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Round-up: American Sikhs who won elections during the US 2018 Midterms

December 20, 2018 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

A number of American Sikhs won local races in various jurisdictions around the country during the 2018 midterms.

Categories: Politics • Tags: 2018 elections, 2018 Midterms, Ajmar Johal, Anaheim, Bobby Singh-Allen, California, Carteret, Elk Grove, Fresno, Gagandeep Kang, Galt, Gurpal Samra, Harry Sidhu, J.R. Thiara, Jag Bains, Jasbir Judge, Lathrop, Live Oak, Livingston, Naindeep Singh Chann, Natomas, New Jersey, Paul Sandhu, Raj Chahal, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Santa Clara, Sarabjit Kaur Cheema, Sikh candidates, Sim Gill, Simran Kaur, Sonny Dhaliwal, Tracy, Union City, Utah

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"Freshman back Sofia Walia is one of two Sikh players on the Knights’ roster this season. She has nine points for Rutgers." (Photo: Tian Li | The Daily Targum)

Firsts in NCAA field hockey

October 23, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Sofia Walia and Ashpal Kaur Bhogal — two Sikh women at Rutgers University in New Jersey — have become the first Sikh women to play NCAA Division I field hockey (it turns out that they are not the first — see update below): “It’s great because there are a lot of Sikh people on campus but they’re not involved in a lot of activities, especially sports,” [Sikh Student Association President Simran Farmah] said. “We never really had any Sikh athletes. […]

Categories: Profiles • Tags: Amrit Cheema, Ashpal Kaur Bhogal, Division I, field hockey, National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA, New Jersey, Rutgers University, Scarlett Knights, Sharan Kalla, Sofia Walia

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"No injuries were reported and no arrests made when unrest between hundreds brewed Sunday afternoon at the Glen Rock [New Jersey] temple. " (Source: Ridgewood-Glen Rock Patch)

Conflicts at Gurdwaras in NJ and CA last Sunday

June 5, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

It happens with disgusting frequency in our Gurdwaras when conflicts develop into physical acts of violence in and around our sacred spaces. Last November, an especially violent riot took place at a Gurdwara in Yuba City, California, and just this past weekend, Sikh communities in Glen Rock, New Jersey, and in Turlock, California, bore witness to the condemnable acts of the demented. It is unclear what the reasons of the conflict were in either case. At the Siri Guru Singh […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: California, Glen Rock, Gurdwara, Gurdwara conflict, New Jersey, Turlock

"A flag waves in the wind atop a flagpole wrapped in orange material outside the Sikh Sabha of New Jersey, located in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, in celebration of Vaisakhi" (source: Michael Mancuso/The Times of Trenton)

Vaisakhi celebrations continue across the United States

April 16, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On Sunday, I had the pleasure of attending the Vaisakhi celebration at the Sikh Center of Pacific Coast Gurdwara in Selma, California, which brought together a large gathering of Sikhs from the Fresno County area for a Nagar Kirtan (religious procession). It was very well attended and the atmosphere was quite festive. A local television station covered the celebrations in Selma, which you can watch here. I certainly enjoyed my first visit to this Gurdwara and celebrating with them the […]

Categories: Events, Sikhism • Tags: Albany, Bothell, California, Dallas, Lawrenceville, Los Angeles, Nagar Kirtan, New Jersey, Niskayuna, Niskayuna Gurdwara Sahib, Seattle, Selma, Sikh Center of Pacific Coast, Sikh Center of Seattle, Sikh Sabha of New Jersey, Southern Methodist University, Stockton, Texas, Vaisakhi

"Kirty Singh, Gurwinder Singh, Namit Satara plan an upcoming trip to Washington D.C. for members of the Sikh Junior Coalition." (credit: Jo Piazza | The Wall Street Journal)

Sikh Coalition program empowers Sikh youth to tackle challenges

April 10, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

An article in The Wall Street Journal describes the Junior Sikh Coalition, a Sikh youth group in the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut area organized by the Sikh Coalition to develop leadership skills among young Sikhs and to take on issues such as school bullying: “When we were alone it was really hard,” said Rajan Kaur, a 17-year-old from Morristown, N.J. “But, when we are together we feel like we can accomplish anything.” When I was a young student, I was often […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Profiles • Tags: bullying, Connecticut, Gurwinder Singh, Junior Sikh Coalition, Kirty Singh, Namit Satara, New Jersey, New York, Rajan Kaur, Sikh Coalition, Wall Street Journal

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Savraj Singh (from "Turbans Do Not Equal Terrorism")

Raising awareness about Sikhs in the northeast

March 28, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

A short documentary by Colleen McKown provides a profile of Savraj Singh, who provides presentations around his community to increase awareness about Sikh Americans (via @sikhswim): Savraj Singh gives awareness presentations about Sikhism throughout New York and New Jersey to help combat the estimated 700 hate crimes that have been committed against Sikhs since 9/11. Because of their turbans and beards and because many Americans are unfamiliar with the faith, Sikhs are sometimes incorrectly associated with terrorism. You can view […]

Categories: Profiles, TV/Movies • Tags: Colleen McKown, New Jersey, New York, Savraj Singh

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Ravinder Singh Bhalla (center) with Congress Members Mike Honda (left) and Ami Bera (right) at a fundraiser last night.

Picture of the Day: Ravi Bhalla receives prominent support for another run in NJ

March 1, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Two years ago, Ravinder “Ravi” Singh Bhalla, a city councilor in Hoboken, New Jersey, came up short in his bid for a seat in New Jersey’s State Legislature. Since that time, he has continued to serve on Hoboken’s city council, including a term as President of the City Council. He is now considering another run for the New Jersey State Legislature. Last night, at a fundraiser for his campaign, he received the support of US House Representatives Mike Honda and […]

Categories: Picture of the Day, Politics • Tags: Ami Bera, Cory Booker, Hoboken, Mike Honda, New Jersey, Ravi Bhalla, Ravinder Singh Bhalla

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The Interfaith Youth Choir singing on Monday. (Credit: Elizabeth Lara/ NorthJersey.com)

Picture of the Day: New Jersey children’s interfaith choir

February 19, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

“Our work is how do we create a city without sorrow, that’s what harmony is about,’’ he said. “Harmony is not about converting everyone to what you like, but harmony is about working with everyone to create a great society.” — Harinder Singh, of the Sikh Research Institute, comments as the keynote speaker at an interfaith event held by the Interfaith Brotherhood/Sisterhood of Bergen County in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, on Monday. Read more about the event at NorthJersey.com.

Categories: Interfaith, Picture of the Day • Tags: Harinder Singh, Hasbrouck Heights, Interfaith Brotherhood/Sisterhood of Bergen County, New Jersey, Sikh Research Institute

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Snatam Kaur (source: YouTube user sopurkh)

Snatam Kaur’s “I am a Sikh”

January 30, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In the video above, spiritual vocalist Snatam Kaur provides an overview of the Sikh faith. The beautifully narrated video is filmed at the Gurdwara in Bridgewater, New Jersey and is dedicated to the Sikhs who were murdered at the Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin last August: In the honor and memory of those people who lost their lives at the Oak Creek Wisconsin Gurdwara (Sikh temple) shooting in the summer of 2012. Snatam Kaur, along with the Sikh community of […]

Categories: Sikhism • Tags: Bridgewater, New Jersey, Oak Creek, Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, Snatam Kaur, Wisconsin

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Tag: New Jersey

Round-up: American Sikhs who won elections during the US 2018 Midterms

Firsts in NCAA field hockey

Conflicts at Gurdwaras in NJ and CA last Sunday

Vaisakhi celebrations continue across the United States

Sikh Coalition program empowers Sikh youth to tackle challenges

Raising awareness about Sikhs in the northeast

Picture of the Day: Ravi Bhalla receives prominent support for another run in NJ

Picture of the Day: New Jersey children’s interfaith choir

Snatam Kaur’s “I am a Sikh”