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Busy upcoming weekend for California’s Sikhs

September 20, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

This weekend will be a busy one for California’s Sikhs, with a variety of events from Saturday through Sunday. Sikhs celebrate a century in the United States Stockton, California, September 22-23 As previously mentioned, the Stockton Gurdwara in Stockton, California will celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the establishment of the Gurdwara — considered the oldest in America — with a conference on Saturday, September 22, entitled “The Sikh Journey to America“, at the Spanos Concert Hall at the University of […]

Categories: Events, TV/Movies • Tags: 3rd i, 5K for the 5Ks, Article of Faith, California, Roots of Love, San Francisco, San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival, Sikh Centennial, Sikh Coalition, Sikh I Am, Sikh Voices, Siklidar, Stockton, Sunnyvale

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California’s Workplace Religion Freedom Act rights the wrongs faced by our parents

September 19, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

When my Sikh father immigrated to America in 1970 to practice architecture, employers told him that he could have a job only if he removed his turban and shaved his beard. He refused to abandon his faith and took his first job as an office boy, sharpening pencils and making coffee for his fellow architects. For decades, Sikh fathers like mine and countless religious minorities around the nation have been offered a similarly false choice between religious freedom and self-fulfillment […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Reflections • Tags: AB1964, California, National Public Radio, NPR, Rajdeep Singh, Sikh Coalition, StoryCorps, Workplace Religious Freedom Act

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The bullying-hate crime link and the role of schools

September 17, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

“When we think of how we might prevent the tragedy that occurred at the Sikh gurudwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, we must look to the harassment endured by Sikh-American children in schools,” said Assistant Attorney General, Thomas E Perez, at a bullying prevention conference in California. He was referring to the August 5 attack on a Wisconsin gurudwara in which six Sikh worshippers were killed. “Here in the Bay area, according to a 2010 survey, three quarters of Sikh-American boys […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, Reflections, Reports/Studies • Tags: Bay Area Civil Rights Report 2010, bullying, California, Education, hate crimes, SB1540, Sikh Coalition, Texas, Thomas Perez

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CA Sikhs to celebrate 100 years in America on Sept. 22

September 14, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Located in Stockton, California, the oldest Gurdwara (Sikh house of worship) in the United States is celebrating its centenary this year. Events to commemorate the century-long establishment of Sikhs in this country begin next week with a conference in Stockton. From The Langar Hall: Beginning next weekend (Sept 22, 2012) on the campus of University of the Pacific (UOP), there will be a conference entitled “100 Years of Sikhs in the USA (A Western Perspective).” Dr. Bruce La Brack, a […]

Categories: Events • Tags: California, Sikh diaspora, Stockton, Stockton Gurdwara Centennial Celebration

Is a “man in a turban” unpatriotic?

September 13, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Satinder Singh Malhi, a member of the staff of California State Senator Mark DeSaulnier, talks about his experience growing up as a turban-wearing Sikh and how ignorance continues to impact him even today (via @sepiamutiny): After he appeared on DeSaulnier’s behalf at a Memorial Day ceremony this year, an angry mother of an Iraq War veteran emailed the senator, denouncing Malhi’s presence. She wrote that a man in a turban “is a poor choice to represent you” at a patriotic event. […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, Profiles • Tags: AB1964, California, California State Senate, Mark DeSaulnier, Oak Creek, Satinder Singh Malhi, Wisconsin, Workplace Religious Freedom Act

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Meet and dine with American Turban at the Sikh Coalition’s 5K fundraiser

September 12, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Have you ever wondered: “Who is American Turban?” On Saturday, September 22, the Sikh Coalition is holding their “5K for the 5Ks” run/walk fundraising event, and I have just confirmed my attendance to support the great work by the Sikh Coalition in Sikh American civil rights. This is your chance to meet me! Even better, I will treat the individual who donates the most to dinner in the Bay Area! To qualify, donate to my 5K for the 5Ks page […]

Categories: American Turban, Civil Rights, Events • Tags: 5K for the 5Ks, California, San Francisco Bay Area, Sikh Coalition

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Picture of the Day: A new day for California’s Sikhs

September 11, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

At a rally at the California State Capitol on Saturday, Governor Jerry Brown signed two bills that would help combat discrimination particularly faced by Sikhs: the California Workplace Religious Freedom Act (AB1964) and the History-Social Science Framework (SB1540). Joined by Assembly Member Mariko Yamada, who introduced AB1964, and Dr. Onkar Bindra, who championed SB1540, the Governor ushered in a new day for Sikh Californians, and set a precedent for such legislation across the country. Both laws take effect on January […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Picture of the Day, Politics • Tags: AB1964, California, Dr. Onkar Bindra, History-Social Science Framework, Jerry Brown, Mariko Yamada, Sacramento, SB1540, Sikh Coalition, Simran Kaur, Workplace Religious Freedom Act

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An outdoor mural in Sacramento, California

Picture of the Day: Interfaith rainbow in Sacramento, CA

September 6, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

A reader sends in this photo of a new mural on the side of a business in a main thoroughfare in Sacramento, California. The large painting features a depiction of Guru Nanak (far left), the founder of Sikhism, alongside representations of figures from other faith traditions all on a rainbow background (the color pattern could also be representative of times of day and night).

Categories: Art, Interfaith, Picture of the Day • Tags: California, Guru Nanak, interfaith, mural, Sacramento

Picture of the Day: Sikh delegates at the DNC

September 5, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Sikhs have a significant presence at this week’s Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. It has been reported that 26 of California’s 700 convention delegates are Sikhs, including a set of twins from Stockton, California (home of the oldest Gurdwara in the United States). After Ishwar Singh’s historic invocation at the Republican National Convention last week, Sikh Americans are certainly seeing a growing presence in this year’s election cycle. The growing presence and participation of Sikhs in the political […]

Categories: Picture of the Day, Politics • Tags: Bellingham riots, California, Charlotte, Democratic National Convention, North Carolina, Sikh delegates

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Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Tag: California

Busy upcoming weekend for California’s Sikhs

California’s Workplace Religion Freedom Act rights the wrongs faced by our parents

The bullying-hate crime link and the role of schools

CA Sikhs to celebrate 100 years in America on Sept. 22

Is a “man in a turban” unpatriotic?

Meet and dine with American Turban at the Sikh Coalition’s 5K fundraiser

Picture of the Day: Interfaith rainbow in Sacramento, CA

Picture of the Day: Sikh delegates at the DNC