The Sikh Coalition is a Sikh-American non-profit advocacy group that defends

Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' political freedom, freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and ...

founded in 2001 with offices in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, and

Fremont, California Fremont () is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. Located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, Bay Area, Fremont has a population of 230,504 as of 2020, making it the fourth List of cities and towns in the San F ...

. The Sikh Coalition, was originally named the Coalition of Sikh Organizations of New York. Sikh-Americans were attacked as a "retribution attack" after 9/11, thus leading to the founding of the group, at a time when the American public "began to equate the turban and beard with the face of terror." It actively engages in legal advocacy, working towards legislative reforms to safeguard Sikh civil rights. The organization offers legal support and assistance to individuals who have faced discrimination or hate crimes based on their Sikh identity.

Background

The Sikh Coalition was formed on the night of September 11, 2001, by volunteers in reaction to a wave of aggressive attacks against Sikh Americans throughout the United States. It is now the largest Sikh Civil Rights organization. Its community-based group seeking to promote equal and human justice for all citizens. According to a study conducted by the Sikh Coalition in 2014, a significant number of

Sikh American American Sikhs form the country's sixth-largest religious group. While the U.S. Census does not ask about religion, 70,697 Americans (or of the total population) declared Sikh as their ethnicity in the 2020 census. The U.S. Census Bureau cites ...

children have experienced bullying and harassment in their school environment. Specifically, the study found that 54% of all Sikh American children have been subjected to bullying and harassment, while 67% of those who wear

turban A turban (from Persian language, Persian دولبند‌, ''dolband''; via Middle French ''turbant'') is a type of headwear based on cloth winding. Featuring many variations, it is worn as customary headwear by people of various cultures. Commun ...

s have experienced similar mistreatment in schools.

COVID-19

The Sikh Coalition helped 500,000 Sikhs living in America understand the pandemic better.

Youth

The Sikh Coalition established the Junior Sikh Coalition in August 2012 to empower the youth and to create a safe environment for them to practice Sikhism. It is a "student-led initiative designed to inspire Sikh youth, strengthen the communities to which they belong, and help them achieve their leadership potential". The program offers one-year leadership training to high school and college students. The program is currently on pause due to the worldwide

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

pandemic.

References

External links

Official website

Khalsa Kids

Sikh Research Institute

Ensaaf
{{authority control Political advocacy groups in the United States Legal advocacy organizations in the United States Sikhism in the United States Sikh organizations based in the United States Organizations established in 2001 Anti-racist organizations in the United States

Background

COVID-19

Youth

See also

References

External links