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  Fighting for Afghan Sikhs 

  On the one-year anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Sikh Coalition facilitated an exclusive story with the Associated Press, one of the largest news wire services around the world, which documents the harrowing experiences of an Afghan Sikh family and the need for the U.S. government to help the remaining Afghan Sikhs and Hindus both in Afghanistan and temporarily relocated to India. The multi-generational Soni family--who safely arrived in New York in July of this year under the United States Significant Public Benefit Parole Program, as a result of collaborative efforts between the Sikh Coalition, Long Island sangat leaders, and partners around the world--shared their story with additional outlets, including JUS Punjabi, PTC USA, Punjabi Radio USA, and ABC 7.
  
  Despite the successful evacuation of the Soni family, too many Afghan Sikhs and Hindus are still under urgent threat: both those who are still in Afghanistan and those who have been temporarily relocated to India and face legal limbo, economic uncertainty, and the possibility of religious discrimination. Accordingly, on August 30th, the Sikh Coalition sent a formal request to President Biden once again urging him to use his executive authority to expedite the resettlement of Afghan Sikh and Hindu families, as the administration has recently done for Ukrainian refugees. Click here to learn more about this work. 

• 160+ Organizations Advocate for Sikh Migrants

  On August 22nd, the Sikh Coalition and our allies at the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona (ACLU-AZ) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) were joined by more than 160 civil rights, immigration, religious, advocacy, and other organizations in submitting a letter to Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Alejandro Mayorkas regarding the continued mistreatment of Sikhs and other religious migrants at our southern border by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.
  
  As a reminder, in June and July, news began to emerge that CBP officers were confiscating Sikh migrants’ turbans and other possessions and throwing them in the trash. The Sikh Coalition joined the ACLU-AZ and ACLU to take action by sending a letter to DHS in early August; we were also proud to support a letter by Reps. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), and Judy Chu (D-CA) demanding answers about CBP’s treatment of Sikhs and other religious migrants, and we continue to provide information to members of the media working to spotlight this issue.
  
  Per public reporting, an investigation of this misconduct is currently underway. The Sikh Coalition and our allies remain in conversations with government officials pressing for transparency and accountability on this issue, and we will continue to provide updates as they become available. 

• Back to School Resources for Parents, Teachers, and Students

  As students across the country settle into the new school year, the Sikh Coalition would like to remind sangat members of educator-and parent-oriented resources featured in our continually updated Back to School Toolkit.
  
  In addition to the Sikh awareness presentations, anti-bullying brochures, Know Your Rights materials, and legal resources created to protect and empower Sikh children, our toolkit provides educators and parents with lesson plans, resources, and reading materials to help create an environment that is safe and inclusive of Sikhi. Many of these resources are also available in Punjabi. For more information about the Back to School Toolkit, please contact education@sikhcoalition.org; reach out to legal@sikhcoalition.org if you or a child you know is facing bullying or other harassment at school.

• Thank You to National Day of Seva Organizers

  As we reflect on one month since the Oak Creek commemoration, the Sikh Coalition wants to express gratitude for the community sevadaars across the country who made Day of Seva and Night of Vigil programming possible. During the August 5th weekend, more than 20 sangats nationwide held food pantry seva, packed backpacks for underserved children, donated supplies for refugees, provided meals to the homeless, organized water drives, cleaned up parks, and more. To see photos submitted by sevadaars of many of these incredible projects, click here to view our Facebook album. In addition to these Day of Seva projects, multiple sangats held Night of Vigil programming where they welcomed community members and interfaith leaders to reflect on the Oak Creek anniversary. Click here to learn more about how sangats nationwide marked 10 years of #RememberOakCreek.

• Legal Professionals: Register Now for Virtual CLE Conference

  On September 30th, the Sikh Coalition’s annual virtual legal conference, Realizing Justice For All, will bring together attorneys and law students for discussions with activists and national experts on topics including free speech in an age of disinformation, the miseducation of CRT, and the battle for voting rights. Hosted in partnership with law firms Winston & Strawn, LLP and Weil, Gotshal, & Manges LLP, this virtual conference will provide legal professionals and students the opportunity to connect and acquire 3.0 CLE General or Elimination of Bias credits (depending on your state). Click here to learn more about the conference and register to attend.

• Join Our Team

  Do you have a passion for civil rights? The Sikh Coalition is looking to hire a full-time position. The Director/Senior Director of Development and Operations will manage the fast-paced growth of the Sikh Coalition’s fundraising and operations. In this position, you will be responsible for managing and growing the organization’s annual budget of $2.4+ million, driving our fundraising strategy and execution, and strengthening the organization’s operational infrastructure and management practices. Click here to learn more and apply; applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis.

In this Issue

• Update on Afghan Sikhs
• Advocating for Sikh Migrants
• Free Back to School Resources
• Thank You Day of Seva Organizers!
• Register for Legal Conference
• We Are Hiring