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. They have also worked together to provide shelter for hundreds of protesters every night in their houses of worship since the raid of Zuccotti park and the onset of winter. From the start, they have held up Occupy Wall St. as the next link in the long chain of non-violent protest movements agitating for justice, often connecting it back specifically to the Civil Rights Movement.

Last Thursday UNITED SIKHS honored the visionary leadership of OccupyFaith by providing coffee, tea and bagels at the weekly meeting of 45 members. We recognized that the participating members’ activism to bring us closer to a time when all people have the rights and resources they need to live a dignified life is exactly what International Human Solidarity Day is all about.

We thank the clergy of OccupyFaith for showing us one more way that religion can be a force for good in the world, and cherish our involvement with this dynamic and inspired collective.

Office of the Press Secretary

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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.

My intense sadness over the lack of visible dialogue or grassroots peace-building efforts brought me to an organization called Encounter. Their mission is to educate diaspora Jewish leaders about the realities of Palestinian plight under the occupation. Most of the participants in their educational trips have never met a Palestinian, and come to the experience with the straightforward Zionist narrative they were taught in synagogues and schools. As an intern with the organization, I was able to help organize and participate in one of their trips to Hebron. After a day of touring and learning about the history and political dynamics of that tragic city, the group arrived at a community center where we sat down with a room full of local people. Palestinian people. The tension was palpable. Most of us, Jewish and Palestinian alike, had never had the opportunity to be face-to-face with individuals of the other, “rival” group.

Each person went around the room and shared a bit about themselves and their story. Slowly, people began to laugh together and to listen to one other with focus and compassion. Some of the Palestinian residents shared objects that were meaningful to them, including one man who walked us through his different passports and the rights that each of them do and do not give him. While this may sound political, it felt completely personal and intimate, and those in the Encounter group were able to simply listen and empathize with the difficulties of life under occupation for this one, individual person. It was a relief for the Jewish participants to be heard and understood as well, and to be able to show that our people, too, are each different and unique and that most of us also constantly seek peace and understanding.

After breaking into small groups, eating, and continuing to get to know one another, the evening drew to a close. None of us wanted it to end, and by the time we said goodbye I felt a surge of emotion that I will never forget. On the one hand it was about having met these fantastic people and gained insight into their experience that I never could have otherwise, and on the other it was the realization of how rare these opportunities for face-to-face contact are between groups that are so thoroughly separated, by systems and by prejudice. That day taught me the transformative power of face-to-face understanding, and drew me to the work I am now doing as a Faiths Act Fellow at UNITED SIKHS combating intolerance by bringing the Sikh community together with other people of faith to share experiences, increase understanding of each other’s traditions, and listen to one another.

By Nomi Teutsch

HIGH-LEVEL panel discussion

 “Stopping reprisals for cooperating with the UN in the field of human rights – a priority for all”

FRIDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2011, 13:00 – 15:00

 Conference Room 4

You are cordially invited to attend a discussion by eminent panellists with various and complementary experiences and perspectives on ways to address this worrying practice.

   Reward in Sikh killings case in Elk Grove grows to $57,000

The Sikh community, volunteers and police authorities renewed their push on Sunday to identify assailants responsible for the fatal shootings of two Sikh men strolling in their Elk Grove neighborhood in March.  With the reward standing at $57,000, members of the groups said the effort called for a “day of action” to spread the word that the pursuit of the perpetrators will go on.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/10/17/3984485/reward-in-sikh-killings-case-in.html#ixzz1b5Mr6t4z

Elk Grove police in August sought another $50,000 in the form of a “governor’s reward,” telling Gov. Jerry Brown then that the increased reward could give someone who knows about the case the incentive to step forward.

Such a reward is possible under California Penal Code Section 1547, which gives the governor the authority to make the offer.

The Sikh community along with a coalition of community organizations raised a combined $42,000 for information leading to the arrest of people responsible for the shootings, which are being investigated as a possible hate crime.

Up to $15,000 more is available from Sacramento County’s multi-agency Crime Alert program, said Randy Goodwin of the Sacramento County Probation Department and a representative of the county’s Crime Alert Program.

“Fifty-seven thousand dollars is a significant reward,” said Elk Grove Police Capt. Bryan Noblett as supporters gathered Sunday morning to tackle a new front: the circulation of fliers to businesses within two miles of the shooting site announcing the reward.

“We, of course, wish it didn’t require a large reward like that to develop information,” he said. But he added that the department officials are “hopeful” that the money will entice someone with knowledge to step forward.

The still-unsolved shootings on March 4 led to the deaths of Surinder Singh, 65, and Gurmej Atwal, 78. Singh was killed instantly. Atwal spent six weeks in a hospital before he succumbed.

The group of volunteers, including two Elk Grove City Council members, representatives of the Sikh American community and other volunteers, met in a Park and Ride lot just a few hundred feet from where the slayings occurred on East Stockton Boulevard near Geneva Pointe Drive.

“I think the whole community is going to raise the level of awareness of this crime to see if we can shine a light on these cockroaches,” Elk Grove Mayor Steve Detrick said as supporters gathered. “Maybe somebody didn’t see it. But somebody else could get cocky and talk about it.”

Elk Grove City Councilwoman Sophia Scherman echoed that thought.

“Somewhere out there is someone who will slip and say something,” she said. “The increased reward is going to open many, many doors.”

Volunteers left the area and visited nearby businesses asking to post the bulletins.

It wasn’t seamless. At the nearby Target, a store official told volunteers Navjit Kaur and Gagandeep Mann that the store could not participate.

But a worker at Metropolis Comix near Bruceville Road in Sacramento did post a bulletin in the window. So did the Beauty Chateau salon and spa.

Maggie Solorzano at the spa said she happened to drive by the shooting site to and from school on March 4 and saw the police vehicles, but she learned only later what had happened.

“I hope they catch who did it,” she said. “To take two people away from their families … it’s a shame.”

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/10/17/3984485/reward-in-sikh-killings-case-in.html#ixzz1b5MktWau

Perhaps the most horrifying aspect of both the adoption and subsequent upholding of this legislation is that Alabama has sanctioned the ethnic cleansing of the Hispanic community. Would you stay in a place where you felt constantly “suspect” based on your appearance, where a minor traffic violation could result in deportation, and where every contract you’ve signed could become null and void? When legislation is aimed at demonizing specific communities and ultimately gains judicial sanction, these targeted communities are then relegated to second class status.

It is important to note that this law has implications for all people of color in Alabama, not just Hispanics. Suddenly, communities that have lived under a “specter of suspicion” since 9/11 may also be asked for their papers. Ultimately, there is nothing to stop officials from targeting those they deem to be “foreign” (i.e. South Asians, Sikhs, Muslims, and Arabs) because of their skin color, language, or religious/ cultural dress. In the last decade, we as a country have unconscionably moved to treating an entire segment of our population, specifically those with brown skin, as “suspect”. Thus, these laws mete out collective punishment on a large segment of the U.S. population irrespective of whether they are here lawfully or unlawfully.

Foster Maer, Senior Council at LatinoJustice PRLDEF explains, “The venomous legislative and political attacks on undocumented immigrants that we see these days signals to the public that it is okay to demonize, and thus to hate, immigrants, which inevitably leads to violence against immigrants. The events in Patchogue and in Farmingville, New York, in Allentown, PA, and elsewhere have demonstrated this to be true.”

The disproportionate response to addressing a complex and multi-layered issue such as immigration is disgraceful because it forces families to uproot their lives and flee their homes, schools, and communities. Every single Alabaman, regardless of racial, ethnic, or religious affiliation, will be impacted by the creation of a defacto police state. All that is left to say is . . . welcome to the land of the scared.

By: Nomi Teutsch, UNITED SIKHS/ TBFF Faith Fellow TBFF and Hansdeep Singh, UNITED SIKHS Senior Staff Attorney

The schedule for the Children’s Film Festival is as follows:

Saturday, 8th October: Hofstra University, Student Center (11:30 am – 2:30pm)
Friday, October 14th : Featuring Session (7:00pm 10:00pm)
Asia Society and Museum, 725 Park Avenue, New York, NY

Saturday, October 15th: Short Films (11:30am – 1:30pm), Documentaries (2:00pm – 5:00pm)

****Winners of the Short Films and Documentaries will be judged by a distinguished panel of judges****

To purchase tickets to the Film Festival, please visit: www.sikharts.comm

The Sikh Art and Film Foundation is a tax exempt non-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contact: Mankanwal Singh
P: 1-516-698-8546
E: mankanwal.singh@unitedsikhs.org | unitedsikhs-usa@unitedsikhs.org

28th Sep, 2011, New York, NY:   The  Sikh Art & Film Foundation  has brought together diverse leaders on a panel to discuss their journeys to leadership positions.  UNITED SIKHS invites, especially the youth, to attend the Sikh Leadership Summit on 13th October in New York at the Asia Society and Museum, 725 Park Avenue, New York.

The Sikh Leadership Summit, 2011, will focus on the nexus between diversity, mentorship, community service, and leadership development in one’s career.

DETAILS:

Thursday, October 13th
Location: Asia Society & Museum, 725 Park Avenue, New York, NY 

Panel Session (7:00pm–8:30pm):  Panelists

Gurinder Chadha, Internationally Acclaimed Director / Writer

Mohanbir S. Sawhney, Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation Clinical Professor of Technology & Director of the Center for Research in Technology & Innovation, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

Gurvendra S. Suri, Founder and CEO, Optimal Solutions Integration, Inc.

Moderator: Matthew Breitfelder, Managing Director & Chief Talent Offi cer, BlackRock

Networking Reception : 8:30pm – 9:30pm : Network with peers and a diverse array of industry professionals

To reserve your complimentary tickets, please write to us at: contact@unitedsikhs.org or
call 1-646-688-3525 | 888-243-1690

Seating is limited and off ered on a first-come, first-served basis

This event is organized by the Sikh Art & Film Foundation, a tax exempt non-profit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

SAFAR

SAFAR
Our Journeys
Connecting: Our stories, visions & paths

OISE,  University of Toronto
252 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Canada

Join academics, community members and organizers  from across North America at “Our Journeys” as we bring to light the high caliber of research being carried out to explore and openly discuss collective past, present and future of geneder equality.
Conference is open to all & Registration is FREE or PWYC.  All attendees must register online at http://ourjourneys.eventbrite.com


8:00 Registration & Breakfast
9:15 Keynote Panel: Reconnecting the Disconnect – A Sikh Feminist Gosht
Prof. Nikky-Guninder Kaur, Geetanjali Chanda, Mallika Kaur

10:40 Break
11:00 Panel 1: Disrupting History
Deep Singh, Jaspal Kaur Singh, Brian Keith Axel, Tejpreet Kaur
12:30 Lunch

1:30  Panel 2 A | Gursikhi: Intersections, Parallels and Gaps
Simran Jeet Singh, Kirpal Kaur. Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa, Sonia Arora
Panel 2 B | Lived Experiences: Sikh Women, Work and Society
Ravneet Kaur Tiwana, Bandana Kaur, Kazi Abdur Rouf, Manprit (Preet) Kaur Virdi

3:00 Break

3:20 Panel 3A | Violence: Causes and Solutions
Jesleen Singh, Semran Kaur Mann, Malika Kaur Bhola, Gunisha Kaur

Panel 3B | Herstory: Bringing Untold Narratives of Womanhood to the Forefront
Harloveleen Kaur, Prabsimran Sachdev, Tavleen Kaur, Harminder S. Mann

4:50 Panel 4A | Gender and Sexuality:  A Lived Reality Unrecognized
Kaveri Qureshi, Gitanjali Kaur Singh, Ranjanpreet Nagra
Panel 4B | Diaspora and Culture: Resisting Social Pressures
Sharanpal K Ruprai, Gada Mahrouse & Indu Vashist, Satwinder Kaur Bains, Jaspreet Gill
6:30 Closing Remarks and Reception

RESEARCH +  SAFAR   =  HELPS Policy Makers , Community, Orgs
Research: The Sikh feminist perspective is inherent within Sikhi’s fundamental message of equality and egalitarianism, however research and scholarship exploring Sikh feminism exists in limitation, has restricted access and is widely unacknowledged

SAFAR: Safar’s mission is to conduct, collect and openly share research that analyzes and addresses the  issues of gender inequality.

HOW IT HELPS: In addition to encouraging education and academic advancement amongst the community, open access to this research will provide grassroot community organizations,  policy makers, and NGOs, with resources and support to strengthen their work for action towards addressing gender inequality.

For more information please contact:
Preet Kaur Virdi (preet.virdi@gmail.com), Tarnjit Johal (tarnjitjohan@gmail.com)
http://ourjourneys.eventbrite.com

 Prepare your child for a bright future, a program offered through  Community Empowerment and Education Directorate  (CEED) of UNITED SIKHS.
Enrollment is Now Open for 2011 – 2012

We are providing homework help for students of 3rd grade through 8th Grade. Our teachers are experienced and  subject matter experts. Register now for 2011-2012 session. The program is for students from 3rd Grade – 8th Grade. Get to next level or help in weak areas of- Mathematics,  English & Science.

Academic Excellence provided through individual 1 on 1 Homework help

Limited seats only

Enrollment Fee / Month:

$175-3rd and 4th grade

$200-5th and 6th grade

$225– 7th and 8th grade

 Donations are welcome & limited numbers of scholarships available for underprivileged students

Contact: Email: unitedsikhs-cali@unitedsikhs.org | 1-510-999-7726 | Address: 39126 State Street, Freemont, California, CA 94538 USA | www.unitedsikhs.org

UNITED SIKHS, A NON-PROFIT, NON-GOVERNMENTAL HUMAN DEVELOPLMENT ORGANIZATION