The Sikh Coalition

#NamesMatter: They carry history, identity, and meaning.

Taking the time to say them correctly is a simple but powerful way to show respect.

We’re sharing this video from our Texas Education Fellow Tarnoor Kaur to talk about the pronunciation of Sikhi and other names you may have heard connected to the Sikh faith.

In honor of #CelebrateYourNameWeek from March 1–7, the Sikh Coalition is excited to spend the next few days celebrating Sikh names and the power they hold!

Reverend Jackson will be laid to rest on Monday, March 2, at Brookland Baptist Church in South Carolina. The funeral will be open to the public as our nation bears witness to one of the last great icons of the Civil Rights Era.

As Black History Month comes to a close, we not only honor Reverend Jackson, but in extension, the countless Black Americans who began the fight for equality and inclusivity that we continue to build upon and strengthen to this day!

As others have noted on social media, Reverend Jackson joined the Sikh community in grieving during the aftermath of the 2012 Oak Creek gurdwara mass shooting; the presence of a leader of his magnitude in that heartbreaking moment was deeply meaningful.

The Sikh Coalition commemorates the life and legacy of Reverend Jesse Jackson, the legendary minister, civil rights activist, and politician who recently passed away on February 17 in Chicago, Illinois.

The 2026 Vote is Sacred Fellowship convenes civic and faith leaders who are strengthening constructive engagement with elections ahead of the 2026 midterms. Meet the fellows:
https://www.interfaithamerica.org/article/announcing-the-2026-vote-is-sacred-fellows/

Join us in congratulating our Community Development Director, Aasees Kaur, who was named a 2026 'Vote is Sacred' Fellow with interfaithamerica.bsky.social

The fellows will reach across divides to work together and uplift each other in their sacred work on elections.

bit.ly/46qglGs

Our Federal Policy Manager, Harjot Singh, will serve on the panel at the briefing, which will take place at the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, DC, from 12:30 to 2 PM.

@angadgsingh.bsky.social

Next Thur, on 3/5, we join @hfhr.bsky.social and additional partners for a briefing on Capitol Hill. This in-person discussion will examine the national security implications of India’s transnational repression in N. America—including assassination plots against Sikhs on U.S. soil.

“The courts have ruled that sending people to unsafe third countries is illegal; surely it is illegal to release people to unsafe conditions inside the United States as well,” writes CVT's Yumna Rizvi on the death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam after being abandoned by CBP.
www.cvt.org/statements/t...

SCENES: View some photos from our team “Stepback” in Atlanta last week!

In addition to formulating this years strategy, this in-person gathering offers us a moment to connect w/ fellow coworkers & encourage one another as we work together to fight for the rights of the sangat 🙏🏾

UPDATED ADDRESS: Today's hearing will take place at the Administration Building located at 1221 Oak St in Oakland, which is very close to the Courthouse originally named in this video.

We will continue to work with our partners and will provide next steps for action by the sangat via email and social media soon.

However, these ARE NOT the final standards, and there is room for improvement—especially since these proposed standards still appear to emphasize Texas and United States history at the expense of world history, diverse cultures, and other important topics.

TEXAS UPDATE: The Sikh Coalition was able to review a draft of Texas’s social studies standards from one of the Board of Education’s many working groups. We are pleased to see that Sikhi remains included in this draft.

Read our joint statement with @hfhr.bsky.social and SALDEF on these outrageous remarks recently made by @hinduamerican.org staff → thesikh.co/haf-gupta-comments

Fateh! The Iowa Board of Education has adopted new social studies standards—and become the 21st state to include Sikhi as a part of their K-12 curriculum. Learn more about this victory:
www.sikhcoalition.org/blog/2026/fa...

When our staff visited the Washington state sangat earlier this month, the Sikh Coalition and Khalsa Gurmat Center co-hosted three events: a civic engagement training, as well as workshops focused on both trucking and immigration!

For 40 years, the families have tirelessly fought for truth and justice to bring the perpetrators to account.

Per Human Rights organization Ensaaf, “on February 4, 1986, India’s security forces shot and unlawfully killed four Sikh men participating in a peaceful religious procession and protest in Nakodar, Punjab.”

Thank you to Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) for recognizing the 40th anniversary of Saka Nakodar.

WATCH: Our Federal Policy Manager speaks about a recent positive change in R-1 visa policy, which serves religious workers who come from abroad to serve U.S.-based communities—like granthis who travel to our gurdwarae from India.

The hearing is open to the public, and we encourage community members in the area to attend.

Join us on the third floor of Rene C. Davidson Courthouse, which is at 1225 Fallon Street in Oakland.

We look forward to sharing updates as soon as possible after the hearing!

Bay Area Sangat: The next hearing in our lawsuit against the California DMV—in which we are fighting for truck drivers whose commercial driver’s licenses are being wrongfully cancelled—will be next Wednesday, February 25, at 3 PM.

The Sikh Coalition is deeply disturbed by the apparent abduction of a Sikh man in Tracy, California.

Per local sangat leaders, authorities are investigating. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office.

WATCH: Our Director of Political Development recently spoke to Punjabi Radio USA Rajkaranbir Singh about Takht, our newest effort to surge Sikh civic engagement.

If you’re thinking about running for office, learn more and apply at thesikh.co/takht.

The Sikh Coalition is working with our longtime colleagues from the @honesty4ohioed.bsky.social to oppose two harmful bills in the Buckeye State that would put immigrant families and students at risk.

Ohio sangat learn more and take action at thesikh.co/oh-immig.

We look forward to providing further updates and pursuing this work across multiple channels. This includes the next hearing in our lawsuit against California for its wrongful cancellation of immigrants' commercial driver's licenses, which is currently set for Wednesday, February 25.