UPDATE: May 23, 2013
See the following newspaper article published in the Fresno Bee by Misl Fresno, co-director, Jasdeep Singh:
UPDATE: May 18, 2013
A HUGE thank you to all those sevadars that came out and participated in this historic event. Beyond awareness and education, it is the time of engagement - with-in and with-out our community. Breaking down barriers based on race and class, is the way we can make a real difference in the place we live. Below you'll see some vids from the local media - we will upload some more vids from the event. Please join us at the OPEN HOUSE at Nanaksar on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at 6pm. Together, we can do amazing things; together, we are the movement.
UPDATE: May 17, 2013
Game faces on and we are rearing to go. We are cooking at Gurdwara Nanak Prakash right now. Come and join us! We'll be moving around 4pm to Nanaksar and deliveries will be between 5-7pm.
See the flyer we prepared to hand-out to all the neighbors in the area, sharing some knowledge about their Fresno Sikh neighbors.
UPDATE: May 15, 2013
Misl Council member - Haneet Kaur - gives her honest take on questions of class, race, and community engagement. Read her blog entry here as she bravely stepped out of her bubble!
We have released the following PR statement to local media outlets. Hope you'll join us tomorrow!
UPDATE: May 14, 2013
So yesterday was a huge day as part of the efforts being led by Misl Fresno. We went and told all the neighbors that dinner will be on us on Thursday. We were overwhelmed by their kindness and well-wishes. This is what it's about.
We went a knockin' with Bali Singh:
NEXT UP - we need YOU to come out and help THURSDAY at GURDWARA NANAK PRAKASH. Come as soon as you can. We'll be there at 10am making pizzas; 4pm we will form delivery teams; 5-7pm we will deliver to the neighbors. If you have any questions - give us a call – Jakara Movement – Misl Fresno, co-directors – Sim at (559)779-4916 and Jesse at (559)708-2621
Here's the message from Rishy Singh -
or for those that prefer Punjabi - here you to from Gurbir Singh -
The main thing is we need YOU to RISE UP FRESNO!
UPDATE: May 13, 2013
Update on Health of Piara Singh - A special thanks to all that did Ardas for his chardikala, We gathered together as a community on Saturday to do a Sukhmani Sahib Paath, and we learned 15 minutes after the samaapti (conclusion) of the paath, he was discharged from the hospital on Saturday evening. For an 82-year old man to recover from such injuries is absolutely remarkable!
Update on RISE UP FRESNO - A HUGE thank you to the entire Fresno County Sikh community for coming to the townhall meeting and Sukhmani Sahib Paath. Our friends at KFSN 30 ABC covered the event.
Today, you may have seen Misl Fresno (Jakara Movement's Fresno Group) tabling at any of the 9 major Gurdwaras yesterday. Together we collected $1,600. We are just $400 shy of our goal! [If you can contribute, click here].
A message from one of Misl Fresno's Co-Directors - Jasdeep Singh
So what's the idea? To do seva and share langar - 2 core Sikh values. While there is no 'silver bullet' to stopping attacks as what happened to our grandfather Piara Singh, many of us first turn to 'education.' And while 'education' is important, we thought of a different answer - 'engagement.' What if we engaged the communities that live around our Gurdwaras? Far too often, we are indifferent to them and them to us. However, in Fresno, many of our Gurdwaras are in economically-depressed areas. Why not just do a nice gesture in good will? Not to 'educate', not with an agenda - just to do a kind act.
So this Thursday that is what we are going to do! Will you JOIN US? - Sign the petition below and stand with us as we RISE UP!
So the plan - First we are going to flyer today (Monday) in the neighborhoods around Nanaksar on Cherry St. We are going to let all our neighbors know what we are going to do and that Thursday night - Dinner is on us! If you can do your part in this seva, meet us at Nanaksar at 4pm TODAY (Monday)
Next on Thursday (May 17, 2013), we are going to spend all day at Gurdwara Nanak Prakash baking pizzas. If you can help us through donating money, donating your time and seva, or donating pizza supplies to bake these 200 pizzas, come out and do it!!
On Thursday from 5-7pm, then we will deliver all of them. We will provide some basic information on the Sikh community in Fresno - the Sikh neighbors! We will invite the neighbors to an open house the following Tuesday at Nanaksar and get an opportunity to share, talk, chat, and just get to better know our neighbors. Our goal is to start at Nanaksar and slowly do all the Gurdwaras in Fresno County. Join us - FRESNO RISE UP! Together we can do amazing things; together, we are the movement!
May 8, 2013
It is at times like this we need to mobilize. It is at times like this we need to ACT. What happened to Piara Singh was not the first time in Fresno, and unfortunately it may not be the last. But that does NOT mean we are helpless.
- Will you answer the call to educate our neighbors? Will you help put an end to the ignorance?
Sikhs have been living in Fresno for over a 100 years, yet too many of our neighbor's don't know about us. It's time to change this.
THIS Saturday we will have a Sukhmani Sahib paath followed by a call to action meeting to discuss what we as a sangat can.
Piara Singh could have been your grandfather. He is OUR grandfather. When your kids and grandchildren ask you about these incidents in the history of the Sikh struggle in Fresno and in North America - reply that YOU stood up! JOIN US!
- Who: You! Your family, friends & everyone you know!
- Why: Because your community needs you to RISE UP! We have no fear (nirbhao); we have no hate (nirvair) - we are UNITED.
- When: Saturday May 11th, 2013 at 5PM (Sukhmani Sahib paath - come learn!) and 6:30PM (meeting)
- Where: Nanaksar Gurdwara 3038 S Cherry Street Fresno, CA 93706
PLEDGE TODAY that you will join us! We seek 100 Sikhs ready to RISE UP!
Together, we are the ones we have been waiting for.
Together, we are the movement.
Details about Saturday's Event on Facebook