|
|
 |
SALDEF (Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund): Defending the Rights of
Sikh Americans
EON Member Profile
SALDEF -
projecting the true image of Sikhism and defending the rights of Sikh
Americans
Mission Statement and History
SALDEF, founded as SMART - Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Taskforce in 1996, is the oldest national Sikh American advocacy
group. Our mission is to protect the rights of Sikh Americans through
legislative advocacy, public education, legal assistance, and ensure
accurate portrayal of the Sikh religion.
SALDEF is a nonprofit 501(c) 3, nonpartisan, and a member-based
organization.
SALDEF began solely as an all-volunteer organization with a primary
focus on media analysis and education. Based on the needs of the Sikh
American community, the organization immediately began responding to
legal, education, and legislative issues. Currently, SALDEF has two
full-time employees in addition to several unpaid volunteers. Its pro
bono legal team includes several part-time volunteer attorneys who
handle legal matters affecting Sikh Americans.
SALDEF opened a full-time office in Washington, DC in Aug. 2002.
SALDEF has been assisting the Sikh American community since 1996 to
protect their rights and religious freedoms by:
- Providing legal services in such matters as workplace and
housing discrimination, protecting Sikh articles of faith (such as
kirpan and kesh), public accommodation, and other
civil rights and civil liberties issues;
- Creating and distributing publications aimed at educating the
media, schools, and government and law enforcement agencies on
Sikhs;
- Creating and distributing publications and conducting of
community outreach programs and educational strategy sessions to
empower the Sikh American community to help exercise its rights;
- Conducting cultural and religious awareness training for
government, law enforcement agencies and private businesses;
- Providing online Internet resources to assist users in
understanding the Sikh American community;
- Monitoring the media and responding to inaccuracies and/or
misrepresentations of Sikh Americans and Sikhism.
Learn more about Sikh Media Watch & Resource Taskforce at
www.sihkmediawatch.org.
Readings by SALDEF @ Asian-American Village
Facts, Misconceptions, and Stereotypes about Sikhs and Sikhism
By the Sikh Media Watch and Resources Task Force
The world's fifth largest (but often misunderstood) religion
explained
|
