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On June 10, 2017, an organization designated as a hate group held anti-Muslim protests in over 25 cities nationwide. Given the inflammatory tone of these protests – and in light of recent hateful attacks in Kansas, Washington, and Oregon – the Sikh Coalition urged Sikhs to be vigilant in the cities where the protests took place and launched an op-ed initiative, working with Sikh Coalition Advocate Academy graduates in media markets across the country to combat bigotry and promote unity.
Advocate Soraya Deen argues that as we fight violent extremism,
we should not stereotype Muslims.
Advocate Sharndeep Kaur Shoker in a Seattle Times op-ed calls for
unity in the face of bigotry.
Advocate Anjleen Kaur Gumer
extended a gurdwara open house invitation to promote awareness and education.
Academy graduate and new Sikh Coalition Community Development Fellow Aasees Kaur cautions in the Atlanta Journal Constitution that the rally will
set a bad example for children.
In late May, Advocate Harleen Kaur highlighted the heroism of the people who
stood up to a violent anti-Muslim attack, two of whom lost their lives. Earlier in June, Jaydeep Bhatia urged for
a proactive approach to combating hate crimes in the Modesto Bee. In addition, Sikh Coalition Advocate Balmeet Singh shared his story of combating bigotry in
the current political and social climate, which was featured in the Los Angeles Times.
Sikh Actors for Primetime Network Show
As part of an effort aimed at encouraging more representation of diverse actors on network television, the Sikh Coalition joined the organizations
Harness and
Revolutionary Love for meetings with television showrunners and entertainment writers. In response, multiple primetime network shows have shown sincere interest in pursuing Sikh actors and characters on their upcoming seasons.
The Sikh Coalition put a
call out for actor submissions in late June, and the community’s response was incredible. The deadline for submissions has now passed; thank you for your submissions, and we will keep you updated on this exciting initiative and future opportunities.
In early June, we participated in the NYC Interfaith Iftar in solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters as we continue working to combat hate and build inclusive communities. Sikh Coalition Operations Manager Damanpreet Singh shared information on the writings from various spiritually elevated people in the Guru Granth Sahib. 
