My Remarks at the White House Commemorating the Sikh Faith
Published on Huffington Post. The following remarks were delivered by Valarie Kaur at The White House on November 20, 2013. Waheguru Ji Ka Kalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh Thank you to President Obama and his staff for gathering us in the White House to celebrate Gurpurab, the birth of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith. I am deeply honored to reflect on the story of our faith with you. The story begins halfway around the world in Punjab with the birth of a humble herdsman named Nanak in
Victory!
Breaking news! On Wednesday afternoon, an FBI advisory policy board voted to track hate crimes against Sikh, Hindu, and Arab Americans. We did this together! On August 5th, 2012, six Sikh Americans were murdered in a gurdwara (Sikh house of worship) in one of the greatest hate-based mass shootings in recent U.S. history. Within 48 hours, thousands of Groundswell members sent prayers and messages of solidarity from all over the country. I delivered them in Wisconsin the first Sunday after the mass shooting. And in the following months, you signed and shared the petition telling
Underneath the Turban: Why Sikhs Do Not Hide
Published on The Huffington Post. By Valarie Kaur and Simran Jeet Singh Why do we wear turbans?" Nearly every Sikh American who grows up in the U.S. asks their families this question and as two Sikh Americans who maintain our faith, we were no different when we were little. This week, as Americans join in vigils for the six murdered Sikhs in another violent act of hate, many are now asking us this same question. "Our ancestors were beheaded so that we could practice our faith without fear," our grandparents told
In Conservation: Sikhism, Islam, and Hinduism
Published on The Washington Post. By Vineet Chander, Valarie Kaur and Najeeba Syed-Miller One week after the Sikh shootings in Oak Creek, Americans have learned more about the Sikh community, many for the first time. A brief introduction to Sikhism has caused people to wonder about the relationship between Sikhism, Hinduism and Islam. Each religion is a distinct tradition with unique sets of beliefs, practices and values, and at the same time, all three have coexisted for many hundreds of years in the South Asian region of the world. India
A New Generation of Sikh Americans Step Up
Published by The Washington Post. On Friday morning, I arrived at a conference at the White House to speak on the future of the Sikh American community. On a panel, I reported on a rising generation of Sikhs who are reinterpreting their faith and finding innovative ways to serve their country. As I spoke, I caught students in the audience, listening and nodding. Afterward, they swarmed me and shared their brightest new ideas. I was moved, energized, and filled with hope for the future of our community. Forty-eight hours
Explaining Sikhism
Here is a brief introduction to the SIKH RELIGION, as per the request of our First Camera Assistant Don Presley. This is the introduction I prepared in April 2005 for the Harvard Divinity School community, where I study ethics as a graduate student. With the help of local gurdwaras and the noon service steering committee, we organized the first Sikh service in the history of Harvard Divinity to celebrate Vaisakhi, a special Sikh holiday. The service began with this introduction, which I read to the gathering (pictured): "SIKHISM is