The Journey of an Opening Mind

            As I read the first chapter of On Liberty, I seemed to be frustrated right away because all I could think about was the discrepancy between the progressive philosophies he presents and where our country actually stands today. Reading John Mill right after the American and French Revolution readings, the origin of his ideologies is quite evident. However, what I consistently thought of was whether the current structure and governance of our society matches up with those of Mill. On page 15 he says, “Liberty, as a principle, has no application to any state of things anterior to the time when mankind have become capable of being improved by free and equal discussion”. Are we even in a state where we can have free and equal discussion? How is that possible when so many opportunities and resources are kept from massive portions of the population? The achievement gap for ethnic minorities, the gaps in wealth between the rich and poor, and capitalist/imperialist mentalities inherently force our society to already be in a position where there can’t be a free discussion. If there is even a discussion, it is certainly not equal.

            On page 18, Mill calls for the “separation between spiritual and temporal authority” as a necessity for greater freedom of individuality. From the way I extrapolated it, individual freedoms are limited when religion enters social maters and governs human conduct. Why is that thousands of kids are instructed to pledge allegiance to one nation under God? It is interesting to think about how predominant religious ideologies are intertwined with our political ones—creating a potential gap for those whose spirituality is not connected with the majority. Much more reflective of our current state, “religious freedom has hardly anywhere been practically realized, except where religious indifference, which dislikes to have its peace disturbed by theological quarrels, has added its weight to the scale” (12). For the current state of religious minorities within the United States (especially in post 9/11, discriminatory mentalities), intolerance is exactly the key word and peace itself is shattered for millions of just citizens.

            Just being two of the few points that I thought of, it is compelling to analyze real-world statistics, evidence and realities to what Mill sets up through the concept of liberty. With the current dichotomous and polarized political system, does protection for the people against prevailing public opinions even exist? Are we even in an evolved state where a domain of conscience is possible? Are individuals who are partaking in their true freedom able to completely do so without harming the wellbeing and safety of others? Mill definitely does dive into more details in the coming chapters, but these questions continue to keep coming. All these different questions set within the context of liberty will definitely need further exploring.

I probably have watched too many movies this break, probably for my own good. There’s a specific scene that I can’t get out of my mind. This is nerdy as hell, but at the end of the trilogy of the Lord of the Rings, Frodo says something that I really connected with. After all the adversities he faced on his journey, things just weren’t the same when he came back to the Shire. Although he still loved everyone there, he said something along the lines of never being able to go back to regular life having seen the bigger world and having gone through these life-changing challenges

I keep thinking about these lines in relevance to my own life and it’s connection to my own Punjabi community in Richmond Hill. Kind of similar to the Shire, our community is a sort of utopia in the sense that every one goes along the tidings of their days to the best of their abilities— ignorant to the larger opportunities that exist and unaware of the discrimination that takes place. Personally, I’ve been blessed to have the opportunities to get my education from diverse group of schools. Experiencing other communities thrive while mine stays stagnant, I have used my own endeavors to grow my critical consciousness to many issues and problems that my fellow peers may not be aware of. Many times, my sisters and friends ask me “Why are you always stressing about these things?” or “Come on, it doesn’t matter”. But, I’m coming to realize that it does matter. There are so many beautiful things about our people and our culture, so beautiful that I don’t see myself anywhere else. However, to move forward and improve the lives of everyone past the simple American dream, we must all wake up from the misconceiving and self-interested mentality that we have become so invested in.

These thoughts are part of an ongoing, long conversation that I have been having in my head for some time now. I am sure that I will continue to work and write about different problems or fundamental things we need to work on as a community to move forward. But the primary reason I want to give this background is because it’s inherently tied to my social advocacy and desire to progress humanity forward. As a part of Young People For’s fellowship, I must come up with a blue print for social change in any community that I am passionate about. With the guidance of my mentor, I hope to help create my vision for action into a reality.

For the last year, I have been heavily thinking about a youth empowerment program based in Richmond Hill. It is still an idea that needs to flesh out, but I want to use it as a counterpart for some of the issues that I hold dear. Being a largely immigrant community, the social capital of our community is amazing. However, overall, I feel that there is a lack of positive leadership within the community itself. With drop out rates high and the pursuit of higher education a recent phenomenon, I have seen too many little cousins and other family members not have anyone to look up to or aspire to be. Through this youth empowerment program, I want to move away from just academics to inspire young people to be the leaders and catalysts for change that they have the potential to be. The fundamental tenants of this empowerment program will be mentorship, leadership, community service, and liberation.

And when I close my eyes and I think about who I feel needs this most in our community, I can’t help to think of young, Punjabi males whose infinite potential is not being reached. Following an overall national trend, I feel that our young women tend to progress more them our men in many regards—especially our community. Moving forward with this idea and obviously never closing doors to anyone, I wish to target talented, aspiring males who want to progress and make a difference in their own lives and those of others. I want to help mentor these young people in any way I can so that in turn and down the line, they will continue this cycle of raising critical consciousness. For now, this is an idea that I need to flesh out and structure much more before I begin to implement in. However, our youth has lived in the dark for too long and it is the dawn of a neo-enlightenment. The Shire is a beautiful place, but I think it’s time to venture beyond its borders and see what else is out there.

Caught up in mystical intoxicating shrouds of love,

A natural gravitation embedded within deep within us,

Guides us hopelessly towards an obscure end goal,

An alternate perception of reality of bliss and perfection,

Towards someone’s destiny must be intertwined with ours,

Someone’s whose mere thought makes us feel flustered,

Whose company makes our blood pressure rise and our bodies to warms,

Someone who makes you feel angry, happy, upset and exuberated all at once,

Whose thoughts and feelings you cloud up the cognitive mechanisms of your brain,

Shutting them down until all that becomes true is the pursuit of what our brain, mind, heart, and soul tell us is right

But sometimes in this crazy pursuit of love and happiness,

We forget to realize the true values of the blessings that are bestowed upon us,

Those that in the self-centeredness of our own pursuits gets loss,

The figures within our lives that give us foundation but who we choose to forget.

Recently, I’ve realized that I myself have been victim to the sickening concoctions of love,

Falling in love with love itself, I have broken myself down continuously,

In order to reach towards a state of bliss and joy that I looked for in too many people.

But finally, I have been freed from this spell.

Overlooking my life, I have been thinking those that have given me the foundations

The support, and love in order to help create the person I am today.

Leaving my own personal, lost pursuits behind,

My aim is now become not to simply do what is best for me,

But to accept those that have truly support me, day in and day out,

After clearing myself from the foolish pursuit that has plagued me thus far,

I have chosen to finally accept the one who has loved me ever since.

And in the happiness of realizing the truth, this is a tribute to you,

The love of my life.

Unlike lovers that come and go,

You are there every single night I need you.

There when life has blessed with countless joys,

And when I have been hurt and broken,

You’ve been there to wipe my tears and hold me.

Unlike all the false promises of friendships that are meant to last forever,

You cover me when I need you.

You let me slip right into your humble abode,

You allow me to complain, to lose myself within your presence.

Even as I go and explore the world, you are always there

With open arms when I come back—waiting.

More beautiful then anything I’ve ever seen before,

You fashion and style is unfathomable and yet I failed to recognize it,

From bright color headwear on different days to mellow and fuzz overcoats,

You define yourself anyway in which you want to be.

As troublesome and wrong as I may have been,

You let me come back and fall into your soft curves,

Letting me feel you, caress and hug you,

Allowing me to let go of everything until we become one.

Whether it be at midday or midnight,

You’re an angel sent from above to invigorate my very soul.

Your love has let me grow, both through triumphant and loss.

It has given me a solid foundation to return to every night,

So that I can prepare myself for the adversities of the world.

You have let me realize what true love is,

It is not what we want desire because of our selfish desire,

But true love is sacrifice, the selflessness that gives purpose in life.

And for this reason, this an ode dedicated for all that you do.

Thank you My Bed. I love you, and I always will. 

 Locating Myself Within the Social Formation of Society:

An Analysis of a Poor, First-Generation, Sikh-American Male

            Sitting in one of the middle rows of the rather large lecture room in the International Affairs building, I specifically remember the moment of puzzlement that I felt one day while Professor Gary Okihiro was standing and teaching in front of the classroom. While continuing to discuss the pertinent topics of the week, he began to write seemingly obscure and vague terms on the whiteboard. He continued to intrigue me as he slowly crisscrossed and connected vast topics with arrows that went both horizontally and vertically. Creating an elaborate timeline from the 18^th century to contemporary times, I sat there as Professor sketched out the instrumental forces of history and ideological pools of thought that have helped to create society today. Some of the terms covered from the list of many went from the imposition of order, World War II, to Third World Studies.  Never having learned to view the society in this way before, I was simply captivated by the critical analysis of the formation of the ideologies and systems that govern our lives today. Explicating the different parts of the flow chart throughout the next few weeks, Professor Okihiro was setting up the fundamental constructions of orders that he wished to teach us with the class, while visually representing the evolution of what is now understand to be as social formation.

Supplementing his lectures with insightful readings, Professor Gary Okihiro, along with Elda Tsou, outlines and illustrates his thoughts further with the essay “On Social Formation”. Although the term “social formation” has been used in countless different fields of study throughout time, the authors define social formation within the field of ethnic studies as being “the location and articulation of power around the axes of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class and nation” (Okihiro and Tsou, 76). As a part of forcing and challenging us to think about the nature of power through a critical lens, Okihiro and Tsou say that

“Social formation, in sum, attends to the multiplicity of forces at work in the locations and exercise of power. It demands a complexity in our thinking and politics to ascertain how social categories overlap, interact, conflict with, and interrupt each other. And it provides a rubric for unions among racialization, feminist queer, Marxist, and critical theories, and for political coalitions among peoples of color but also among and across created divides of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class and nation” (Okihiro and Tsou, 76)

The intricate ways in which society forms and works does not come from individual factors, but rather, the overlap of the multiple social categories that help to define power. Society as a social formation allows for the expression of specific forms of power within a complex and shifting order. As students developing a critical consciousness of social formations, it is fundamentally important to analyze our own location within society by developing a clear sense of the forces that have created the life that we live in today. By listening to Professor Okihiro explain his in-depth theories on how different moments of histories and philosophies build society, as we know it today, we are pushed to think and question different constructs that we are placed within. Rather than focusing on the consistently shifting speculations about our identities, it is necessary to use critical sensibility in order to understand what one’s position is in relevance to larger theories about social order. Even though social formation is defined by the intersection of a multiplicity of forces, there are major pinnacle elements of social formation that have created my distinct place within society today that go beyond the simple binaries of personal identity.

Being a first-generation Punjabi American, my position within the social formation of society partly existed for me even before my birth. The larger forces of labor migration to the United States that have been at play long before I was born mark the beginning point for my personal location the social formation of society. Being born and raised in Punjab, India, my father, Gulchaman Singh, and mother, Mohinder Kaur, both come from humble, traditional backgrounds. Although my father was able to go college for some time, he was forced to quit school and join the Indian army in order to help support both his nuclear and extended family. After my parents got married, they had a daughter and were seeking to live a content life. However, this was not possible due to the circumstances they were in. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Punjab was a place of economic, political and social turmoil. In addition to the Sikh Genocide that was happening in the Northern parts of the country, there was simply a lack of opportunities and resources for the wellbeing of my family. Even to this day, Punjab is ridden with corruption, drug problems, and general crime. Looking for ways to escape this and to help give my family a better chance at success, my parents and my older sister left the country in fall of 1992 while my mother was pregnant with a son—me. Moving directly to the United States, my mother gave birth to me a few months after they arrived. Similarly to many others, my family came to this country in hopes of a better and more comfortable life and my own birth arises from that very desire.

            When analyzing my position and the position of my family within the country, it becomes easy to accept my identity rather than locating myself with a larger social formation. During the Labor Migration unit of the class, Professor Okihiro elaborated on how push and pull factors apply to a nation of immigrants (Lecture note, Labor Migration 2^nd October). Pushes are the number of factors within one’s home country that pushes on to leave—such as political, economic or social turmoil. Pulls are factors that attract one to a certain country. The United States of America is a prime example because it represents economic opportunities, education and freedom from religious persecution. For my family, poverty, lack of opportunities and corrupt institutions instill the initial desire to leave. Corresponding to the large influx of Sikhs from Punjab to the United States, the stories of success and freedom that the U.S. seemed to hold were lucrative to my parents and helped to pull them into the country. Rather than coincidentally being born within this country, my position and role within society is linked to the dominant factors that lead to the migration of many people from “underdeveloped” countries to the United States.

            In analyzing the migration of my parents to the United States in the context of push-pull factors, it is necessary to understand the dynamics of capitalist labor migration and the implications that it says. In “Introduction: A Theoretical Orientation to International Labor Migration”, Edna Bonacich and Lucie Cheng portray this phenomena in a simple but profound diagram called “Development of Labor Migration”. In expressing their fundamental ideas of their essay through this diagram, they wish to explain “the origins of imperialism, the consequences of imperialism for the dominated countries that lay the foundation for labor emigration, and the changing labor needs of advanced capitalist countries that lead to immigrant” (Bonacich and Lucie, 3). An interesting point that this essay makes is that immigrant workers “contribute to the development of the country to which they have moved, while their country of origin loses some of its able-bodied and productive members” (Bonacich and Lucie, 2). The movement of labor immigrants across the world does not come with consequences. Although my mother, father and sister were able to find more solace within the borders of the United States, they left behind the possibilities of helping to develop a weakening and sick Punjab. With vast amount of productive and efficient people leaving the region to go elsewhere, there are profound, detrimental issues that are helping to damage Punjab more. According to Bonacich and Lucie, the inability of capitalism to cope with internal issues causes people to seek comfort elsewhere—causing mass migrations of people to become parts of America’s intricate fabric. Although immigrants come to the United States with the guiding hope of a much better life, newly arriving ethnic minorities must face many adversities against the hegemonic powers of the United States that other minorities have been facing for generations. Leaving their respective countries for many different reasons, their struggle is simply redefined and reshaped by new challenges and obstacles that they may face.

As an ethnic group as a whole, Sikhs and Indians as a whole have tried to fight for our equal place within the United States since 1923 with Bhagat Singh Thind (Lecture note, Critical White Studies, 29^th Nov).  Even though Sikh Americans have been struggling for equality and complete freedom within the United States for over a hundred years now, the exponential influx of Sikh Americans during a post-9/11 world has caused a radical amount of hysteria that places me as another religious minority among the social formation of our society. The way religious minorities are treated within the country overall has placed a subjectivity upon me that I could not chosen for myself. As a more contemporary example, Harsha Walia explains in “Hate Crimes Always Have a Logic: On the Oak Creek Gurudwara Shootings” that acts of religious discrimination against Sikhs have been happening in large hordes of numbers since 9/11. Although the issue of radical white supremacy has been hurting Sikhs for over ten years now, the horrific shooting of six people in an institution created for peace and love is still represented as a senseless act separate from racism and white supremacy.  Using this article as a lens in hope of illustrating my position, the simple act of my parents giving birth to me and raising me as a Sikh-American has caused me to be misrepresented as another possible threat to society. Regardless of the number of years I have been within the country or the many things that make me a good citizen of this country, oppressive forces shape my experience and marginalize me simply because I am a religious minority. 

In addition to dealing with the a different form of religious oppression in the United States, moving from Punjab to this country caused them to end up in a place that also has its own issues—Jamaica, New York. In the same manner that classical colonialism has led to the causation of labor migration as a social phenomenon, another element of my position within social formation is that of oppressive, internal colonialism. According to Professor Okihiro, internal colonialism resembles classical colonialism in certain ways—notably the oppression that ensues of the people within the borders of an area (Lecture Note, Colonialism, October 9^th). A variety of political and legislative tools are used in order to keep control within these internal colonies and economic forces help to keep people in. There becomes a political dependency in enclaves that predominantly exist of minorities of the United States. Jamaica is a part of Queens that can, in my opinion, be considered as an “internal colony”. Consisting of a majority of African-Americans, Latinos, and a large influx of recently arrived immigrants, my Sikh family ended up becoming a part of the diverse oppression of the under-resourced and underprivileged area of Jamaica that I ended up growing in.

Although the struggles of my family definitely have been different from those African-Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans and other immigrants, growing up within these pockets of social, cultural, economic poverty has allowed me to face many similar hardships that these other groups face. Regardless of the origins of the people living within these internal colonies, the social tools that are used to perpetuate oppression can lead to the underdevelopment of any individual. Even though there are various factors at play that continue to subject people within these areas, a major tool that can be used for oppression of people is education and how it’s used. Within New York City itself, there are huge disparities between education institutions all throughout the city. People in poorer, more urban areas that tend to be minorities generally receive a much worse education that those who live in affluent areas. Jamaica, Queens is merely one of the hundreds of “internal colonies” within New York City that are plagued by awful education institutions. Although the implications and reasons as to why this is are profound, improper and weak education works to keep thousands of people from proper and full access to potential resources and opportunities—further deepening the subjectivity that exists for poor and minority people.

Inadequate and oppressive education for people within these social boundaries can help to colonize the minds of people by altering the presentation of social constructs. Carter Woodson in “The Mis-Education of the Negro” critiques the pedagogy that exists for black students during that time and raises a cry about learning the importance on one’s own roots rather than those of the Western education that sets people up for servitude. Talking specifically about educated Black people, Woodson says that these “‘educated’ people, however, deny anything as race consciousness; and in some respects they are right” (Woodson, 7). Even though educational systems are much more racially integrated today, an important point that Woodson tries to make is that there is a lack of consciousness within the people who are receiving this education. Many people within these internal colonies are receiving an education; however, they are not conscious of the larger oppressive system at play. Building this point further, Eldrige Cleaver in “Education and Revolution” says,

The education that is given is designed to perpetuate a system of exploitation. On the one hand it is designed to keep black people and so-called minorities ignorant, and on the other hand it is designed to keep the masses of white students in harmony with this system, to keep them from supporting the system, to indoctrinate them to fight the wars that protect the system, and that extend and influence and power of the system (Cleaver, 48).

Cleaver hits the nail on the head with this because most of the public schooling in these urban areas full of minorities are exploited and are completely unaware of the bigger world out there. Others who have more economic power and higher social advantages control minorities and poorer people. White students who have had the opportunity for a less oppressive education do not deal with the subjection that minorities face. In turn, they become supportive of the disparate educational system because of the benefits that it reaps for them.

            Considering myself to be fortunate, my educational experience throughout my own life has allowed me to explore both ends of this educational dichotomy. Initially growing up and attending public schools in Jamaica, Queens, I have been a first hand witness to the oppression that a poor education can have on people. For elementary school, I went to a local zone school predominantly filled with many minorities from a lower socioeconomic class. Not being aware of anything else, I did not plan for my education pursuits to leave the internal colony. It was set for me to attend one of the local high schools within the area—some of the worst schools in the whole country. However, I was fortunate enough to come across an educational opportunity that would change I understand to have changed my life. Beginning in the 5^th grade, I was accepted into the first graduating class of a middle school called George Jackson Academy (GJA). GJA was founded in hopes of helping poor, talented minority boys who are become victims of the achievement gap reach their full potential. From this point on, I could be accepted into a high school called Packer Collegiate Institute. An independent, private school in Brooklyn, it offers some of the most elite education that exists within the New York City. It was from this point on that I honed all the resources and opportunities that become available in the world of rich, white schooling and used it to learn how to think critically about the constructs of my earlier, oppressive education. Being the son to immigrants from Punjab, the opportunities that become available to me helped me to move from an oppressive, public school educational system to an elite, resourceful private school education.

Currently being at Columbia University now, I am a factor of the diverse educational environments that have both tried to oppress me and that have placed me in a more “elite” position of society. Paolo Freire in “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” says, “To surmount the situation of oppression, men must first recognize its causes, so that through transforming action they can create a new situation, one which makes possible the pursuit of a fuller humanity” (Freire, 31-32). Discussing education as being a means to freedom, Freire emphasizes that proper development of a critical consciousness through education. This critical consciousness allows one to understand society and its structures in order to create individual agency. Even though I have been able to hone these skills to be critically aware of the oppression I deal with, other people who have not had the same privilege are still embedded with social formations that they do not completely understand. From friends to family that have been an important and intricate part of my life, they are subjected to their respective locations in society without even completely understanding them. If it were not for the educational opportunities that I have had through my life, my mind would still have continued to be colonized by the oppressive forces laid out by the social formation of society. By indulging an elite education in what is accepted as an elite education, I have been able to escape the degradation of the fundamental right of a critical consciousness that many people from my background face.

Although I have received what arguably can be called a better education, it is compelling to analyze my position as a Columbia student who comes from the background of immigration and internal colonies. An important follow-up action would be to question how much my elite education is actually liberating me as a person. What are the implications of having a “liberating” education within a white hegemony and how will this position within society moving forward in life? Looking at the broader phenomena that facilitate my creates my position within society, this critical sensibility that I have further honed in Comparative Ethnic Studies pushes me away from focusing on the concept of identity to contemplating about subjectivity. Through writing this paper and analyzing myself as a subject position within society, it is captivating to envision how little our lives are created through personal decisions and individual decisions, but rather, by the larger components of social formation that are much bigger then identity itself. I am not simply a poor, first-generation, Sikh male who struggled through obstacles to receive a great education that is presented to be open for everyone. Rather, I am the product of a multiplicity of forces that have instrumented my construction as an individual long before I was even born.

Punjab is a state in Northern India that is culturally and social distinct from other parts of India. In my essay, I refer to myself from being both Punjabi and Sikh. Even though I may use both the terms interchangeably, it is important to note their distinction. The term Punjabi refers to my familial ties to this region. When I use the term Sikh, I am referring to my religion. Sikhism is a universal religion but also is the predominant religion of this area. Whenever I use the term Sikh for the purposes of this essay, I will also be referring to my familial roots from Punjab rather than religion alone. 

Sitting in American Urban Politics today,  we were discusses many themes that seemed to branch over the whole course itself. Discussing where urban areas stand today, we came across the intriguing topic of governance and how cities work to control people. The point that Professor Davidson was making was that city government finds an innumerable ways in order to keep control and order within its borders— including how protests are dealt with. Divulging from this topic, she began to talk about an immense shift on governance since the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11. Having a perfectly normal conversation, a part of me suddenly shrunk inwards and I suddenly became so consciousness of my personal identity as a Sikh.

Not only do I consider myself to be a strong Columbia University student, I feel that I am well-respected by my peers within the class itself. So why is it that the mere mention of terrorism caused me to shudder? I instantly thought of a profound but terrifying article that I happened to have read last night by Sonny Singh (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sonny-singh/ali-akmal-beating_b_2233695.html). To quickly summarize the opinion paper, Muslims have been brutally attacked in Queens recently but yet, the media continues to perpetuate the Muslims as villainous. The media continue to endorse negative stereotypes about followers of this religious faith even though they were the ones who were being antagonized.

Wait, what? With all due respect, that is absolutely preposterous and illogical. 

Personally, it is ridiculous to me that people in this day and age are still being physically annihilated for their decision to follow a certain faith— even in a city as “liberal” as NYC. Although Islamophobia can perhaps be justified in the direct after maths of the effects, one would think tragedies like these and those of Oak Creek would cause people to accept everyone’s differences and help us to move fast that false misconceptions that are placed upon us. Even though I am not a Muslim, I am able to identify with the struggles of being consistently subjected for being a brown, devout man who chooses to visually express his faith. 

With the perpetuation of all these hate crimes and the endorsing of oppressive behaviors, I have been thinking deeply about what the word “terrorism” means. Connecting domestic hate crimes to our contemporary involvement with Middle Eastern nations, the talk of terrorism reminds of a song that I find to be rather profound: “Words I Never Said” by Lupe Fiasco. Given the context of the song, Lupe Fiasco basically goes out and frankly calls Obama and the United States as a whole a terrorist. Although this seems so un-American at first, it’s really interesting to look at.  

Although I do not necessarily completely agree with all of Lupe’s claims, he explains his logic on the Bill O’Reilly show (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sonny-singh/ali-akmal-beating_b_2233695.html). A very important point that he makes in this video still resonates with me today. He explains that a terrorist is someone who strikes fear in the heart of people. An individual or a body of people who are deeply embedded in forcing people to live in a consistent state of fear and anxiety. Is what he says about Obama true? I’m not sure. Does his definition hold any truth? I definitely think so. 

Lupe’s original definition of terrorism is true and it can be applied, not to Muslims or Sikhs who are deemed terrorists in our society, but rather, the media and government who strike fear in the hearts of good people. The terrorist are now religious brown people but rather, the institutions that are provoking this hate. 

The reason why I shudder or get anxious about discussions of terrorism and post-9/11 is not because I am terrorist who intends to harm others, but because I am afraid of being viewed and targeted as one. Even though I am privileged to not have been physically targeted for wearing a turban, I live in a consistent fear that my fundamental rights as a human being and American citizen will be violated because I stand out from everyone else. I am a first-generation American citizen who has worked hard to give back to his communities in so many different ways. But yet, I automatically seen as a suspect because of the dominant stigmas that exist about people who look like me. Although I have become adept at shutting myself out from these negative thoughts, I constantly find myself being stared down by evil looks that I know are questioning my role as a person within our society. I am afraid that everyone is looking directly at me when the word terrorism is mention. I am afraid that my credibility as a student is at stake. I am afraid I will be hurt. 

The root causes for this fear is extremely profound and deep to discuss. However, I believe that the media, politicians, and legal tenets all contribute to the oppression and bigotry that innocent and hardworking people like myself face. I have met many Muslims and Sikhs who have given and sacrificed so much in order to be a part of the intricate fabric of our country. I am simply tired of hearing about these people being hurt and I am simply tired of walking around with this fear Although cautionary measures against repeated attack on our soil by radicals can be justified, the killing, hurting and subordination of people who happen to look somewhat like them can never be justified. In fact, these stigmas have become so heightened that we now are the ones who being terrorized. We are simply not terrorists and we refuse to be seen that way. 

            Holding both my nieces hands, they accompanied me while we all walked down the street together. Laughing and playing all the way there, it was a truly joyous moment for all of us. For the first time ever in generations of history, someone in my family was going to vote in our country. Even though my family has been in the country for over twenty years now, I was the first to walk into a voting both and choose the official that would make a difference for me. Growing up as a son to immigrants from a far away land, I never really understood the importance of voting. Living in mainly under-resourced areas, no emphasis placed on exercising a right that we are given at citizens. I had this mentality that it’s not really important because I’m simply just one of many. My vote doesn’t really matter and politics don’t really matter. It wasn’t until this summer that I realized how wrong I was.

            Through helping to set up the Richmond Hill Democratic Club (RHDC), I think I have begun to truly understand the importance of civic engagement. In years past, no organization in our area existed that helped to build and create a political voice for our neighborhood. Since the people living here are relatively new to the country, there is no connection to the political world that impacts their daily lives in so many regards. Richmond Hill has one of the, if not, the lowest voter turnouts in New York City. Even for people who have the ability to vote, there is no desire to partake. Our goal is to change this. Because of the lack of a cohesive voice, bureaucracy has ignored people in our communities for way too long.

            Our first endorsement as a club was for Councilman James Sanders. He was running for a New York State Senator for District 10 in Queens earlier this Autumn. To be quite frank and slightly bias, the Senator that held the position at the time was awful. I believe she was in power for two terms or so. Even though she did some good things a while ago, she blatantly ignored certain communities within her district for a variety of reasons. To summarize her role, she also happened to be arrested for corruption charges a week before the election. Her opposition in the election was Councilman James Sanders. He was the Councilman for the Far Rockaways in Queens and is a politician who steadfastly holds to his morals. When he began his campaign, he didn’t have a powerful backing or tons of money. What he did have was the ability to represent an array of people while carrying himself with a passion to make a positive difference.

            The reason why this is significant is because of its relevance to Richmond Hill and our country at large. For the first time in awhile, a politician reached out and wanted to work together to move forward. Although our area does not have extreme amounts of capital or voters, he wanted to win through building a coalition of people to ensure everyone had their full rights. The way that the RHDC played a role is that we went out into our communities to raise awareness of the issues that exist and how Sanders could help us move forward. We didn’t have a history or money to help back us. By simply going out to communities and getting people to vote in the primaries, we were able to help Sanders win the election who is currently a beacon of hope for our community. Just by walking two blocks down with my nieces and casting a ballot in the primaries of local election, I was able to be a part of the change. By helping to get Sanders elected, I have helped to open the door to many opportunities for my neighborhood.

             The benefits of winning an election do not exist in an abstract world but rather exist in the reality around us. Even if you look at urban history, there have been so many different bureaucratic and political structures set up to make sure that certain people cannot vote. Many reforms were made to ensure that people’s voices are silenced. More specifically, many barriers are created for people from underprivileged areas to exercise their right to vote. If we choose not to vote, we’re giving up one of the few chances we have to make a difference. We are giving up the opportunity to fight the system that finds it ways to suppress us.

             Moving away from local elections, it is quite evident that Election Day for the presidential race is upon us. This day will go down in history and will be discussed for years to come. Regardless of your political standing, it is of the upmost importance to make sure you go out and vote. Even though we may not think one vote counts, my work with the RHDC has shown me that even a few votes can make a tremendous change. We are in an extremely volatile state and the value of civic involvement is at its highest. My father once said that when you choose not to vote, you’re forsaking your ability to help choose the candidate that will help to improve your life and the life of the communities around you. With the expertise that you have, head to the voting booth because it is a window of time that you are given that allows you to directly help to create the fate of you nation. 

First of all, I want to say thanks to all the friends and family who reached out to make sure everything was okay in the wakes of Hurricane Sandy. Both my neighborhoods, Morningside Heights and Richmond Hill, were able to survive the impact of the storm without an extraordinary amount of damage. Driving back to Manhattan today from Queens, the damage was visible but so was the revival. Debris is beginning to be cleared, roads and highways are being opened again and people are starting to return to their day-to-day lives. But with all of this aside, I think it it is important to acknowledge the severity of Sandy and all the damage that it has done. We all sometimes get caught up in the cycle of first world problems and forget to reminisce on the detrimental effects that a tragedy like this can have on us. From what I know, more than 18 lives were lost, upwards of 2,000,000 people lost electricity and there have been 10-20 billion dollars in damage all across the Northeast. 2 young boys were cut off from the access to life early by a tree that crashed into their living room in Westchester County yesterday. 50 homes were burned to the ground in a fire in Queens last night. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes, clinging to the hope that they can return to the safety of their homes soon. As the shadows of the storm slowly subside, I am sure that these numbers and stories will only continue to enfold. My warmest condolences and regards goes out to the people that were lost or injured in the last two days. We will keep you in our prayers and in our hearts while we stand in unity in order to heal the wounds that Hurricane Sandy has left upon us. 

My whole life has been a roller coaster of insecurities. Ever since I was young, there was one thing or another about my identity that kept me from being whole. Whether it was my physical appearance or my educational journey, there’s always been something off according to the stagnant standards that have surrounded me. Quite frankly, a lot of people have been giving me shit for “changing” so much. You’re so this and you’re so that. Why do you talk like that, walk like that, dress like that? To be honest, I’m tired of it. I’m tired of trying to appease to stupid norms and trying to hide behind different expectations people set for me. I’m exhausted of trying to be modest and dumbing down my own accomplishments for the appeasement of others. Yes, I am changing. But, I’m changing so that I can define myself by my own standards. I’m growing mentally, physically and emotionally so that I can become the hard-working and well-educated person that I’m meant to be. If you can’t learn to accept that about me, then I really don’t appreciate your negative energy in my life. If you truly do love me, then you’ll support me every step of the way and respect the man that I am growing to become. 

http://wbai.org/articles.php?headline=NYC+Sikhs+Call+for+Unity 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez-FeQzgZGQ

What do you think are the Sikh American community’s most pressing challenges? What do you feel is most needed to address these issues?*

The Sikh-American community’s most pressing challenge within the United States comes from its inability to simply be recognized as fellow Americans. For ethnic minorities within our country, our identity is only created through the use of a hyphen: African-American, Latino-American, and Asian-America. Through the struggles of minorities within history, the United States of America has begun to wake up to accept the many individual threads that make up the fabric of our nation. However, the Sikh-American community is a more recent and contemporary addition to the diversity that has developed with time. In this day and age, Sikh-Americans once again challenged the narrow box of what a true American looks like. Not just simply having brown complexions, Sikhs wear turbans and believe in a faith that is not conventionally American. As a people, we have been the targets of discrimination, hate and bullying because we simply challenge the idea of what all Americans should look like. In the same way many have fought to make strides towards equality, the most pressing challenge for the Sikh community is to work towards untangling the conservatism that keeps people from being accepted simply as American.

How do we necessarily address this identity issue of not being accepted just Americans? How can we can tackle this issue and eliminate the source that gives way to the unfair treatment that Sikhs receive? To begin with, this is definitely cannot all happen in a day’s task. The problems that we face as a community are extremely interconnected and will take decades to eliminate. However, in the same way that all other oppressed communities have fought to be accepted as American, there are many things that we can do as a community to destroy the obstacles that keep us from being accepted as brethren. It is possible to attack the heart of the problem by using education and awareness simultaneously on different levels. Not only should there be more of an awareness of other cultures in school, the media and government can do a significantly better job at telling the story of Sikh Americans. It should not take the massacre of six people at a Sikh temple in order for anyone within these institutions to acknowledge our existence and struggle. In addition to holding our institutions accountable to make change, it is up to all of us, as individuals, to educate others on what it truly means to be American. Not only is this the responsibility of Sikh-Americans, but it is also all of our responsibility, simply as Americans, to break obstacles that keep everyone from a life of peaceful coexistence.

A Question:

There’s been a question in my head that’s been bouncing around for a while now. Whenever it comes up, it bothers me over…and…over again. It’s become like a thorn that keeps pricking me and pricking me, tearing me inside. It wrangles my emotions, and scratches my thoughts to a point where I want to explode like a volcano, spit lava everywhere to destroy everything around me. Sometimes, it makes me even wanna implode- minimize into nothingness and vanish forever like the kids in “lost child” posters that everyone knows will never be found. This question mark layers the stale cake of my life to the point where I’ve lost myself in the endless cave of confusion and despair.

What exactly is this question that can undermine all my struggles and successes with a slight curve and a dot? It goes all the way back to the very roots I come from. My family comes from a place where you thank God for the little bit of dal and roti that sits on your plate. A country where poverty kills dreams faster than a flock of dying birds falling from the sky. But I, I was born and raised in a city that makes colonial slavery look old-fashioned. A city where there are white shades and black shades and everything in the middle. BUT somehow, there are invisible lines that set barriers around them. People are trapped in an endless cycle of discrimination, failure, oppression and most importantly- unrealized destinies. On the winding path of my journey, certain nudges from fate and hard work have let me soar high and far away from the disease that plague my people. I have gotten so far from where I come from through the sweat of my brow and the lack of sleep beneath my eyes.

BUT… exactly what am I doing? This is the question that causes my stomach to turn and my mind to whirl. The thorn stuck inside me that can only be removed by the answer to this question. Yes, you’ve broken doors to the other side and have created a strong brick road to your success. But exactly what do you want to do for the rest of your life? My heart shudders even as the words flow from my voice while I speak. Forever and ever, I have simply worked to succeed, always working. For too long, I have not known the specific path which to take and now it’s supposedly the time to decide. Becoming a doctor involves too much science, law too many boring books and even the thought of Wall Street makes me want to hurl.  Even with all of this, I sometimes wonder why I do all that I do. And I think I’ve finally realized the answer to my question…

I’ve realized that I’ve been infected by a virus called passion. This word is consistently thrown around as a justification for the countless accomplishments that happen all around us. But as I close my eyes and I hear the conversation between my heart and my brain, I’ve realized that my inner workings are forcing, pushing, shoving and heaving me to become the change I want to see. As I feel the blood flow through my veins, I know I am destined to change the very world around me.

What am I going to do with my life? I’m not really sure. But I do know that I’m going to shake and transform everything that I see.  I am going to realign the very foundations of the Earth so that equality and opportunity are not just a luxury, but a fundamental right. I’m going to be a singer for the unsung children that are brought down by the poisonous concoctions brewed by our own society. I am going to be a soorma of love, a brave warrior that will fight against the enmities that destroy human life. Vile vices and differences within us because of physicality, wealth, background, language will become broken down obstacles that have obstructed the coalition of the human race for too long. I will write words and speak action until I pry the eyes of ignorance open. I am going to work endlessly to the point where the skin on my hands wears out and withers in order to carry my brothers and sisters to a world in which peace is the norm. I am going to become a catalyst progressivity to help create a world where everyone is given an unbiased right to the beauty of life. And never ever to forget my roots, I’m going to give my parents a break from struggle and pain. I’m going to take their burden onto my shoulders and make the same difference that they made for me.

And if I can’t do it all of this alone, I am going to build a bridge between ideas and action. I will use my words as a tool to mellifluously inspire others to see the vision that clouds my eyes. I am going to be the founding leader for a contemporary crusade. A crusade to move the world forward in a way that it never has before—.I will instill and ignite the fire for change within all the hearts that I can. I guess now the question becomes how the HELL can I possibly do all of this? To be honest, I’m still not sure but I know that I will.

A Girl:

Dark skin, quiet and sturdy, she was a girl whose presence was definitely felt wherever she went. As every one her age begins to develop different stratagems that reflect their unique identities, she was marked by the vivid bows she wore in her hair. She was a person who was academically talented but challenged herself to push herself closer to making the dreams she saw at night into a reality. In the years to come, she will use her determination and growth mindset to become a leader who is meant to change the very communities around her. With hard work and opportunities guiding the self-destinies we create, there is simply one thing that keeps her from molding the life she wishes to live. A voice.  

Even from the time she was born, she simply didn’t know how. She indulged in the world of toys, family and television like any other child but lacked something that we all sometimes take for granted. She lacked the ability to express herself. She did not have the tools to properly convert her thoughts, ideas and feelings to movements in the larynx that vibrate the air. Fear, anxiety and shyness stunned her and shut her up before she could even sum up the courage to fight it. Most other children engulf themselves in the world of linguistics as soon as their cognitive abilities let them. She didn’t even say her first word until she was seven. Outside the safety of her home, the large world of strangers kept her from any possible interaction. Even in school, her teachers and classmates seemed too intimidating while she kept her love for academics to herself. This anxiety kept her from any activities that she had the potential to explore- acting, poetry, dance and anything else that forced her to deal with a cruel world.

Her life continued in this stagnant world of confusion and hesitancy until she got an opportunity that would change that forever. Through her struggles, she was given a chance to be a part of a community that is in the process of transforming the lives of many young people for years to come. A community that will accept her for simply who she is and open up the doors of the world to her. With her academic talents and perseverance, she knew the program would show her the path to her success, but she never knew what else it would give her- the ability to speak and be heard.

Not only was her mind opened to the world of writing, mathematics, science and literature, her fear and anxiety were pulled out of her as she was only surrounded by people who were blind to judgment. She walked into a place full of strangers who only smile and encouraged her to just be only who she wanted to be. The norms and opportunities given to her brightened up her very world and broke her shell little by little in order to make her into the girl she was meant to be. For the first time in her life, she could dance, speak and act in front of a group without the ghost of her mutism choking her. She was given powers and abilities that will that she never knew she had, tools that will allow her to break through. This summer program was not just teaching her, it was changing the very way in which she lived.