Reflections | | Page 7

A young Sikh ties his turban in front of a mirror. (adapted photo from Turban King)

Wearing a turban at school for the first time

March 21, 2013 by American Turban Guest Contributor

Gurmun Singh is a young Sikh high school student in California who just this week wore a full turban at school for the first time. He was nice enough to share his thoughts about his experience on this blog. Thank you and congratulations, Gurmun! I was born in New York, but now I live in California. I am 14 years old and I go to Sheldon High School as a freshman. I decided to wear a dastaar (turban) on Wednesday […]

Categories: Reflections • Tags: California, dastaar, Gurmun Singh, Turban

Last week, American Idol said goodbye to five contestants, including Gurpreet Singh Sarin. (source: @AmericanIdol)

Thank you, Gurpreet Singh Sarin

March 5, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Last Friday, a friend and I were catching up with each other as we often do each week. We are a bit of an odd couple: he is a clean-shaven white man with no hair on his head, and I am a brown man with a turban, long hair, mustache and beard. Despite these differences, we have been good friends for almost eight years. During the course of our conversation, he shared with me one that he had with his […]

Categories: Art, Reflections, TV/Movies • Tags: American Idol, Gurpreet Singh Sarin

Harleen Kaur shares about volunteering for nonprofit newspaper

February 28, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Harleen Kaur, a university student and activist, describes the challenges and learnings about volunteering in the office of the nonprofit newspaper Groundcover News: I have realized what a great effort and passion it takes to maintain such dedication. Even when the work is this difficult, I have never seen a hint of despair or a sense of wanting to give up. According to their website, Groundcover News, located in Michigan, is one of many publications that “exist in cities all […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Profiles, Reflections • Tags: Ann Arbor, Groundcover News, Harleen Kaur, Michigan, Street newspaper

For I have seen the patka on your soul

February 26, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Making its way through social media today is a website called Patka Spotting. According to the website: Patka Spotting was created for the sole purpose to shout out all the guys in our community who are just too old to be wearing children’s patka’s around and about. A patka is the head-covering commonly worn by Sikh children — mainly boys — before they adopt the full turban as adults. Much like a bandana, a patka is a small piece of […]

Categories: Reflections • Tags: bullying, patka, Patka Spotting, Turban

Sikholars 2013 Presenters (source: Jakara Movement)

Reflecting on the 2013 Sikholars Graduate Student Conference

February 26, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Ten days ago, I attended the fourth annual Sikholars Graduate Student Conference that took place at picturesque Stanford University in Stanford, California. I would like to formally thank Jakara Movement for this year’s event, and extend my appreciation to all of the presenters, panelists, moderators, volunteers and attendees who made this year’s conference so enriching. In the realm of Sikh academia, I consider myself a lay person. However, I have been a fan of this conference since I attended the […]

Categories: Events, Reflections • Tags: California, Jakara Movement, Sikholars, Stanford University

Six months since the Oak Creek, WI, Gurdwara shooting

February 5, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Today marks six months since the mass shooting of Sikhs in their place of worship by a white supremacist in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. In recognition of this span of time, filmmakers Valarie Kaur and Sharat Raju released a short film entitled Oak Creek: In Memoriam which recounts that fateful moment and the days since. On this day, the Sikh Coalition provided an update about their activities in the Oak Creek, Wisconsin, area in educating city officials, law enforcement and school […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, Reflections • Tags: Oak Creek, Oak Creek: In Memoriam, Sharat Raju, Sikh Coalition, Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, Steve Scaffidi, Valarie Kaur, White supremacy, Wisconsin

The Top 5 Sikh American Stories of 2012: Honorable mentions

January 24, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

For each of five days, I looked at what I considered as the Top 5 Sikh American Stories of 2012: The Oak Creek Massacre Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana Victories in employment equality The inspiring grace of Balpreet Kaur Sikh Americans celebrate a century All of these stories were significant in relation to Sikh Americans during the year. However, there were several events during 2012 that arguably could be considered among the top five stories (and, while the “top five” list […]

Categories: Reflections • Tags: Barack Obama, Darbar Sahib, Democratic National Convention, Dr. Onkar Bindra, FlyRights, Golden Temple, Harpreet Singh Saini, Ishwar Singh, Jay Leno, Jusleen Kaur, Michelle Obama, Mitt Romney, Republican National Convention, Ricky Gill, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, White House

The Top 5 Sikh American Stories of 2012: Sikh Americans celebrate a century

January 11, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The year 2012 would mark a milestone for Sikhs in America. In late September, Sikh Americans in California’s central valley region celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of the establishment of the Gurdwara in Stockton, California. Recognized as the nation’s first and oldest Sikh house of worship, the Stockton Gurdwara Sahib was founded in 1912, and is associated with significant points in Sikh American history. According to the Stockton Record: » It has a direct link to Indian independence and was […]

Categories: Events, Reflections • Tags: Jerry McNerney, Sikh Centennial, Sikhism in the United States, Stockton Gurdwara Centennial Celebration, Tom McClintock, Top 5 Sikh American Stories

Photo of Balpreet Kaur posted on Reddit. (source: Reddit)

The Top 5 Sikh American Stories of 2012: The inspiring grace of Balpreet Kaur

January 10, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In September, one Sikh American woman from Ohio became an inspiration to Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike. Balpreet Kaur was standing in line at the airport when an individual surreptitiously took her photo and posted it on the website Reddit, with the caption: “I’m not sure what to conclude from this.” The object of the photo was an attempt at mockery. Among the first 100 responses to the posting on Reddit were harsh and derogatory comments about Balpreet Kaur’s facial hair, […]

Categories: Reflections, Sikhism • Tags: Balpreet Kaur, Huffington Post, Reddit, Top 5 Sikh American Stories, Women in Sikhism

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Category Archives: Reflections