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House Rep. Bera seeks CA Hall of Fame for Dalip Singh Saund

June 28, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In May, US House Representative Mark Takano of California honored Dalip Singh Saund in the House Chamber as part of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Dalip Singh held the same seat from 1957 to 1963 as the first Asian American, Indian American and Sikh American House Representative in the United States. Yesterday, during a speech in the House Chamber, Representative Ami Bera, an Indian American, called on California Governor Jerry Brown to induct Dalip Singh into the California Hall of […]

Categories: Politics • Tags: Ami Bera, California Hall of Fame, Dalip Singh Saund, Jerry Brown, Mark Takano, United States House of Representatives

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California Governor Jerry Brown (seated) signs AB1964 and SB1540 into law at a rally at the California State Capitol last Saturday. Assembly Member Mariko Yamada (standing left of the Governor), Dr. Onkar Bindra (standing right of the Governor) and Sikh Coalition Advocacy Manager Simran Kaur (far right) joined the Governor. (source: Instagram user i2theb)

The Top 5 Sikh American Stories of 2012: Victories in employment equality

January 9, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In 2012, there were two significant achievements for Sikh Americans in the realm of employment discrimination on each side of the country: the decision by Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department to accept observant Sikhs as full police officers, and the signing of a workplace religious freedom act in California. Both achievements have the potential to act as precedents for further success in dealing with employment discrimination that Sikhs have faced in the United States due to lack of accommodation of […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Reflections • Tags: AB1964, California, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Employment Discrimination, Jerry Brown, Mariko Yamada, Metropolitan Police Department, SALDEF, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sikh Coalition, Top 5 Sikh American Stories, Washington DC, Workplace Religious Freedom Act

US DoJ investigating CA Department of Corrections over beard ban

November 8, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Earlier last year, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) reached a settlement with Trilochan Singh Oberoi in his employment discrimination case against their refusal to hire him as a correctional officer unless he shaved his uncut beard, a Sikh article of faith. Despite reaching a settlement and offering Trilochan Singh a position elsewhere in the organization, the CDCR still would not change its policy. Where the discrimination lies is in that the CDCR had made medical exemptions for […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: AB1964, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, CDCR, DOJ, Harmeet Kaur Dhillon, Jerry Brown, Mariko Yamada, Trilochan Singh Oberoi, United States Justice Department, Workplace Religious Freedom Act

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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Ask CA Governor Jerry Brown to sign laws that impact Sikhs

August 30, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On blog The Langar Hall, Sundari describes two important bills currently on the desk of California Governor Jerry Brown. These proposals are of direct importance to California’s Sikh community. Public support is needed to convince him enact the bills into law by the end of September: AB1964 – Workplace Religious Freedom Act: SIGN THE PETITION If this bill moves forward and becomes law, it will sharply reduce job discrimination against Sikhs and other religious minorities and guarantee equal employment opportunity […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Politics • Tags: AB1964, California, Jerry Brown, SB1540, Sikh Coalition, Social science, The Langar Hall, Workplace Religious Freedom Act

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Picture of the Day: New Punjabi American museum exhibit opens in Yuba City, California

April 2, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Showcasing the story of the Punjabi American and South Asian migration to the United States is a valuable and needed resource for current and future generations. I congratulate all the individuals and families along with the Punjabi American Heritage Society of Yuba City for their dedication and hard work for the successful completion of this project. — California Governor Jerry Brown (as quoted in the Punjabi American Heritage Society press release) on the opening of the Becoming American exhibit at […]

Categories: Art, Picture of the Day • Tags: Becoming American, California, Community Memorial Museum of Sutter County, Fresno, Jerry Brown, Maharaja, Punjabi American Heritage Society, San Francisco, Sikhs: Legacy of the Punjab, Yuba City

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Reward Bulletin seeking tips and assistance for the investigation into the murders of Surinder Singh and Gurmej Atwal

Search for killers of Elk Grove, CA Sikhs continues

October 17, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Yesterday, volunteers from the Sikh and Elk Grove, California (a suburb of Sacramento) communities gathered at the scene of the unsolved murders of Surinder Singh and Gurmej Atwal, two elderly Sikh friends who were out on their routine afternoon walk in March of this year. Both men were shot in a drive-by shooting in broad daylight and were killed. Their murders – suspected as a hate crime – have not been solved. Yesterday’s gathering was a “Day of Action” as volunteers – […]

Categories: Events, Hate Crimes • Tags: Amar Shergill, Bryan Noblett, California, Darshan Mundy, Day of Action, Elk Grove, Elk Grove Police Department, Gurmej Atwal, hate crime, Jerry Brown, Sacramento, Sophia Scherman, Steve Detrick, Surinder Singh

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Thousands attend expanded Sikh Gurdwara-San Jose's opening

Sikhs in America begin Vaisakhi celebrations

April 11, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

This week marks the celebration of Baisakhi or Vaisakhi, which is the most auspicious of celebrations on the Sikh religious calendar: Vaisakhi (Punjabi: ਵਸਾਖੀ, vaisākhī, is, as well, known as Baisakhi), it is a very important day for Sikhs and one of the most colourful events in the Sikh calendar. It occurs during mid-April every year and traditionally concurs in Punjab with the first harvesting of the crops for the year. So, historically, it has been a very joyous occasion and […]

Categories: Events, Sikhism • Tags: Baisakhi, California, Espanola, Gurdwara, Gurumustuk Singh, Jerry Brown, New Mexico, Rajinder Kaur Bains, Sacramento, San Jose, Syracuse, Vaisakhi, West Sacramento

US Dept. of Justice vs. California – protecting a Sikh’s rights in prison

March 17, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Should practicing Sikhs be allowed to pursue their faith while in prison? This debate is occuring not only among Sikhs and non-Sikhs, but also between the federal and state governments. The United States Department of Justice has filed a legal suit against the State of California for violating the civil rights of Sikh inmate Sukhjinder Singh Basra: The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the state of California, Governor Jerry Brown and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation […]

Categories: Civil Rights, News Bits • Tags: California, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Jagmohan Singh Ahuja, Jerry Brown, Kamala Harris, prison, Rastafarian, Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, Sukhjinder Singh Basra, Trilochan Singh Oberoi, United States Department of Justice

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Tag: Jerry Brown

House Rep. Bera seeks CA Hall of Fame for Dalip Singh Saund

The Top 5 Sikh American Stories of 2012: Victories in employment equality

US DoJ investigating CA Department of Corrections over beard ban

Picture of the Day: New Punjabi American museum exhibit opens in Yuba City, California

Search for killers of Elk Grove, CA Sikhs continues

Sikhs in America begin Vaisakhi celebrations

US Dept. of Justice vs. California – protecting a Sikh’s rights in prison