Spectrum News 1 published a story on September 5th regarding our success in opening a new Los Angeles office in Little Bangladesh.
Click the link to read!
SAN Statement on Palestine
Friday, October 20, 2023
The South Asian Network stands in solidarity with all oppressed and occupied people worldwide. We mourn the loss of all the innocent lives that have been taken over many decades of Palestinian occupation, land theft and ethnic cleansing, which has displaced many from their homelands, torn families apart, and taken the lives of so many. We are deeply troubled by the complicity of the US government in the violence that is currently unfolding in Palestine. We call on our elected officials to end the funneling of American taxpayer dollars into the Israeli occupation and the genocide of Palestinians. We urge US Ambassador for the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, to align her values of justice with that of the majority of the UN and end violence against all civilians and to urge humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
The harmful rhetoric and irresponsible reporting of elected officials and the media is a direct contribution to the rising Islamophobia and anti-Arab rhetoric in the US. As an organization that has been at the forefront of addressing injustices since 1990, we have been rebuilding and supporting our communities throughout 9/11, the “war on terror,” the Muslim Ban, and the numerous incidents and crimes that have taken place over the last few decades. We will continue to be a resource to our community through this devastation.
We urge both the LA County Board of Supervisors and members of the Orange County Board of Supervisors to rethink and retract statements and resolutions that they have passed or shared over the last few weeks that have further exacerbated hate against Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims and South Asians.
We’ve been hearing reports of Palestinian Americans and supporters of the Palestinian cause who have been approached by the FBI at places of worship, schools, and institutions where they are being questioned about various connections. This is eerily reminiscent of post-9/11 profiling and surveillance. Please remember that you have the right to remain silent. Please do not speak to anyone without legal representation. To be connected to free legal support, contact South Asian Network at saninfo@southasiannetwork.org.
To our community, we are here for you. We offer mental health resources, community healing, and support if you are a victim of any sort of violence, abuse or hate.
Shakeel Syed, SAN Executive Director, in the Associated Press: “When hardworking people are not respected or valued simply because of their caste, that is just blatantly wrong.”
Our Executive Director, Shakeel Syed, was at our state’s capital this week—in support of a new bill that stands against caste discrimination. Keep scrolling or click here to read more!
Shakeel Syed, SAN Executive Director, in the Associated Press: “Religious polarization in India seeping into US diaspora”
Read this article about countering religious polarization and Hindutva in the United States. Our Executive Director at South Asian Network, Shakeel Syed, makes a statement where he discusses the inclusive community he used to be part of in India, and how that community has changed to today. Make sure to read!
SAN Condemns Racism in LA City Council
PRESS RELEASE
Oct 10, 2022
Contact: Shakeel Syed – shakeel@southasiannetwork.org
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On behalf of the board and staff of South Asian Network serving tens of thousands of South Asian-Angelenos in the Los Angeles County, we demand:
1. The Councilmembers Nury Martinez, Gilbert Cedillo & Keven de Leon must immediately resign from their offices.
2. The rest of the Councilmembers must denounce their racist colleagues, demand their resignation, and sign an anti-racism pledge.
3. The LA County DA should investigate if the racist LA City Councilmembers had any racist partners in any capacity who are still working at the LA City Council.
4. The LA County Federation of Labor must terminate Mr. Ron Herreraimmediately & sign an anti-racism pledge.
5. The LA County Federation of Labor’s membership must vote out Mr Ron Herrera as their President & sign an anti-racism pledge.
We firmly believe that racism has no place and any person or organization allowing racism in rhetoric or in practice has no place in public square. And, as community-rooted organizations serving Angelenos of all backgrounds, we strongly believe in & pledge against racism in all its forms.
The Significance of American Citizenship and Civic Engagement
This past Sunday—August 7th—I gave a short speech regarding the importance of civic engagement and the power of American citizenship. Keep scrolling to read the speech:
I would like to stress the importance and significance of your citizenship; its value is not limited to just the certificate in front of you today or the oath you took when you were officially naturalized. It is great to become a citizen, but it is even greater to exercise citizen responsibilities and rights. A whole new world has opened up to you, and I mean that in a figurative and literal sense.
When you first sat down with us at SAN for your citizenship appointment, one of the first questions we asked was: “why do you want to become a citizen?” One of the main answers we received was “to travel more.”I remember just a few years ago—before my parents were citizens—we would take long, 3 leg flights all the way to Chennai from Chicago. Layovers would last hours at a time where we would be cramped in the airport with no fresh air or food. We couldn’t step outside the airport and be able to get back in without an American passport or a travel visa. Now, on our trips over, we are able to step out of the airport in London, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai to see our friends and family after years without having to obtain extra visas. That is a power of American citizenship; it quite literally opens us up to a new world. Unlike green card holders and lawful permanent residents, you also have the ability to travel for more than 6 months at a time without repercussions. With this importance of family, you now also have more power to petition to bring family permanently to this county, as well.
With this luxury, we—as American citizens—also gain access to a new set of responsibilities and powers. As great as you may perceive this country to be, we can all agree that it is not perfect. This is where your new civic abilities become so important. You are now eligible for federal government jobs and can run for public office. You can even volunteer for the city as a poll worker. Even more important than either of those is the ability to vote. Voting is a civic responsibility and right. Voting and elections are what dictate and guide our futures. Each ballot has a say in each of our own futures—including who is making important decisions and what policies become law.
This is even more imperative to recognize here in the state of California. In our state, we don’t just vote for elected officials, we also vote on propositions and ballot initiatives—which include funding issues, public benefits, education policies, taxes, and more. Now, we understand this can feel overwhelming. We do not want this right and responsibility to feel like a burden. So keep your eyes wide open for future SAN resources and feel free to come to us with any questions. Around October, SAN will provide a guide on voting issues. This year is more important than most. 2022 is an election year; the ballot this November will impact the many years to come. It often feels like immigrant voices are overlooked in this nation. The civic abilities provided with citizenship amplifies your voices. Please let the certificate in front of you be a reminder of the greater power you now have.
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By: Cynthia Chockalingam – Civic Engagement Coordinator @ SAN
