JERSEY CITY — Over 70 community members gathered here July 30 for a hearing called “South Asians in New Jersey: Ten Years After 9/11” to reflect on the decade since the 9/11 tragedy, and to provide recommendations for moving forward.
The hearing was organized by South Asian Americans Leading Together, a national nonprofit organization, as part of its campaign, “An America for All of Us,” to mark the 10-year anniversary of 9/11.
Community members affected by the backlash after 9/11, as well as policymakers, shared stories and examples of positive solutions, according to a press release. Notably, the hearing happened a day after the Board of Education in Passaic, New Jersey, unanimously passed an anti-bullying resolution presented by SAALT.
The resolution calls on the Board of Education to enforce the New Jersey Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights; institute a bullying prevention program; and train students and employees around cultural and religious practice sensitivity, among other requirements.
Just a week earlier, the Township of Teaneck, New Jersey also passed an anti-bias resolution presented by SAALT.
Divided into thr ee panels, the New Jersey hearing addressed the ongoing struggles of communities impacted by discrimination, racial profiling, Islamophobia, immigration enforcement and hate crimes.
Sikh community member Rajinder Singh Khalsa gave a disturbing account of how, following the 9/11 tragedy, he was accosted by individuals who insisted that he remove the “dirty curtain” on his head. After he reported the incident to the police, his attackers threatened to beat him to unconsciousness and threatened to kill him.
In response, the second panel of advocates provided recommendations on how communities can strengthen their voices and take action.
James Yusuf Yee of the New Jersey Council on American-Islamic Relations suggested that a first step could involve replicating the resolutions in Teaneck and Passaic in other municipalities in New Jersey. He recommended that media outlets should cover the subject of intolerance and educate the public about religious practices.
Engy Abdelkader from Muslim Women’s Lawyers for Human Rights urged the demanding of accountability from our elected officials.
The third panel of policymakers stressed the importance of community involvement. Teaneck Mayor Mohammed Hameeduddin spoke about the importance of building strong partnerships with other communities to address these issues.
Hoboken city council president Ravi Bhalla also discussed the importance of getting involved at the local level, and urged community members to become civically engaged.
Amardeep Singh, Commissioner from the White House Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, was present and heard complaints from the community regarding post-9/11 discrimination.
Commissioner Salim Patel of the Passaic County Board of Education asked parents to come forward to raise issues that their children face in schools.
Additional speakers at the hearing included Sterling Waterman, Board of Education president for Jersey City; Hansdeep Singh from UNITED SIKHS; Aparna Garg from the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund; and community members Hansdip Bhindra and Omar Mohammadi from the Al Falah Center and Vineeta Kapahi from Manavi.
SAALT will host another hearing in collaboration with the South Asian Network in Los Angeles Aug. 20.
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