In January, United Sikhs announced that the U.S. Census Bureau will include “Sikh” as a write-in option for question 9 (“What is your race?”) on the 2020 census. The Census Bureau has also
that the non-mandatory option to write in “Sikh” will be categorized under the “Asian” racial category as opposed to the “Asian Indian” category.
The Sikh Coalition fully recognizes and supports the importance of Sikhs in America being able to self-identify. We also want to ensure that every Sikh household understands the nuances of this change as we all work together to be represented accurately in the 2020 census. Accordingly, we have updated our
community FAQ specifically to address questions pertaining to this "Sikh" coding.
In addition to sharing this new critical information, the Sikh Coalition is moving forward with our planned work to train and support volunteers to help Sikhs fill out the census in gurdwaras and households across the country. If you’re interested in helping, email
community@sikhcoalition.org. We also value community questions and feedback on all of our programming. If you have any further questions about the census or require resources or assistance in English or Punjabi, please reach out to
community@sikhcoalition.org for those queries as well.
As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.
