Sign the Petition For Sikhs to be Counted by the US Census Bureau

New York, NY, USA: In an effort to be correctly counted by the 2010 United States Census, UNITED SIKHS is urging organizations and individuals to sign a petition for Sikhs to be counted correctly. With a sizable presence spanning the country, the total number of Sikhs in United States is based on estimates as Sikhs are not properly disaggregated as part of the census count. When an individual writes in “Sikh,” they are automatically coded as Asian Indian. Sign the petition to have Sikhs assigned a code to be counted correctly!

The Census Bureau will begin mailing questionnaires out shortly, so now is the time to ensure that Sikhs are recognized as a distinct community in the United States. UNITED SIKHS is a national partner with the Census Bureau, and is urging you to participate actively in the count. We are also advocating for Sikhs to be counted separately in the upcoming census. By taking these few simple steps, you can help ensure that Sikhs are represented accurately in the census.

1) Sign an online petition
UNITED SIKHS is filing a petition with the national US Census Bureau requesting proper tabulation of Sikhs when they mark “Other” and write in “Sikh,” and is organizing Sikh Complete Count Committees in states with major Sikh populations around the country to ensure maximum write-ins to support the need to be counted. Read the petition and supporting memorandum on why Sikhs should be given a separate code. The petition and memorandum are available at: https://www.unitedsikhs.org/petitions/census.php

Please sign the petition, and encourage friends and family to sign it as well.

2) Respond to the Census Questionnaire:
All households in United States will receive a questionnaire that you or a member of the household will need to accurately answer. Sikhs need to actively participate in the survey by completing the information in the questionnaire.

3) Write-in “Sikh” appropriately

Under the “Some other race” category, continue to mark “Sikh”. This is an important step toward accurate tabulation of all Sikhs in United States, particularly in follow-up to the petition.

Participation in the census defines us as a country, and Sikhs are an important part of the diverse fabric of America. Separate tabulation in the census is not only about accurate representation, but also about having equal and fair access to state and local resources allocated to communities.

For more information, or questions regarding the petition, email UNITED SIKHS at law-usa@unitedsikhs.org. You may also find out more information about the Sikh American Census by visiting http://www.sikhamericancensus.org.

For a previous press release on UNITED SIKHS efforts for Sikhs to be counted separately, please visit https://www.unitedsikhs.org/PressReleases/PRSRLS-20-08-2009-00.htm

Issued by:
Jaspreet Singh
Staff Attorney
UNITED SIKHS
(646) 315-3909
law-usa@unitedsikhs.org