Kaurs for Black Lives

Kaurs for Black Lives. Like many of you, we at Kaur Life are moved by the Black Lives Matter protests across the country. It is our duty as Sikhs to create a just and compassionate world where everyone, regardless of skin color, can thrive and flourish. Our Gurus taught us that we must fight for the oppressed and uproot tyranny. 

We want to find a way we can help, support, and empower marginalized voices, particularly Black voices and Black bodies. Here is our humble attempt in sharing ideas. Bhul Chuk Maaf.

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Reclaim the Block @reclaimtheblock is a coalition demanding that Minneapolis divest from policing and invest in long-term alternatives.

Black Vision Collective @blackvisionscollective is taking a healing and transformative justice approach for all Black lives in Minnesota. 

Campaign Zero has a 10 point agenda to reduce police violence.

The official GoFundMe for George Floyd’s Memorial. 

Bail funds to support those arrested while protesting.

Please note that Kaur Life does not necessarily endorse these organizations and cannot speak to their financial efficiency and responsibility, accountability, governance, practices, ethics, etc. This list is for reference only.

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The Conscious Kid @theconciouskid is a great resource for parents who want tools and advice for approaching racism in the everyday world.

Check Your Privilege @ckyourprivilege is valuable for community accountability. Not only is it focused on anti-racism, but it’s educational as well. 

South Asians For Black Lives @southasians4blacklives is education South Asians (SA) on dismantling anti-Blackness and exploring SA identity. Page by SA.

Color of Change @ColorOfChange designs campaigns powerful enough to end practices that unfairly hold Black people back, & champion solutions that move us all forward.

Black Lives Matter @blklivesmatter is a global network and call to action & response to anti-Black racism. 

Reflect

Have conversations with your friends and family about how to unlearn racisms and examine your own biases. Which Sikh values, history, Gurbani, rehat are you drawing on to fight this fight? How are you engaging with anti-Blackness and racism (language, beliefs, behaviors) as it shows up in yourself, family and friends? Consider looking up books on how to dismantle institutionalized racism or podcasts on intersectionality.  

Support

Buy from local, Black-ownd businesses.

More Ideas

Here’s How You Can Take a Stand For George Floyd Right Now

How to Support the Struggle Against Police Brutality

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Why Should We Care?

Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa recently wrote an article on why Sikhs should stand in solidarity with Indigenous People and People of Color. She states that Sikhi has a long legacy of social justice, from Gurbani to history, and we are taught to fight for what’s right and see the Divine in all. So, Sukhjit sees activism and advocacy as central to Sikhi.

Recently, Ameet Singh Bali wrote, ” To all my Sikh friends and family we have a duty to pull up for our Black brothers and sisters. Here’s why.⠀

Next week will mark the 36th Anniversary of the Sikh Genocide – a period when Indian state authorities and police officers abducted, tortured, murdered and secretly cremated thousands of young Sikh men and women.⠀⠀⠀

We grew up witnessing these atrocities with images of tortured bodies – young men [and women] that resembled us so strikingly that it felt like we were looking into a mirror. We became surrogate victims and carriers of a deep-rooted pain that we carry with us until today.⠀

Today, right before our very eyes we see strikingly similar images of Black men and women that have faced centuries of sustained, prolonged and systemic injustice being subjected to cruelty and genocidal acts of murder.⠀⠀⠀

So, as we observe the Sikh Genocide let’s do so with acts of solidarity that confront anti-Blackness. Let’s confront it by pulling up for our Black brothers and sisters and by confronting anti-Blackness in our own communities.⠀⠀⠀

It’s worth repeating, but we can begin by confronting Brown friends and family members that use the n word and remind them that they are upholding the violent legacy of white supremacy that kills. ✊????”⠀⠀

As Sikh women, it is important to stand up for marginalized peoples too. “I see our liberation as Sikh women deeply connected to the liberation of other People of Color,” says Lakhpreet Kaur, Editor in Chief of Kaur Life, “The same systems that oppress Aboriginal People and Black People are the same systems that oppress women, Sikh women, and Sikhs. These systems are built for and by cis-gender, heterosexual, wealthy, white men. By challenging anti-blackness and power structures that benefit from marginalizing and ‘othering’ people, like Sikh women, we are also chipping away at sexist systems.”