SAN FRANCISCO, CA: Over 500 Sikh men, women and children from all across the San Francisco Bay area came together to support National Sikh Campaign’s (NSC)’s plan to raise awareness of Sikhism and the Sikh identity in America. Over $400,000 were raised at a sold-out event in order to help launch and sustain a PR and ad campaign set to begin later this year in national mainstream media channels and online.
For the first time ever, the television advertisements – created by AKPD, President Obama’s campaign media team – were unveiled to an enthusiastic audience. Last year, NSC had hired the services of AKPD and Hart Research Associates, Hillary Clinton’s polling research team that is headed by Geoff Garin, to develop the messaging and framework of these advertisements.
“This is a historic moment in the history of the Sikh community in America. Never before have we had the opportunity to tell our story to our fellow Americans around the country and that time has come now,” said Kaval Kaur, National Charter member of NSC and host of the event. “It is one of the best initiatives to help not only us but our kids and our future generations.”
Among the attendees were prominent Sikh entrepreneurs, leading Silicon Valley IT professionals, medical doctors, owners of trucking companies and officials of all gurdwaras in the area. Devenderpal Singh of Indian Idol fame opened the event with an enthralling song which he had the audience join in singing. The hosts of this gathering were prominent couple and Sikh business leaders, Kaval Kaur and Jasvir Gill, CEO of Alert Enterprise, and this program was held at the company’s headquarters in the business district in Fremont, CA.
“We, Sikhs, need to change the narrative and present the correct image of who we are, showcasing how we are totally integrated in the American society and not only as victims,” said Dr. Rajwant Singh, Co-Founder of the National Sikh Campaign, who presented the overview of the campaign and appealed to the audience to donate for the cause.
“Sikhism has salient points which resonate with American values and that good news has to be wonderfully presented at a national level. More importantly, this is the first time Sikhs have raised this amount of money to spread the awareness about their faith in America. Previous record is of $90,000 in NSC’s Los Angeles Gala last year.”
Shawn Singh Ghuman, NSC’s Communications Director, laid out the media strategy while Gurwin Singh Ahuja, NSC’s Executive Director, presented the ads to the audience.
“These ads have been tested and we have received positive feedback from a sample of the American audience through a polling conducted by Hart Research Associates,” said Ahuja. “We are very confident that these ads will have the needed impact to change the way our community is perceived – San Francisco Sikhs have given a major boost to our game-changing plan for Sikhs in America.”
Harbir Singh Bhatia, a Sikh activist in the Bay Area and one of the major local organizers, said, “There is a huge opportunity and need for the National Sikh Campaign initiative. We all hear about hate crimes and violent incidents against Sikhs, but never the values, resilience, and love that define Sikhism. Sikh Values are American Values, and yet it is largely unknown. Our fellow Americans should be more aware of this fact and realize how similar we are through this.”
“The turnout of our community members at the Gala speaks volumes about the need and support for NSC,” Bhatia added. “Building awareness and understanding of Sikhism is a multi-prong effort, and this campaign will play a major part in this end. It will be a different future for Sikh Americans when people see Sikhs in the mainstream media – which has a power unheard of in the United States!”
Fred Roth, a cancer survivor, narrated his story of how the Sikh concept of Chardhi Kala – staying positive in all situations – had helped him recover from this dreadful disease and his wife Kathy, shared her ordeal while staying positive. They were introduced to the concept of Chardhi Kala by their longtime friends, Kaval Kaur and Jasvir Gill. In addition, Radio Punjab played a key role and allowed lot of air time to engage people all across the Bay Area with the Sikh campaign and the event.
All the local Gurdwaras played a supportive role and asked their members to join the occasion. The Fremont Gurdwara, San Jose Gurdwara, Hayward gurdwara, Milpitas Gurdwara, San Francisco Gurdwara and El Sobrante Gurdwaras all made efforts to provide support to the initiative. The number of volunteers who worked day and night to make this event a huge success were crucial to its success.
NSC’s Bay Area team included Narinder Pal Singh, Upinder Ghai Gupta, Renu Bhatia, Jespal Singh Brar, Paramjeet Kaur Sekhon, Kashmir Singh Shahi, Satinder Singh Malhi, Savinder Singh, Preena Soni, Surinder Kaur, Kartika Aranda, Simon Fu, Minna Kaushik, Suman Gill, Deepak Chhabra, Paul Sabharwal, Amrit Kaur Sethi, Jyotica Bhatia, Gurparkash Singh, Nirban Singh and Nihaal Gill.
About National Sikh Campaign
The National Sikh Campaign is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that is helping to build the image of Sikhism in America and highlight the impact Sikh Americans have made in the United States. The aim of this campaign is to create an environment of mutual acceptance in which Sikhs don’t have to hide their articles of faith and lay the foundation for more Sikh Americans to become leaders in the United States.
NSC will use this research to raise understanding of Sikhism, change the perceptions of Sikhs in America and organize the Sikh community. It will also lay the backbone for future initiatives that include a data-driven, grassroots awareness effort that will employ web and digital advertisements, TV advertising, and broadcast and national media. NSC is reaching to various Gurdwaras, Sikh organizations, and stakeholders within America and internationally to create the largest network of Sikhs and the most influential PR effort ever for Sikhism.
Shawn Singh Ghuman & Deepak Chhabra
India Post News Service
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