Civil Rights |

Sonny Singh at a rally in New York. (Source: with WINGS and ROOTS)

with WINGS and ROOTS seeks public support

June 11, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

with WINGS and ROOTS is a documentary currently in production by filmmaker Christina Antonakos-Wallace in which she is presenting the stories of five people, living either in Berlin or New York, who come from recent immigrant communities. The film highlights the individual and collective struggles of immigrants in their societies. Among the individuals featured in the film is Sonny Singh, a Sikh living in New York. Part of his story became the topic of the 2011 short film Article of […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, TV/Movies • Tags: Article of Faith, Berlin, Christina Antonakos-Wallace, Germany, New York, Sonny Singh, Where are you from from?, with WINGS and ROOTS

"Widening the Lens on Boys and Men of Color." (Source: Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy)

The experiences of Asian American males in California

June 11, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The website Colorlines summarizes seven findings of a study entitled “Widening the Lens on Boys and Men of Color” by the organization Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP). The seven findings presented by Colorlines about boys and men in the Californian Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) and Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian (what the study abbreviates as “AMEMSA”) communities debunk the “model minority” myth that is often used to describe Asian Americans. One such conclusion discusses the experiences of […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Reports/Studies • Tags: AAPI, AAPIP, AMEMSA, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, Bhujangi Youth Academy, bullying, California, Colorlines, Jakara Movement, model minority, Widening the Lens on Boys and Men of Color

The bigotry over there

May 31, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

A YouTube video posted by a Japanese high school teacher (nod to Karaminder for the link) describes the revelation that his students did not recognize racist attitudes within their own country or society, thinking of it as an “American” problem: I was surprised to find out that almost all of my high school students (about 1000 students) were not aware of the racism and discrimination that goes on in Japan. Racism and discrimination in Japan does exist, however, it is […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Reflections, Reports/Studies • Tags: caste system, Japan, Martin Luther King, Racism, United States

Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi (Photo source: Sikh Coalition)

Picture of the Day: Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi

May 30, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Tomorrow, Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi, one of the few Sikh Americans who has received an exemption to serve in the US military with his articles of faith intact, will be testifying in support of allowing Sikhs to serve in the US military without requiring a special exception to grooming requirements. From the Sikh Coalition: This Friday, May 31, at 1:30 EST, Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi, a Bronze Star Medal recipient, will testify before the United States Commission on Civil Rights […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Picture of the Day • Tags: Bronze Star Medal, Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi, Sikh Coalition, United States Commission on Civil Rights, US Army, US military

Jasdeep Singh of Jakara Movement Misl Fresno discusses community engagement projects to help prevent future hate crime attacks in the community. (Source: YouTube)

A community effort against hate crimes

May 24, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Jasdeep Singh of Jakara Movement in Fresno, California, describes the community’s response to the alleged hate-motivated assault on 82-year-old Piara Singh almost two weeks ago: Animosity and hatred fester in places where people do not engage, interact and share with one another. Law enforcement can react but not prevent; the same is also true of legislation. One should not need to be “educated” or even require greater “awareness” to know not to attack innocent, elderly men. Read more at The […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, Interfaith • Tags: California, Fresno, hate crimes, Jakara Movement, Jasdeep Singh, Piara Singh

President Barack Obama outlines future counter-terrorism efforts in a speech on May 23, 2013. (Source: The Washington Post)

What the President said, and didn’t say, about the Oak Creek, WI, shooting

May 23, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In his speech today about the US government’s counter-terrorism activities and strategy, President Barack Obama made reference to home-grown radicalized “individuals”, citing explicitly the mass shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek last August: Finally, we face a real threat from radicalized individuals here in the United States. Whether it’s a shooter at a Sikh Temple in Wisconsin; a plane flying into a building in Texas; or the extremists who killed 168 people at the Federal Building […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, Politics • Tags: Barack Obama, hate crimes, Oak Creek, Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, Terrorism, White supremacy, Wisconsin

The Indian Disconnect

May 21, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

About two months ago, I observed the continuing engagement by representatives of the Indian government with the Sikh American community, which in that instance took the form of an exhibition on Sikh heritage in Atlanta, Georgia, sponsored by the Government of India. This exhibit has just recently been presented in Washington, D.C., as well, and it is consistent with increased engagement and activity related to the Sikh American community — be it directly, or through lobbying of US officials — […]

Categories: 1984, Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: 1984, 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Government of India, November 1984, Sajjan Kumar

A taxi driver who was a victim of a stabbing speaks to the media while surrounded by supporters in August, 2010. (Seth Wenig | AP. Source: Christian Science Monitor)

Mitigating hate speech

May 15, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

At a panel discussion (about hate crimes faced by Sikh Americans) organized by law students at the University of Miami last month, law professor David Abraham discusses hate speech, hate crimes and the complexities around legislation to address them: “The U.S. is at the individualist and libertarian extreme. We let Nazis march in Jewish neighborhoods, Klansmen burn crosses, and talk radio go bonkers. Responding to their own historical experiences, other countries see speech as a contribution to democracy, and by […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes • Tags: Arvind Singh, David Abraham, hate crime, hate crimes, Hate speech, University of Miami

US DoJ settles with Georgia school district in case of bullied Sikh student

May 10, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In Georgia, the DeKalb County School District in Stone Mountain recently reached a settlement agreement with the US Department of Justice in the case of a Sikh student who was harassed and bullied in a middle school in their district: The complaint said school officials did nothing to help the boy, who had allegedly been subjected to verbal and physical harassment because of his Sikh faith. According to the complaint, a student had tried to cut the boy’s hair, he […]

Categories: Civil Rights • Tags: bullying, Civil Rights Act of 1964, David Woo, DeKalb County School District, Georgia, Neel, Sikh Coalition, Stone Mountain, Title IV, United States Department of Justice

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Category Archives: Civil Rights