After the horrific incident of 9/11, Sikhs Americans have been an easy target of hate crime. Part of the Sikh faith requires Sikhs to not shave or cut their hair to honor what God has given them and for Sikh men to wrap their hair in a turban to represent an outward commitment to their faith. Unfortunately, in America, beards and turbans are often mistakenly associated with stereotypes of terrorists — a dangerous linkage that has been perpetuated for years in popular media. This association has left Sikh Americans, as well as Muslim Americans, Arab Americans, South Asian Americans, and others vulnerable to targeted hate, violence, and discrimination.

SYA understands the importance of education in mitigating incidents of hate crime, discrimination and bullying, to name a few. We partner with like-minded organizations in embedding the Sikhism instruction in school curriculum.