YOU HELPED US UPHOLD CIVIL & HUMAN RIGHTS IN 2022!
Lawyers are invariably associated with unhappy stories. But we have personally witnessed several happy endings. Here are a few!
Little Manjit Singh was persistently bullied in school by other kids because he wore a patka and looked different. The school authorities did nothing and instead summarily suspended him after he ran out of patience and struck back. Manjit and his family soon moved away from the school district and to a new school. Years later, when Manjit began applying to attend competitive schools, his parents realized that his former suspension from school and allegations of aggression were in fact part of his educational record and would be disclosed to every prospective school. Manjit’s parents reached out to UNITED SIKHS International Civil & Human Rights Advocacy (ICHRA) attorneys who succeeded in making the school expunge Manjit’s record.
31-year old NY-based Sumanpreet Kaur lost her job shortly after COVID-19 broke out, leaving her unemployed, broke, and struggling to make ends meet for her family of 4. Luckily, she learnt of the job fair organized by UNITED SIKHS advocate Inderjeet Singh in Richmond Hill, where she was able to find employment.
25 year-old Harkirat Singh is a law enforcement officer who proudly wears his kirpan and kesh. Harkirat and thousands of others like him are freely able to live their dreams without their articles of faith being questioned because for years we have been advocating across the U.S. – from Fresno to Long Island – for reform of policies that discriminate against initiated Sikhs.
2022 has been nothing short of tremendous in terms of what we have been able to achieve under our ICHRA pillar of work. Every victory – no matter how small – signifies a colossal triumph for humanity.
NO MORE MINORITY RIGHTS’ VIOLATIONS!
In continuation of our campaign to end religious and dietary rights’ violations, we wrote a letter requesting vegetarian/appropriate meals for Sikhs and Muslims held in Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) custody, emphasizing the need to educate and sensitize all US CBP personnel in this regard.
Following recent instances of the U.S. CBP staff having discarded Sikh turbans, our teams conducted a training session with regard to Sikh Religious Rights at Seattle international airport.
RACIAL INEQUITIES ARE SHAMEFUL!
We once again called on the U.S. Congress, the Biden-Harris Administration, and U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the appalling Insular Cases, a series of early 20th-century U.S .Supreme Court opinions guided by ideas of racism and ethnocentrism.
The Insular Cases are responsible for continuing to deprive residents of 5 US territories—Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the US Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands— the full rights and protections accorded to mainland American citizens.
MORE POWER TO ASPIRING CIVIL RIGHTS’ LAWYERS & ACTIVISTS!
Held virtually, the UNITED SIKHS 2022 Annual Summit and Advocacy & Humanitarian Aid Academy (AHAA) was a tremendous success that saw the participation of speakers from around the world, including members of the U.S. Congress, leadership from federal government agencies, and civil rights attorneys.
Held annually, the 5-day training program equips students with skills and knowledge to pursue careers in civil rights advocacy, international humanitarian aid work, education, and healthcare.
HATRED, WE HATE YOU!
This year saw UNITED SIKHS join the larger crusade against hate crimes, becoming part of several letter writing campaigns seeking funding of anti-hate crime measures.
Abominable hate crimes against minorities continue to be on the rise across the U.S.
Moreover, we received hundreds (literally!) of calls for legal aid and assistance in what we see as a collective gesture of faith in our work. In just 2022, ICHRA attorneys worked on 160+ cases involving hate crimes and issues of immigration and safety of individuals.
EQUALITY DEMANDS EQUAL TREATMENT!
Right since the time the coronavirus pandemic broke out, UNITED SIKHS has been at the forefront, providing humanitarian supplies and setting up free testing centres to serve the most vulnerable in the U.S. and across the globe. In continuation of our 2020 endorsement of civil rights principles for COVID-19 vaccine development and distribution, we vociferously advocated free COVID vaccination for all, irrespective of their immigration status.
ADVOCACY FOR WAR VICTIMS!
In Ukraine, apart from our tireless humanitarian aid efforts, we reached out to various consulates and law enforcement agencies on the Poland border town of Medeja, finding ways to help those who were forced to cross the border with just their personal belongings. Women and children needed – and were provided – the greatest advocacy as they were threatened not just by the ravages of war, but also by opportunistic human traffickers.
Kiev Members of Parliament accorded formal recognition to UNITED SIKHS for refugee advocacy – helping over 1 million Ukrainian refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) impacted by the war.
THE TRUTH WILL SET US FREE!
Have you ever been singled out due to your Sikh identity? Have you ever faced harassment for wearing your articles of faith? Has your child been a victim of bullying due to their patka or kesh? Do you know anyone who has faced anything like this?
UNITED SIKHS is conducting a 2023 survey to find out how many Sikhs in our community are actually reporting their victimization, whether a hate crime, bullying, profiling (by airport TSA officials or otherwise), or employment discrimination. The Survey’s purpose is to guide the work of ICHRA attorneys, helping us focus on our vision and create priorities.
Help us serve you better by taking this quick anonymous survey!
Continue to Support ICHRA’s Work!
Jasleen Kaur
UNITED SIKHS
Recognize the Human Race as One