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Census 2010: Get Counted
Jesse Singh
Does America
know who the Sikhs are? Sikhs first came to the United States in the
1800s but even after more than 130 years Sikhs are still invisible
and virtually unknown to most Americans. We have a long-standing
history in this country both good and bad but it’s our own Sikh
American history nonetheless.
Our community
has remained fragmented and failed to speak with a single strong
voice.
The day we can
pull together and get our true numbers in America we can obtain
government funding for many programs that are relevant to our
community, we can gain recognition and more importantly we will have
the attention of our leaders in office both locally and nationally.
Rough estimates are that we have surpassed the million-person mark
nationwide.
Every 10 years
the United States conducts a census of all Americans. It is time
that Sikhs were finally counted. If we lose this opportunity to
unite as a community for the 2010 Census, we will remain invisible
for yet another decade. Will we organize this decade, the next
decade, or decades later?
Sikh American
Census is building a united Sikh community. Our goal is to
facilitate communication among Sikh Americans, educate all Americans
about Sikhs, to do a study to find out what our Sikh numbers are and
empowering Sikhs across America.
Currently there
is a National Campaign to have the government keep statistics for
the Sikh community. We have 80 days left, that’s 11 weeks and 3
months for the actual Census day on April 1st. Yes on April Fools
Day.
We need
volunteers from the youth, as well as from our elderly and anyone
else that has time that can help get the word out. An integral part
of this project is to educate our own community about the process.
On the Census
Form: Question # 9 States what is the person’s race: Please write-in
“Sikh”.
For further
enquiries, please contact: Jesse Singh, Sikh American Census, Project Manager,
858-414-8844 jessejaspal@yahoo.com or visit
www.Sikhamericancensus.org
20
January 2010
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