APAHM Spotlight on Sikh American Legal Defense & Education Fund (SALDEF) & Jasjit Singh
Jasjit Singh had been with the Sikh American Legal Defense & Education Fund (SALDEF) since 2009, serving as their executive director, and also served on NCAPA’s executive committee. Now, Jasjit has transitioned to the Obama Administration at the Department of Justice working with the faith-based office and community relation service. Read on to find out more about his time at SALDEF.
What has been your favorite SALDEF memory?
My best memories are spending time with the staff. We worked pretty hard but had a lot of laughs and grew very close.
What are you most proud of accomplishing?
I’m very proud of the work we did in advancing our community’s visibility and access. In just a few years, we got the first three police departments in the US to create accommodations allowing Sikh Americans to serve in their forces. Additionally, we gained national visibility with our first Rose Parade Float, National Public Service Announcement and the largest Congressional gathering in Sikh American history.
I am also very proud of our SikhLEAD program and its graduates. I am deeply impressed with the talent we have in our communities and excited to see what they will accomplish.
What inspires you to do the work you do?
Knowing that I have been given the privilege to be of service to others comes with a strong feeling of responsibility. I think a lot of my father who did community work “on the side” while he had a full time job and was getting settled in a new country. Thinking about the opportunity I have been blessed with gives me inspiration and a sense of purpose.
Reflecting on your time with NCAPA and other coalitions, why do you think it’s so important to do pan-AAPI or pan-cultural work?
Many of the challenges we face are common and recognizing this fact helps us to build coalitions and address issues as a group rather than as a segmented community. This coalition building process is extremely important as it allows us to leverage our limited resources towards a common goal and utilize our external levers (i.e. government, media) more effectively.
What do you hope to take with you from SALDEF to apply to your work at the DOJ?
I am excited to use my community building experience, contacts with law enforcement and passion for civil rights in my work with DOJ.
As a coalition of more than 30 national Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations, the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) is celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) throughout May by spotlighting the achievements of our members who work year-round to address issues important to our communities.
