More than 45 Sikh organizations, Gurudwaras, and NGOs in California have joined forces to urge Governor Gavin Newsom to sign Senate Bill (SB) 403 to prohibit caste discrimination in the state. The Sikh Coalition, a non-profit Sikh-American advocacy organization founded in 2001 with offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Fremont, California, spearheaded this effort.
On August 28th, the California State Assembly approved the SB 403 bill, making it the first American state to have anti-caste discrimination legislation. This legislation intends to counteract bias towards marginalized communities by amending anti-discrimination laws.
In a letter to Governor Newsom, the Sikh Coalition voiced its approval of the recently proposed legislation and urged him to sign it into law. “The Sikh community is the largest South Asian community in California and has distinguished itself throughout Southern California, the Bay Area, Sacramento Valley, and Central Valley,” their letter read.
The letter included support and sponsorship for the draft resolution from 45+ prominent Sikh organizations, gurudwars, and non-profits. It stated that these groups “are in SUPPORT of the Anti-Caste Discrimination Bill 58-403, in the forms drafted as amended by Senator Wahab.”
Sikh Gurdwara San Jose, Gurdwara Sahib Fremont, Sikh Youth of America, American Sikh Sangat, Fresno, and Sei Guru Ravidass Temple, Pittsburg, California, are just a few examples.
Further, the letter stated, “This coalition representing 45+ Sikh community organizations has a combined membership of over 200,000 community members. We expect this group to continue growing in size as more community members become aware of the bill and more lend their support.”
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