“Washington |

The impact of 1907’s Bellingham Riots on civil rights today

November 30, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA) recently posted to their website a documentary entitled “Present In All That We Do“, that discusses the Bellingham Riots and the impact today of those attacks on migrant Sikh and Indian laborers in Washington State in 1907: Present in All That We Do (2007) is a 58 minute-long documentary that connects the 1907 “Anti-Hindu” riot in Bellingham, Washington to contemporary struggles for immigrant rights in Whatcom County. Written by Andrew Hedden and Ian […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, Resources • Tags: "Washington, Bellingham, Bellingham riots, Present In All That We Do, SAADA, South Asian American Digital Archive

D.C.’s National Gurdwara heading to the auction block

August 16, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The National Gurdwara, located on Massachussetts Avenue in Washington, D.C., is in dire financial straits. Built in 2005, the Gurdwara (Sikh house of worship) is located in the heart of D.C. – steps away from the National Cathedral and only a few miles away from the White House – and claims to be the only Gurdwara in Washington. However, despite its lofty goals, it seems that the Gurdwara has become too mired in politics and poor management to be able to […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: "Washington, D.C.", National Gurdwara, SGPC, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Washington D.C.

Vaisakhi celebrations across the country close out April

May 11, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

While Sikhs usually celebrate Vaisakhi in the middle of April, there were several celebrations around the country that took place on the April 30 – May 1 weekend, and we are given the opportunity to read the local coverage about these celebrations: “Free Meals at Sikh Day Festival on Madison Ave. ” – New York’s “Sikh Day Parade” was covered by the New York Times, who unfortunately was more enraptured by the concept of free food than the opportunity to educate […]

Categories: Events • Tags: "Washington, Anderson, California, Marysville, New York, Queens, Redding, Vaisakhi

Vaisakhi celebrations continue across the United States

April 27, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Sikhs around the country are continuing to celebrate Vaisakhi and are opening up to their local communities in the process: Lansing, Michigan: Last weekend, the Guru Nanak Sikh Center in Lansing, Michigan organized their seventh annual Nagar Kirtan through downtown Lansing, which included an estimated 2,000 people from around the Midwest to celebrate Vaisakhi, as reported in the Lansing State Journal: Attendees came from as far away as Wisconsin, Ohio and Illinois for the largest Sikh harvest and religious celebration in the Midwest, […]

Categories: Events • Tags: "Washington, Guru Granth Sahib, Lansing, Louisiana, Lynden, Michigan, Nagar Kirtan, New Orleans, Vaisakhi

The Sikh Coalition faces racial profiling, cont’d

April 5, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

It was at this moment that I realized we were being profiled and that what made us “suspicious” in the eyes of some misinformed bigot were our turbans. I clarified to the 3 officers that we are actually from South Asia; requested their business cards; and told them that we would “be in touch.” At long last, we made our way to the Capitol Visitor Center, where Gurwinder delivered an excellent presentation with poise and incredible grace, only moments after […]

Categories: Civil Rights, News Bits • Tags: "Washington, D.C.", Gurwinder Singh, Racial profiling, Rajdeep Singh, Sikh Coalition

The Sikh Coalition faces racial profiling

April 4, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

From the Sikh Coalition’s (one of the first national Sikh-focused civil rights organizations in the country) Facebook page today: The irony speaks for itself, and I’m very much interested to hear more details.

Categories: Civil Rights, News Bits • Tags: "Washington, D.C.", Facebook, Gurwinder Singh, Racial profiling, Sikh Coalition

Can’t see the religion for the buildings

November 12, 2010 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

“I am sorry I failed.” — D.C. Superior Court Judge Bruce Beaudin, on his attempts to bring resolution to the dispute over the National Gurdwara in Washington, D.C. Such disputes involving Gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship) are all too common in North America. Many Gurdwaras are plagued with an over-emphasis on buildings, personal ambition, and finances. A visit to this Gurdwara’s website takes the visitor to a page asking for donations to keep it afloat. The Gurdwara is surrounded by such […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: "Washington, D.C.", Gurdwara disputes, National Gurdwara

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Tag: “Washington