California | | Page 11

When a Sikh runs: the irony of California’s 9th Congressional District

October 17, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Tonight, I attended the 100th Anniversary of the local Sikh temple in #Stockton. Congratulations to the community. It was an honor to attend — Jerry McNerney (@RepMcNerney) October 14, 2012 During last Saturday’s celebrations to celebrate the Centennial of the Stockton, California, Gurdwara, in addition to having the opportunity to listen to Ricky Gill (Republican candidate for California’s 9th Congressional District) speak, I also was interested to hear the congratulatory words offered to the Sikh community by Representative Jerry McNerney, […]

Categories: Politics • Tags: California, California 9th Congressional District, Jerry McNerney, Oak Creek, Ricky Gill, Stockton Gurdwara Centennial Celebration, Stockton Gurdwara Sahib, Wisconsin

Picture of the Day: Centennial Nagar Kirtan in Stockton, CA

October 16, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On Sunday, Sikhs in Stockton, California held a Nagar Kirtan (religious procession) through the city as the final celebration of the Centennial festivities of the Stockton Gurdwara Sahib, established 100 years ago: STOCKTON – The Sikh community came from near and far this weekend to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Stockton Gurdwara – a temple on South Grant Street that holds special meaning, because it represents the first permanent Sikh settlement in the United States. A weekend of events, […]

Categories: Events, Picture of the Day • Tags: California, Nagar Kirtan, Stockton, Stockton Gurdwara Centennial Celebration, Stockton Gurdwara Sahib

Republican candidate for California's 9th Congressional District Ricky Gill posted this photo of his attendance at a birthday celebration for the US Navy on Saturday night. After this article on American Turban, the Gill campaign deleted the photo. (source: Ricky Gill campaign Facebook page)

When a Sikh runs: the curious case of Ricky Gill

October 15, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The case of Republican candidate for Congress Ricky Gill, running against incumbent Jerry McNerney to represent California’s 9th Congressional District, makes for an interesting study about a Sikh American seeking public office in this country. His campaign, and his reluctance to publicly acknowledge his Sikh background, has been a recurring topic on this blog. On Saturday night, I had the opportunity to observe Ricky Gill in person. I had attended the Centennial celebration of the Stockton Gurdwara — which is […]

Categories: Politics • Tags: Bobby Jindal, California, Jerry McNerney, Nikki Haley, Republican Party, Ricky Gill, Stockton, Stockton Gurdwara Centennial Celebration, Stockton Gurdwara Sahib

Picture of the Day: Ghadar Party Printing Press

October 14, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On Saturday evening, I attended the Centennial festivities at the Stockton Gurdwara Sahib in Stockton, California, which, founded in 1912, is considered the first and oldest Gurdwara in the United States. In many ways, for Sikh Americans, this Gurdwara represents our first formal foothold in this country. Saturday’s event enjoyed a celebratory atmosphere that brought out many local, state and federal politicians and officials, and many of the who’s who within the Sikh American community. During this celebration, it was […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Picture of the Day, Reflections • Tags: California, Ghadar, Ghadar Party, Indian independence movement, printing press, Stockton, Stockton Gurdwara Centennial Celebration, Stockton Gurdwara Sahib, The Ghadar

Stockton, CA Gurdwara Centennial Celebration concludes this weekend

October 11, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

WHEREAS, The faithful service of the Sikh American community to this state and country merits appreciation as an integral thread in the fabric of American plurality; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature recognizes October 13, 2012, as the 100-year anniversary of the Sikh American community, and calls upon the people of California to commemorate the day with appropriate celebrations; — excerpt from the State of California […]

Categories: Events, Politics • Tags: AB1964, ACR 97, California, History-Social Science Framework, Proclamation, SB1540, SCR 104, Sikh American Awareness and Appreciation Month, Sikh Centennial, Stockton, Stockton Gurdwara Centennial Celebration, Stockton Gurdwara Sahib, Workplace Religious Freedom Act

Call for Papers announced for fourth annual Sikholars Graduate Student Conference

October 10, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The fourth annual Sikholars Graduate Student Conference is scheduled to be held at Stanford University in Stanford, California, from February 16-17, 2013. The Call for Papers has now been announced: In anticipation of the fourth annual Sikholars: Sikh Graduate Student Conference, we are pleased to announce our call for papers. The Sikholars conference has attracted young scholars from over three continents and twenty–five universities. With topics ranging from Khalistan to Unix Coding, from sex-selective abortion to diasporic literature, from Nihangs […]

Categories: Events • Tags: California, Call for Papers, Jakara Movement, Sikholars, Stanford University

Picture of the Day: The Punjabi-Mexican-Americans

October 8, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

A recent article in the Washington Post discusses the fading history of Punjabi-Mexican Americans who arose from the unions of Punjabi (and predominantly Sikh) men with Mexican women at the turn of the twentieth century, largely in California, as a result of strict immigration and citizenship policies: “Many Punjabis married the Mexican women that worked on their land because of their cultural similarities and proximity,” [Karen Leonard, author of “Making Ethnic Choices: California’s Punjabi-Mexican-Americans“] explained. “And when they’d show up at […]

Categories: Picture of the Day • Tags: California, Karen Leonard, Making Ethnic Choices: California’s Punjabi-Mexican-Americans, Punjabi Mexican Americans, Sikh diaspora

NBC Bay Area news footage of the Sikh Coalition's 5K for the 5Ks fundraising event on Saturday, September 22, 2012 (source: NBC Bay Area)

Thoughts on attending the Sikh Coalition’s “5K for the 5Ks” event

September 25, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Last Saturday, I was in the Bay Area to attend the Sikh Coalition’s “5K for the 5Ks” fundraising event in Sunnyvale, California. It was a very enjoyable event, and I was happy to meet in person many people I’ve seen online or in other forums. It was friendly atmosphere among the participants and organizers. I was particularly taken by the display of the variety of talent in our community during the event. Many thanks to the Sikh Coalition, their staff, […]

Categories: Art, Events, Reflections • Tags: 5K for the 5Ks, California, Chardi Kalakari, Kalakari Collective, Sikh Coalition, Sunnyvale

Is the US becoming more hostile with respect to religion?

September 21, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Released this week, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life’s 2010 update of its Rising Tide of Restrictions on Religion report ranks religious restrictions and “social hostility” involving religion among countries around the globe: Among the world’s 25 most populous countries, Egypt, Indonesia, Russia, Burma (Myanmar), Iran, Vietnam, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Nigeria stand out as having the most restrictions on religion as of mid-2010 when government restrictions and social hostilities both are taken into account. Brazil, Japan, Italy, […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, Reports/Studies • Tags: California, New York, Pew Research Center, Rising Tide of Restrictions on Religion, Workplace Religious Freedom Act

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Tag: California