Lecture: Caste, Dignity and Dalit Lives presented at UC Berkeley

I KNOW this is hyperlocal, but if you're in the Bay Area tomorrow, and you're interested in this subject, you might want to attend this event. It's free.

TGIF FEATURE: If you are Sikh - Happy Vaisakhi; ad campaign launched

TODAY (APRIL 14) marks the start of the Sikh New Year, Vaisakhi, during which millions in the United States and around the world celebrate the spring harvest and the birth of the global Sikh community. 

Timed to be launched on this new year's day, is  a $1.3 million series of powerful commercials, "We Are Sikhs." The awareness campaign seeks to stop hate-fueled attacks by explaining more about who Sikhs are and what they believe.

The advertising campaign was years in the making, funded by Sikh/American leaders and their families across a dozen U.S. communities, who are being mistaken for Muslims and are victims of the anti-Muslim sentiment that has arisen since the September 11 attacks and inflamed by the anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric in the political campaigns. 

Their beards and turbans - symbols of equality in a religion that opposes India's caste system - make Sikh/Americans easy targets for the angry and uninformed.

"Our hope was that as the memory of 9/11 goes down, things would get better. But they have not," said Rajwant Singh, a dentist from suburban Washington and one of the campaign's volunteer organizers.

The TV and Internet ads will air on CNN, Fox News and on TV stations in Fresno, California, home to perhaps the largest Sikh community in the U.S. The plan is to release the campaign in other cities that have large Sikh/American communities.
The overall tenor of the ads is positive rather than dwelling on the 300 hate crimes reported by Sikhs in the US since the 2001 terrorist attacks. The ads feature Sikh families explaining how the world's fifth-largest religion, founded in India, aligns with American values.

One of the men featured in an ad says, "We teach our kids the American values go hand in hand with the Sikh values: tolerance, religious freedom, gender equality."

Another ad highlights Sikhs embracing U.S. pop culture: "We like 'Game of Thrones'," one person says. "I'm obsessed with 'Star Wars'," says another. Watch one of the ads, below:

Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) released the following statements:

Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., CAPAC Chair:
“As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and a founder of the Congressional American Sikh Caucus, I wish a happy Vaisakhi to everyone celebrating today! Sikh Americans have made innumerable contributions to strengthening the fabric of our nation and represent the best of America. It is an honor to join Sikhs across the country and around the world to celebrate this joyous occasion!”

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., CAPAC Whip:
“Happy Vaisakhi to all those celebrating at home and around the world! I am proud that many Sikhs call California home and join them in celebrating the harvest festival.”

Rep.. Joe Crowley, D-NY, Chair of the House Democratic Caucus:
“Wishing a happy Vaisakhi to those celebrating in New York City and across the country. On this historically significant day, I remember the many contributions the Sikh community has made to our promote justice and equality in county and around the world.”

Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif.:
“As people around the world celebrate the creation of Khalsa and the harvest festival, I am proud to mark the gains made this year by the Sikh community. Happy Vaisakhi!”

Rep. Grace Meng, D-NY:
“It gives me great pleasure to wish the Sikh community in New York and throughout the world a very happy Vaisakhi. On this important day, I’m proud to recognize and salute the tremendous accomplishments and contributions that Sikhs have and continue to make to our nation. May everybody who observes the holiday have a joyous and prosperous celebration.”

Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash.:
“I want to wish our Sikh community in the Puget Sound Region and around the world a Happy Vaisakhi! This annual spring gathering celebrates the importance of justice, prosperity, and equality for all people. I thank the Sikh community for their contributions to the culturally rich and diverse 9th Congressional District. I am honored to join in celebrating our Sikh/American neighbors on one of the most historically significant days for the Sikh community.”

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Vote Against Hate: The AAPI Victory Fund presents a message to South Asian/Americans

MOST FIRST-GENERATION immigrants have a different view of America than those who have lived here for decades. The difference can be as marked as the difference perspectives between the immigrants who brought their families to America and their children, who have mostly grown up in this society

The hate-filled rhetoric coming out the 2016 presidential campaign worries Vijay Chattha, founder of a public relations company in San Francisco. He created a video featuring South Asian celebrities to get a message across to his parents and the first generation of immigrant parents. “All Americans should be worried about things like the economy tanking as soon as Trump gets elected, his ability to have access to nuclear weapons, [his effect on] international relations,” Chattha said. 

“I think South Asians specifically should be worried about trickle-down racism and hate crimes," says Chattha. "If (Donald Trump) wins a lot of people are going to feel emboldened to do whatever they want to. That’s scary. Anyone who is South Asian should remember 9/11 and how the community was perceived afterwards. It was a scary time.”

The video was produced by the AAPI Victory Fund – the first Super PAC of its kind – is focused on mobilizing Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) eligible voters during the campaign cycle and moving them to the ballot box by Nov. 8.

In recent weeks, the Trump campaign have been touting their support among South Asian/Americcans. The Republican Hindu Coalition hosted Trump at a charity event in mid-October. Last week, Trump released a Diwali ad in which he attempts to speak Hindi. The ad has reportedly been running on Indian-American television channels.

RELATED: 

• Trump, Clinton commercials target AAPI
• Trump's biggest Hindu.American supporter
• Merger of race and politics spells trouble for the future
• Asian/Americans lean to the left

Despite putting their supporters of color in the front row, that apparent support is thin. According to the 2016 National Asian American Survey AAPIs, Latinos, African/Americans and South Asians are overwhelmingly against Trump. 

The same survey said 70 percent of Asian Indian registered voters said they were either voting for or leaning towards voting for the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

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President Obama becomes first President to light diya for Diwali

President Obama lights the die in the Oval Office with some White House staff.

By Louis Chan
REPRINTED FROM ASAM NEWS

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA on Sunday (Oct. 30) became the first president ever to light a diya in the Oval Office.

The President joined Indian/American staff members in the White House for a small celebration.

“I wish you and your loved ones peace and happiness on this Diwali,” said the President in a message sent out on social media.

The post and picture generated 4,400 comments, 209,000 likes and 48,000 shares on Facebook.

Sreejith Vignesh wrote “Not sure the other U.S. presidents will honor us like this. On behalf of each and every Indian, I record here my sincere thanks.”

Nisha Graves said, “As an Indian-born American, I am truly honored! Thank you for acknowledging Diwali - you are a class act! Thank you for acknowledging diversity! Happy Diwali to you!”

Nana Thompson said “This is who we are, Americans! Respect and honor diversity, embrace the good in all faiths, all cultures, and shine the light!”

Obama became the first President ever to celebrate Diwali in 2009, but did not light a diya.

“We recognize that this holiday rejoices in the triumph of good over evil and knowledge over ignorance,” wrote the President in his Facebook post. 

“It also speaks to a broader truth about our shared American experience. It’s a reminder of what’s possible when we see beyond the differences that too often divide us. It’s a reflection of the hopes and dreams that bind us together. And it’s a time to renew our collective obligation to deepen those bonds, to stand in each other’s shoes and see the world through each other’s eyes, and to embrace each other as brothers and sisters – and as fellow Americans.”

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Asian/Pacific American group plans 'checkpoints' in Washington, D.C.

A passenger is checked at the airport.

FIFTEEN YEARS ago, the United States changed when terrorists attack the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

President Bush warned us that the war against terrorism would be unlike any war we have ever experienced. At the time, most Americans had no idea how different the tactics would be and how our country would react.

I'm reminded of this every time I go through airport security, because of my dark complexion, goatee and shaved head, I draw the special attention of the guards. They tell me I'm picked at random as they pat me down, but I know better. It has happened too often to be random.

What I go through, though, is nothing compared to what thousands of our fellow citizens must undergo.

On the 15th anniversary of September 11th, organizers with the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) and KhushDC will take part in a performative action so other people will be able to experience the impact of Islamophobia and the legalized profiling of LGBTQ South Asian, Muslim and Black communities.

"We are creating 'checkpoints' in high-traffic areas of Washington D.C. that replicate the various 'checkpoints' experience every day by South Asian, Muslim, Arab, Middle Eastern, and Black people experience every day – being stopped when passing through TSA, being denied service because of religious markers, being called terrorists, being kicked off of flights, etc. Black Muslims experience this profiling at an even higher frequency, leading to brutality or death at the hands of law enforcement," stated a press release from NQAPIA,
Numerous studies have documented the impact of Islamophobia. 

• A Gallup poll found that nearly half of all Muslims - 48 percent - reported that they, personally, had experienced racial or religious discrimination in the past year. 
• In a Columbia University survey, 28 percent of Muslim high school students in New York reported being stopped by police as a result of racial profiling. 
• A labor market study found a 10 percent decrease in earnings for Muslim and Arab men immediately after 9/11, with the effects greater in areas with a higher incidence of hate crimes. 

The "checkpoints" will be set up this Sunday, Sept. 11 between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. across D.C. in Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, Verizon Center (Chinatown), and other locations.

 

“I feel the aftershocks of 9/11 every day," said NQAPIA’s Organizing Director Sasha  W. "From profiling at the airport, to verbal harassment on the street, to surveillance outside my apartment, the policies enacted in the wake of 9/11 have legalized the profiling and surveillance of my people. I cannot feel ‘safe’ until the legalized profiling, surveillance, and harassment end.”  

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South Asian dominance continues in spelling bee; ends in a tie

Spelling bee co-champions Nihar Janga, left, and Jairam Hathwar. are friends off the stage as well.

GET READY for another slew of articles about South Asians and their prowess at spelling.

For the second year in a row,when the spelling was over, the Scripps National Spelling Bee named co-champions Thursday (May 26). And once again, the winners are Indian/American youngsters.

Co-champions Jairam Hathwar, 13 and Nihar Janga, 11, are the third consecutive set of co-champions at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, held this week in National Harbor, Maryland.

Nihar spelled "gesellschaft" correctly.

Jairam spelled "Feldenkrais" correctly.After the confetti fell, the pair talked about their victory.

"I'm just very proud of myself and the hard work paid off," Nihar said. "I felt nervous all the time."

Jairam, Nihar said, is one of his best spelling friends. He said he is happy to share the championship.

Jairam's brother, 2014 co-champion Sriram Hathwar, was cheering him on from the audience.

"I wasn't expecting this," said. Jairam. "I dreamed about winning this bee and it finally came true. It's just amazing."

Though Jairam was eligible to compete for another year, he said he wanted to treat this year like it was his last because it's hard to get back to this level of competition.

"It's just amazing," he said. "I can't even believe this is real."

The spellers will take home $45,000 each in cash, a trophy and other prizes.

The bee changed the rules this year to avoid what exactly what happened — a marathon championship round. Words given to finalists didn't come from a 25-word list predetermined by spelling officials, Paige Kimble, the bee's executive director, said. Instead, organizers had the option of using an expanded list of words from anywhere in Webster’s Third New International Dictionary. Kimble called it “raising the standard.” But it didn't work.

As you can see, four of the five finalists were South Asian youngsters.

Last year, when another pair of South Asians, Vanya Shivashankar and Gokul Venkatachalam, won the bee, articles were written about why South Asians have been so successful in the spelling bee.

The dominance of South Asians in the spelling bee has given rise to speculation that bounces between the "model minority myth" and some of the racist notions that are not worth mentioning. There is no special gene giving South Asian youngsters an edge, just like there is no gene that East Asians have that make them so proficient in math and science.

It is not that south Asians are smarter than other ethnic groups. The difference, it appears, is persistence and that old axiom, "practice makes perfect." 

RELATED: Hard work and studies win the spelling bee

In the last 15 years, spelling contests have become ensconced in the South Asian/American community with regional contests to prime the kids for the bit Scripps bee. There is even a South Asian Spelling Bee with a $10,000 prize. Contests like these serve as the "minor leagues" prepare the youngsters for the pressure and intensity of the national contest.

“I think that the activity of spelling bees has grown in prestige among certain South Asian-American communities,” said Northwestern University professor Shalini Shankar, who has been studying South Asian dominance of spelling bee culture.

“I would say that it’s not a uniform phenomenon among South Asian/American communities, but among those that do value this activity, they’ve really taken to it and they compete year round in different spelling bee circuits.”

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For more news about Asian/Americans & Pacific Islanders, read AsAm News.

Instagram sparks an instafix: The power of social media overcomes racial profiling

Waris Ahluwalia modeled H&M clothing for a billboard above the store in New York's Time Square.

THIS STORY couldn't have happened five years ago. With the increasing dominance of social media, you can get the world's attention in minutes. Almost as fast, you can start getting reactions.

Waris Ahluwalia is a model and actor. His face is up on a giant billboard in New York City's Times Square above the H&M store. The billboard is historic in that it was the first time Sikhs were featured in such a prominent ad and what is arguable the center of the America's public square. 

The first indication we knew something was amiss with Ahluwalia was his Instagram  saying that AeroMexico would to let him on their flight from Mexico City to New York City. Apparently, his turban and beard, both elements of his religion, was enough to bar him on the airline's plane even though restrictions were  put in place to catch radical Muslims.

“I was about to board, and they asked me to remove my turban,” Ahluwalia said, referring to the religious headgear typically worn by Sikh men. “That’s not something I’m willing to do in front of everyone. It’s like asking someone to remove their underwear in public.”

“I said that’s not going to happen,” he said. “Then another gentlemen came by and said that I would not be getting on any Aero Mexico flight.”
Then the international media caught whiff of the story, his friends in the entertainment industry joined the fray to support him and the airline's action became an international incident. 

The Sikh Coalition began a campaign protesting the treatment of Ahluwalia.

Finally, the snowball effect of the negative publicity pushed the airline to relent and realize the error of its ways. Ahluwalia was offered a ticket to New York City. But Ahluwalia refused the ticket until the airline apologized.

The airline posted on their website said that AeroMexico “recognizes and is proud of the diversity of its passengers,” the statement said. “Every day we work to ensure strict compliance with the highest safety standards, while we respect and value the culture and beliefs of our customers.”

“We apologize to Mr. Waris Ahluwalia for the bad experience he had with one of our security elements while boarding his flight to New York in the Mexico City International Airport. This case motivates us to ensure that security personnel strengthen its care protocols, always respecting the cultural and religious values ​​of customers.”

However, Ahluwalia's predicament can no longer be seen as an isolated event. Like so many Sikhs, Muslims and Arab Americans have been stopped and searched beyond airports' normal screening measures. The racial profiling that occurs is happening to other Asians as well with the increasing terrorist activities in Indonesia and the southern Philippines. 

Islamaphobia often extends to untrained passengers who simply feel uncomfortable with men who wear turbans and beards. Feeling uncomfortable is enough to get people escorted off of airplanes.

Four Muslim and Sikh men are currently suing American Airlines for allegedly removing them from a flight without cause in December, and in the same month, an influential Sikh commentator for MSNBC was asked to show passengers on a plane her breast pump to prove she wasn’t a terrorist.

Compliments to Aeromexico to see and admit their error but the profiling that is being done by airport personnel is happening all too often and proof that further training is needed. 

For more news about Asian/American &Pacific Islanders, read AsAm News.

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Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy joins NBA star Steph Curry dancing the Nae Nae

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy

WHO WOULD have thought that U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy knew how to to the Nae Nae?

He demonstrated his moves last week with NBA All-Star guard Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and students at Manzanita Community School in east Oakland, California as part of the basketball team's partnership with Kaiser Permanente and Playworks to promote fitness and health.

Born in Great Britain, Murthy, 38, is the first Asian/American appointed to the position of Surgeon General. He was approved for a four-year term as the 19th Surgeon General of the United States in Dec. 2014 and sworn in six months later. A physician at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital and a teacher at Harvard Medical School, his nomination stalled in the Senate for more than year, mostly because his belief that gun violence is a public health issue had enraged the National Rifle Association.

Watch the Surgeon General's dance moves.

After achieving over one million push-ups and sit-ups during the one-week Winter Get Fit Challenge period, the 240 students heard from Murthy, who as Surgeon General and founder of the nonprofit Doctors for America, expressed his admiration for the students taking control of their health and encouraged them to continue being active and mindful of their bodies.

“It took my breath away to hear that you all completed one million sit-ups,” said Murthy. “That is an accomplishment you should all be proud of, and I encourage you all to keep challenging yourselves.”

Dr. Murthy is responsible for communicating the best available scientific information to the public regarding ways to improve personal and public health. He also oversees the operations of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, comprised of approximately 6,700 uniformed health officers who serve in nearly 800 locations around the world to promote, protect, and advance the health and safety of our nation and our world.

Dancing the Nae Nae is not a prerequisite for the job ... but, it helps.

For more news about Asian/American &Pacific Islanders, read AsAm News.

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BuzzFeed: U.S. crackdown on undocumented Sikh immigrants

The U.S. Army changed dress policies to allow male Sikh members to retain their turbans and beards.

ONE OF the many stories mainstream media has not reported on is the deportation of undocumented immigrants from India.

The U.S. government has moved quietly and aggressively to prevent undocumented Indians from entering the United States, many of whom are Sikhs fleeing political repression or economic collapse at home.

This unnoticed phenomenon is exposed in a pretty comprehensive article by David Noriega and Jonn Templon of BuzzFeed News entitled "America's Quiet Crackdown On Indian Immigrants."

The number of Indian nationals caught trying to cross the southern border into the U.S. exploded suddenly in 2010, growing sixfold to 1,200 from just over 200 the year prior.

Although the number has oscillated since then, it has remained near an all-time high. And that includes only those caught trying to cross undetected, leaving out Buta Singh and others like him — thousands, mostly young men, who walk up to a border crossing, turn themselves in, and plead asylum. The total number of Indian nationals who tried to enter the U.S. without papers, including through airports and other points of entry, also spiked in the last five years, peaking at close to 13,000 in 2013, more than double the number in 2009.

Much of this influx, according to dozens of interviews with immigrants, experts, and current and former immigration officials, comes from young Indian men at the border, ferried there by transnational smuggling networks. Although border authorities do not track the religious or regional origins of migrants, government officials and other observers say that large numbers of the new arrivals are Sikhs from Punjab, a region in northwestern India beset by economic collapse and environmental degradation, a major drug epidemic, and decades of what human rights groups describe as political violence carried out with impunity.

While the article follows one man's journey from India to the United States, it is a well-worn path that thousands -- not only from India but also Pakistan, China and from the Middle East  -- have apparently followed.

BuzzFeed News

The U.S. immigration enforcement apparatus has responded harshly to these new arrivals. Before the spike, only about a quarter of Indian nationals were detained at the beginning of their deportation hearings. But, according to federal data analyzed for the first time by BuzzFeed News, that percentage shot up dramatically around 2010, coinciding with the rise in Indian nationals at the border.

In 2013, 83% of Indians facing deportation were imprisoned — a far larger percentage than for immigrants from any other country, including Mexico, which had the highest overall rate of detention between 2003 and 2014. (BuzzFeed News obtained the data through a Freedom of Information Act request from the Executive Office for Immigration Review, or EOIR, the branch of the Justice Department that operates the country’s immigration courts.)

Read the complete article.

For more news about Asian/Americans and Pacific Islanders, read AsAm News.

V-i-c-t-o-r-y: South Asian kids use hard work and studies to win spelling bee

Vanya Shivashankar,  left, and Gokul Venkatachalam

TWO YOUNG Indian Americans tied for first place in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. That makes eight years in a row in which Indian American kids have captured the spelling crown. 

Eighth-graders Vanya Shivashankar and Gokul Venkatachalam were named co-champions last week after spelling word after word correctly for 20 rounds and two hours.

The dominance displayed by south Asians in the spelling bee has given rise to a lot of speculation over the reason for this phenomenon.  It is not genetic. There is no gene for spelling inherent among south Asians just as there is no science or math gene that seems to give the edge to east Asians.

It is not that south Asians are smarter than other ethnic groups. The difference, it appears, is persistence and that old axiom, "practice makes perfect." 

Of course the explanation is more complicated than that. There is the socio-economic environment the kids have been surrounded in. Most of the south Asian contestants are second generation immigrants and their parents are generally in the professions such as doctors and engineers.  There is a high value placed on education in the south Asian American culture. Instead of driving their children to Little League or soccer practice, they are driving them to science and match competitions and spelling bees.

The Washington Post examined the phenomenon:

"First, there are the stories which seem to imply some sort of clear connection between 'Indian American' culture and spelling-bee performance. Maybe there's even a genetic propensity for the perseverance and focus required, or something that happens only in South Asian American homes. All that amounts to a line of thought that says Asian -- and in particular Indian American and Bangladeshi American -- homes and bodies are the keepers of a set of phonetic secrets, passed from generation to generation. But that is really a modern and deceptively flattering take on persistent notions about Asian secrecy, mysticism and world dominance. It's also what sociologists call a "positive stereotype" -- notions that while not inherently derogatory but prevent us from knowing or understanding others as individual human beings." ​

Colorlines has a good read examining the reaction to the success of South Asians:

"... the narrative of cultural exceptionalism is misleading and harmful. It’s safe to say that all families place an emphasis on education and want their children to succeed. However, not all families have access to resources and institutions that enable their children to do well. When we rely on culture as the reason for success, we ignore the structural realities that prevent many children of color or poor children from reaching their goals. We also end up placing the onus on families to ensure academic achievement, rather than compelling the public and private sectors to also provide valuable services and benefits that can help all children succeed."

Most of the eventual winners have been to the Scripps contest multiple times. Getting so close the first few times gave them the motivation to study more and devote more time with the dictionary.

In the last 15 years, spelling contests have become ensconced in the South Asian American community with regional contests to prime the kids for the bit Scripps bee. There is even a South Asian Spelling Bee with a $10,000 prize. Contests like these serve as the "minor leagues" prepare the youngsters for the pressure and intensity of the national contest.

“I think that the activity of spelling bees has grown in prestige among certain South Asian-American communities,” said Northwestern University professor Shalini Shankar, who has been studying South Asian dominance of spelling bee culture.

“I would say that it’s not a uniform phenomenon among South Asian-American communities, but among those that do value this activity, they’ve really taken to it and they compete year round in different spelling bee circuits.”

It's no wonder that the best spellers come out of this incubator system. 

Vanya's and Gokul's win has also given rise to the usual rants from the racist element in America who can't get a handle on America's changing demographics and the idea that our country is a nation of immigrants. I won't even bother to repeat their criticism. No doubt, you can conjecture what they are.

"I look forward to the day, as do I think many of our South Asian participants, when they are called what they want to be called -- Americans," bee director Paige Kimble, the 1981 champion, said after the winners were declared.

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