITED SIKHS organized a Health Fair at Gurdwara Makan Shah Lobhana (113-10 101 Ave, Richmond Hill, New York 11419) on June 20, 2004, in which variety of health and safety information was made available to the attending public. In addition, the Health Fair invited speakers to give their views on Health and Nutrition, Early detection of Cancer, Women’s Health, Domestic Violence and Alcohol Abuse as well as how to manage medical emergencies. A Blood Donation Drive was also arranged as part of the Fair on the special request of Long Island Blood Center to meet the blood shortage in the tri-state area. Continue reading ‘HEALTH FAIR HELD IN QUEENS, NEW YORK’ »
As a sophomore at Wesleyan University, I had the great privilege to cross paths with Kennedy Odede, then a freshman. Kennedy grew up in Kibera, the largest slum in Kenya. In 2004, he started a grass roots movement called “Shining Hope for Communities” (SHOFCO) and became a visionary change maker and community organizer. By the time he left Kenya to get an education, he was popularly known as the “mayor” of Kibera since it was he who regularly responded to his community’s day-to-day needs and helped them to have a voice. Continue reading ‘Lessons from Shining Hope’ »
Both the Sikh and Jewish communities’ identities have been shaped by extensive oppression and violence. This past Sunday, members of each community had a chance to come together to learn about one another’s histories. Members of UNITED SIKHS and Park Avenue Synagogue gathered to brighten the day of elderly Holocaust survivors here in New York. The afternoon was filled with festive music sung in Hebrew, English and Yiddish, cookies in honor of the recent holiday, Purim, and much conversation.
I want to honor the communication that occurred between the Sikh and Jewish communities at this event, for I believe it is a beautiful example of interfaith action, the goal of the Faiths Act movement: As members of the Sikh community sat down with survivors of the Holocaust, they practiced an often forgotten act that is key to positive human interaction: listening. Listening is powerful. It is intentional, as opposed to the more passive act of hearing, and it holds up and amplifies the voice of the person to whom one is listening. It gives witness to the narrative of an individual or of an entire community. On Sunday, Jejiemder Singh, a Sikh man from Queens, sat down beside an elderly Jewish woman and became a witness to the atrocities of the Holocaust. He said this of his conversations: “When I met the people who escaped Europe in the time of Hitler’s control, and after listening to their life stories, I was moved. The fear they were living in was unimaginable.”
Jewish and Sikh narratives are, of course, unique. And yet they share common themes: devastating violence, ongoing discrimination, diaspora, value of tradition and love of community. On Sunday, when members of these communities actively listened to one another, these narratives were allowed to flow freely between people, creating relationships and solidarity. It was a moving day of interfaith action for the healing of human relationships.
The Faiths Act movement works for such collaborative activism, and I believe firmly in the power of people of faith coming together to tackle injustice in our broken world. Surely our wrecked human relationships are one of the most visible examples of the fact that our world is not as it is meant to be. On Sunday, I saw steps being taken to build relationship where it was lacking before.
Written by Faiths Act Fellow, Hannah Shirey, in honor of International Women’s Day, March 8, 2012.
My mother, a person of great faith, confidence and determination, is an example to me in many ways and is my Female Faith Hero. It was during my own teenage years that my Mom, Alice, was in the heart of her own personal journey of becoming a leader in our local, Iowan church. By watching her stand up against the long-standing tradition of gendered hierarchy in the church, I learned an important lesson that propels me in my current work:
It is easy to walk away from the brokenness of our world and our institutions. It is much more difficult—and much more important—to work for change within our corrupt, oppressive systems. Continue reading ‘A Voice Outside the Patriarchy: Inspiration from my Mother’ »
As Faiths Act Fellows at UNITED SIKHS, Hannah and I have had the privilege of witnessing clergy of different faiths organizing themselves to have a strong, united voice against injustice this year. Since New York City has been at the center of the country’s expression of discontent at the current financial and social situation of the 99%, it has been a particularly exciting place to be as a Faiths Act Fellow.
Watching clergy find their place in the fight for economic justice has been breathtaking, and has modeled for us the resources and wisdom that faith communities have to offer any social movement. The primary role of OccupyFaith has been to serve as a moral voice, condemning corruption and inequality and supporting the protesters and their cause. Continue reading ‘Clergy SolidariTEA for Economic Justice’ »
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2011
Statement by the President on the Anniversary of the Birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji
I send my best wishes to all those observing the anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Sikh Guru. On this occasion, we are reminded of the fundamental principles of Sikhism, including the equality of all people, the sanctity of living an honest life, and the importance of service to our neighbors. I’m proud that during my presidency the White House hosted the first celebration of the birth of Guru Nanak, and our country is grateful for the extraordinary contributions that Sikh Americans have made to our nation. As Sikhs across America and around the world celebrate the life of Guru Nanak, all of us can draw inspiration from his message of equality, honesty, and helping those who are in need.
