American Sikh Public Affairs Association

Art project approved for future Singh & Kaur Park. http://www.egcitizen.com//article_7aa991a6-205f-11eb-9190-

Pleased to announce that the City of Elk Grove - City Hall is looking for artists to apply for fabrication of Punjabi artwork as part of a seat wall in Singh & Kaur Park. The park is being managed by Cosumnes CSD Parks and Recreation and they have worked hard to incorporate Desi elements into the design. If you know any artists, please share this with them. It does not matter if they have prior experience in public art or in a specific medium. The City is looking for design c...oncepts and is willing to work with the artist to make the chosen art fit the project. The full Request for Proposal is available at this link: https://tinyurl.com/SandKPark This is a project we have been working on since 2016, commemorating the late Surinder Singh and Gurmej Singh, as well as their families. Both of these grandfathers were shot and killed in 2011 while walking in their neighborhood. The murderer(s) has not been apprehended. https://www.nbcnews.com//two-sikh-grandfathers-be-remember http://www.egcitizen.com//article_3540c964-9e5c-11e7-9e32-

We are pleased to report that design, funds, and contractor have been approved for 'Singh and Kaur Park' in Elk Grove, including memorials for Gurmej Singh and Surinder Singh. Their memories will live on and we remain hopeful that their murderer will one day be identified. Thank you to the City of Elk Grove and the Cosumnes Services District for their work on this project. Construction will begin in 2020. Chardi kala.

Cross country coach Ray Hausler, Not only is he different and wears a turban and looks different than everybody. He also is minutes faster than everybody else on his team.

Update: An arrest has been made. ----------------- Please share to find the murderer. Someone you know in Tracy or Northern California may be a witness.... Another Sikh elder wearing a turban was murdered with no apparent motive. The suspect needs to be identified immediately. https://sacramento.cbslocal.com//sikh-stabbed-to-death-tr/ From the Tracy Police Department: Public Assistance Needed The attached video is of a person who was in the area of Gretchen Talley Park last night around the time of the homicide of Parmjit Singh, a 64 year old resident of Tracy. Investigators are trying to identify and locate this person and obtain a statement regarding what may have been seen. If anyone has any information, please contact Detective Camillo Swiger at (209) 831-6648 or Detective Jarrod Jesser at (209) 831-6640. You can also contact Tracy Police general line at (209) 831-6550 or Tracy Crime Stoppers (209) 831-4847 / 24 Hours a Day - 7 Days a Week, TEXT: Text "TIPTPD plus your message" to 274637 (CRIMES) To better understand how bigotry and hate crimes affect the Sikh community, watch this short film. https://youtu.be/tGSixE0e-eo

The Gurdwara in Hughson (near Modesto) was attacked in a hate crime. The religious caretaker living at the facility was also assaulted as the bigot hurled epithets including 'go back to your country'. The culprit remains at large. We stand in solidarity with the Sangat in the San Joaquin Valley and call upon law enforcement to investigate this incident as a hate crime.

The Gurdwara in Hughson(near Modesto) was attacked in a hate crime. The religious caretaker living at the facility was also assaulted as the bigot hurled epithets that made clear his hate. The culprit remains at large. We stand in solidarity with the Sangat in the San Joaquin Valley and call upon law enforcement to investigate this incident as a hate crime.

A great opportunity to involve youth in Sacramento civic affairs.

This morning the Sikh Community of Fresno, California presented Poverello House with a donation of $40,000 to help with the funding of services for the needy.... Since 2009, they have donated more than $220,000 to Poverello House. We are humbled that the Sikh Community blesses our community with their time, talent and treasures through their giving spirit. Thank you! See more

A Marysville man attacked a Sikh store clerk and said he did it because he hates Muslims. Luckily, the clerk did not suffer any life threatening injuries. Thanks to the quick work of the Marysville Police Department, he has been arrested and will face a hate crime charge, in addition to assault. We also appreciate CAIR Sacramento Valley, Jakara Movement, The Sikh Coalition and so many others for their support. Here are links to tv news coverage: https://sacramento.cbslocal....com//hate-crime-suspect-musli/ https://fox40.com//man-faces-hate-crime-assault-and-theft/

UPDATE: The City has deleted the ordinance from the Agenda and will seek more community input. Thank you to all of the Sangat that pressured elected officials and to all of our allies. Chardi kala! ----------- We call on the Sacramento Sangat to rally tonight for the January 22, 5pm, Sacramento City Council meeting at 915 I Street. We must defend the right to wear kirpan in our town. Be prepared for an evening of activism. Chardi kala!!... This morning, the following was delivered to Sacramento City Councilmembers regarding an ill-advised ordinance that violates Sikh religious freedoms while also making women, minorities and all civic activists vulnerable to attack. ----------- Councilmembers, I became aware yesterday of a proposed ordinance which impermissibly curtails the rights of Sikhs to engage in public demonstrations including, rallies, protests, picket lines, or similar events. Section 9.32.190 prohibits knives, swords, sabers, or other bladed devices. As you may be aware, baptized and/or practicing Sikhs, as a matter of faith, wear a small, mostly ceremonial, dagger on their body at all times. For over one hundred years, Sikhs have participated in California civic affairs with their kirpans and without incident. This ordinance is an impermissible restriction of freedom of religion, speech and association. Provided below is some basic information regarding the kirpan: https://www.sikhcoalition.org//kirpan-factsheet-aug2018.pdf In addition to the obvious implications regarding constitutional freedoms, I note that the entirety of this ordinance is also misguided as a civic policy. Women and minority communities, especially the Sikh community, have hard-earned lessons regarding the danger of being without means of self-defense. Disarming protestors is an invitation for bigots, racists, and misogynists to attack without fear of injury. This is a policy that requires a sober and thoughtful process, not an emergency measure as it is now designated. I am not aware of any emergency regarding protests that requires such heavy-handed and rushed methods. I apologize for the late date of this email and for the lack of detailed legal analysis, however, I just recently became aware of the ordinance. Please respond by 12pm today, so that I may advise the Sikh community how to proceed with regard to the city council meeting this evening. Sincerely, Amar Shergill American Sikh Public Affairs Association

Congratulations to Joginder Dhillon on his appointment as judge to the Sacramento County Superior Court. His impressive credentials, including a long history of public service, makes him an incomparable addition to the bench. Chardi kala!! http://www.elkgrovenews.net//brown-announces-judicial-appo https://www.gov.ca.gov//governor-brown-appoints-13-superi/

Thank you to Gurdwara Dashmesh Darbar Sahib Sacramento, Elk Grove and all of the amazing volunteers and staff for hosting a voting center. Election Day was busy but it was also uplifting to see neighbors engaging in their civic duty and enjoying each other's company.