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  Sikh Project Exhibition Launches in Maryland This Month

  On February 14, 2018, the Sikh Project photography exhibition will launch in Sandy Spring, Maryland. The Sikh Project, a collaboration with the talented British photographers Amit and Naroop, captures the beauty of the Sikh faith and the depth of the Sikh American experience. The exhibition will be on display at the Sandy Spring Museum from February 14 – March 24, 2018. While the exhibition has been traveling from coast to coast, the Maryland event will be the first time all of the full-size portraits will be displayed since the initial groundbreaking launch in 2016. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information and updates.
  
  The exhibition also continues to be on display at Chapman University in Southern California through the end of February.

• Sikhi Reporter Guide Now Online

  On January 16, 2018, the Sikh Coalition launched the first-ever electronic guidebook for journalists looking to report on Sikhism. The electronic version of the Sikhism guidebook, which was delivered to over 3,500 reporters, producers and editors at over 500 U.S. news outlets, joins the groundbreaking hard copy that was launched last year at the Religion News Association’s annual conference. For more information on the electronic launch, please click here.
  
  Interim Executive Director Narinder Singh and ProPublica Reporter A.C. Thompson joined the public radio news magazine Crosscurrents to discuss reporting on Sikhi and our new guide. Click here to listen. In addition, click here to watch journalists from CBS News react to our new guide.

• Responding to U.S. News and World Report’s Problematic Image

  Recently, the U.S. News and World Report paired an apparent image of a Sikh in a story examining terrorism. Images and words matter, and the U.S. News image plays into a dangerous narrative that can intensify hate directed at Sikhs. No community deserves to be the target of backlash and bigotry.
  
  In response, the Sikh Coalition immediately reached out to reporters and editors at the outlet and publicly advocated for the removal of the image. U.S. News switched out the image, and we have offered to work with reporters on accurate and positive coverage of the Sikh community.
  
  Thank you to advocates who joined us in calling on U.S. News to remove the deeply problematic image.

• Board Member Shares Educational Resources at Texas Conference

  In January, Sikh Coalition Board Member Manpreet K. Singh attended the Region 4 Social Studies Conference in Texas, where she provided educational resources for teachers in the Houston area. These resources help educators teach accurately about Sikhism and the rich history of Sikhs in America. Previously in 2010, Texas updated its social studies standards for public schools to mandate the inclusion of Sikhism after Sikh advocates and community members successfully engaged the state.
  
  Learn how you can deliver a Sikh awareness presentation with our free tools and resources, and email education@sikhcoalition.org with any questions.

• 50+ Gurdwaras Have Participated. Has Yours?

  Since 2017, the Sikh Coalition has distributed the free Gurdwara Security Toolkit by email and mail to approximately 230 gurdwaras nationwide. As a result, 50+ gurdwaras from across the country have engaged the Sikh Coalition for free security consultations with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
  
  This initiative is especially important due to concerns of increasing hate crimes against religious minorities and their places of worship in the United States. Despite this, nearly 170 gurdwaras have not yet participated.
  
  Please contact Community Development Manager Aasees Kaur at aasees@sikhcoalition.org for a security consultation for your gurdwara, and click here to download our Gurdwara Security Toolkit.

• Sikh Coalition Joins “Reimagining Religion” Conference at USC

  On January 26, 2018, the Sikh Coalition participated in a conference called “Reimagining Religion 2018: New Stories, New Communities." The conference, which focused on re-examining how we tell religion stories, was hosted by the USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism and featured national religion reporters, leading religion scholars, professional communicators and interfaith leaders.
  
  Senior Media and Communications Director Mark Reading-Smith joined Southern California Community Development Manager Inderpreet Kaur for a day of media and communications panels and relationship building with leading partners in the field.
  

• Sikh Awareness Presentation at High School in Brooklyn

  The Sikh Coalition gave a Sikh awareness presentation to a World Religion class at Berkeley Carroll School in Brooklyn, New York on February 7, 2018. The presentation created a wonderful opportunity for open dialogue not just about the Sikh faith, but about how diversity, understanding and mutual respect are integral to the fabric of American society. A big thank you to the teacher, Ernestine Heldring, and the students for such an engaging and interactive experience.
  
  We have a variety of resources to educate the public about Sikhism. For example, our “The Sikhs” brochures explain Sikhi in 18 languages. These brochures join a wealth of other free resources, and they are available on our website’s updated searchable resource page.

• Join Our Team!

  Our powerhouse team is expanding! To learn more about our open positions, qualifications and how to apply, click here. The Sikh Coalition is currently looking to fill two full-time positions and several summer internship positions.
  
  
  Career Opportunities
  The Executive Director serves as a hands-on manager who will build on and expand the Sikh Coalition’s foundation and legacy and lead the organization into its next phase of growth. S/he will oversee the day-to-day management of the organization and report to the Board of Directors. The Legal Intake Manager will provide direct support to the Sikh Coalition’s legal team and work closely with other staff members to advance the goals of the organization. S/he will attend regular legal team and staff meetings and will have the opportunity to learn about strategies for protecting the rights of Sikh Americans.
  
  Summer Internships
  The Sikh Coalition is also searching for summer interns to enhance the work of our Advocacy, Community Development, Communications, and Finance/Development teams. These ten-week internships are fantastic opportunities for college students or alumni to build professional experience, while directly contributing to the groundbreaking civil rights work of the Sikh Coalition. Internships are based primarily out of the Sikh Coalition headquarters in New York City, but Advocacy interns have the option to work in Washington, D.C. Please visit the internships page on our website for more information, and share the news with the driven, civically engaged young people in your life.

In this Issue

• Sikh Project in Maryland
  
• Reporter Guide Now Online
• U.S. News and World Report
• Texas Social Studies Conference
• Gurdwara Security Initiative
• "Reimagining Religion" Conference
  
• Sikh Awareness Presentation
• Join Our Team