Sikh Advocates Ready to Make Change

[ http://www.youtube.com/user/SikhCoal.../0/9dMXiMQZ8jU ]

Sikh Advocates Ready to Make Change

July 18, 2011 (Washington, DC) – The Sikh Coalition has successfully graduated its first class from the inaugural Sikh Advocate Academy, a groundbreaking initiative designed to create a national network of professionally-trained social justice advocates. Twelve passionate individuals from around the nation are now equipped with the knowledge and skills to engage credibly with government officials, promote Sikh perspectives in the media and build alliances with organizations outside the Sikh community.

Click here to watch the Sikh Advocate Academy Video! [ http://www.youtube.com/user/SikhCoal.../0/9dMXiMQZ8jU ]

Click here to see photos from the first annual Sikh Advocate Academy! [ http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...986.8401147002 ]

*Introducing our New Local Advocates* The Coalition is proud to introduce its new local advocates. These individuals endured a competitive interview process to be selected for the Academy. They are: Simran Kaur (Fresno, CA), Meeta Kaur (Union City, CA), Saranjit Kaur (Fremont, CA), Sahaj Singh (Santa Fe, NM), Sukhsimranjit Singh (Salem, OR), Arvinderpal Singh (Oxford, MS), Manpreet Kaur (Chicago, IL), Manpreet Kaur (Bellaire, TX), Harmeet Kaur (Houston, TX), Kaviraj Singh (Braintree, MA), Charanpreet Singh (Marriottsville, MD), and Gurwinder Singh (New York, NY).

*Advocate Academy Panelists and Trainers* The Coalition is thankful to its partners in the government and non-profit communities for speaking on panels during the Academy and training our advocates:

* Eric Treene, Special Counsel on Religious Discrimination, United States Department of Justice
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-coalition/36384-sikh-advocates-ready-to-make-change.html
* Gene Kim, Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
* Jasmeet Ahuja, Former Staff Member, House Committee on Foreign Affairs
* Michael Lieberman, Washington Counsel, Anti-Defamation League
* Priya Murthy, Policy Director, South Asian Americans Leading Together
* Shawn Gaylord, Director of Public Policy, Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network
* Arsalan Iftikhar, Senior Media Director, ReThink Media
* Mark Reading Smith, Managing Director of DC Office and Rapid Response Director of Security and Rights Collaborative, ReThink Media

The Sikh Advocate Academy has been made possible through the generous support of the Security & Rights Collaborative, a Proteus Fund Initiative, Open Society Institute - National Security and Human Rights Campaign and through individual contributions from the Sikh American community.

"tablakudi:

 
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