Sikhism

Sikh volunteers prepare 30,000 free meals for people in isolation

March 25, 2020

If you know anything about Sikhism, this news will not surprise you. If you don't, you're about to learn about a religion with a long history of humanitarianism.

Sewa, or "selfless service" is a way of life for Sikhs. It means helping others with no expectation of anything in return or hope of gain in any way. Through sewa, Sikhs demonstrate the equality of all people, show love and respect towards others, and protect themselves from selfish vices. ...

Navy regs update religious headgear in uniform, provides rules for beard chits

March 23, 2020

A new update to the Navy’s religious accommodations policy will allow Sikh sailors to wear turbans for the first time, following the Air Force’s decision to do the same in early February.

Previously, ...

San Joaquin’s Gurdwara Just Became Fresno County’s First Sikh Historical Landmark

March 11, 2020

A Sikh church in the small town of San Joaquin is now a historical landmark. The Fresno County Board of Supervisors made it official Tuesday. It’s the third Sikh historical landmark in California, but the first in Fresno County.

The San Joaquin Gurdwara was created in the early 1980s. Members of the Sikh community put together their earnings in order to purchase the building that is now their place of worship.

"Some of them, in terms of getting money from the bank, took out loans on their own houses to make sure that...

2012 Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting survivor dies of wounds

March 4, 2020

A man who survived being shot in the face during a white supremacist's deadly 2012 attack on a Sikh temple near Milwaukee has died of complications stemming from his injuries.
Baba Punjab Singh died Monday, bringing the victim death toll in the temple attack to seven and making it the worst mass shooting in Wisconsin since 2005.

White supremacist Wade Michael Page burst into the Sikh temple on Aug. 5, 2012, and shot 10 people, killing six and wounding four, including Singh. Page killed himself during a firefight with a police officer in the temple parking...

Sikh American Ravi Singh’s ‘Share A Meal’ truck feeds LA’s homeless

February 7, 2020

Anyone familiar with the American street food culture, would know that food trucks across the US are a wonderful reflection of the culinary diversity and immigrant culture of the country.

But here is a food truck that seems to beautifully reflect the immigrant culture of sharing and loving through food. Los Angeles based Ravi Singh and his wife Jacquie Singh run a unique food service called Share A meal to feed the city’s homeless.

Their zany orange food trucks run across various locations around Los Angeles to serve 200 vegetarian burritos and...

He didn’t want to give up his religion to serve. Now he’s Houston’s first Sikh deputy constable.

January 22, 2020

Amrit Singh always knew he wanted to work as a peace officer. He spent years in law enforcement explorer programs, five months in a police training academy, and many dozens of hours working out and studying.

After all that work, the 21-year-old Sugar Land resident’s swearing in as one of the newest members of the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office took less than a minute.

The move made him the first Sikh deputy constable in Harris County and represented an important step forward in religious inclusion, local...

Sikhs to be counted as separate ethnic group in US census for first time

January 15, 2020

For the first time, Sikhs in the US will be counted as a separate ethnic group in the 2020 census, an organisation of the minority community said on Tuesday, describing it as a milestone moment.

President of the Sikh Society of San Diego Baljeet Singh said the Sikh community’s efforts have come to fruition.

“This has paved the way forward nationally not only for the Sikh community but also for other ethnicities in the United States,” he said.

Source: ...

Vandals paint racist graffiti on Orangevale Sikh center

January 14, 2020

A new Sikh center in Sacramento County was defaced with racist graffiti.

Vandals spray-painted swastikas and the words “White Power” on the stone marking the entrance to the Guru Maneyo Granth Gurdwara Sahib Sikh Center on Walnut Avenue in Orangevale.

“This is racism. This is a hate crime. This is unfortunately something no one should have to go through, no community, no religion,” said volunteer Dimplejeet Bhullar.

Source: Vandals paint racist...

When Disasters Hit California, Sikh Temples Provide Meals and Refuge

January 3, 2020

ON A CLEAR FALL MORNING earlier last year, Kashmir Shahi received an urgent call from the Salvation Army. The organization wanted to know if he would be able to provide food for over 700 people at a Santa Rosa shelter who had been displaced due to the Kincade Fire burning through California’s Sonoma County.

“They called me at 11 a.m.,” Shahi remembers. “They needed the food at 4 p.m. I live in Union City, and Santa Rosa is an hour and a half drive from there. They asked if it was possible...

Rose Parade 2020: Sikhs roll out a float to sow seeds of hope, generosity and harmony

January 2, 2020

Miles Lhotka has performed in at least four musicals and knows how to capture attention with dramatic movements. But this was the 12-year old’s first time on a float at the Rose Parade, and it was a much different beast. To begin with, Lhotka had to sit for over two hours on a slowly moving object, waving at people more interested in the design of the float than the people atop it. To get their attention, he needed to wave. But “you can’t just move your wrist. You have to move your entire arm,” the La Cañada resident said. “Waving normally is not going to cut it.” Source: ... Read more about Rose Parade 2020: Sikhs roll out a float to sow seeds of hope, generosity and harmony