Legislation Document

WHEREAS, Delaware and our nation are at once blessed and enriched by the unparalleled diversity of

our residents; and

WHEREAS, Sikhs have been living in the United States for more than 100 years, and during the early 20th

century, thousands of Sikh Americans worked on farms, in mines, in lumber mills, and on the Oregon, Pacific & Eastern Railroad; and

WHEREAS, Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world, and today there are more than 30 million Sikhs

worldwide and an estimated 500,000 Sikh Americans; and

WHEREAS, Sikhs, who originated in Punjab, India, began residing in Delaware in the 1970s; and

WHEREAS, the first Sikh temple (Gurdwara) in Delaware was established in 1990 in Elsmere; and

WHEREAS, Vaisakhi is one of the most historically significant days of the year for Sikhs and will be celebrated

on April 13, 2024, making April a culturally and religiously prominent month for Sikhs; and

WHEREAS, the year 2024 is the 555th birthday of the first of 10 gurus and founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak,

which is celebrated by Sikhs in Delaware and worldwide as Guru Nanak's Gurpurab and is one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar; and

WHEREAS, the Sikh American community in Delaware has led and participated in many interfaith and charitable

endeavors benefiting all Delawareans, with a particular emphasis on helping those who are homeless, those facing food insecurity, veterans, and others in need; and

WHEREAS, Sikh Americans have distinguished themselves by fostering respect among all people through faith

and service, including by organizing annual interfaith peace walks in Newark; and

WHEREAS, the Sikh American community in Delaware has brought positive attention to its members and to all of

Delaware by organizing and hosting North America's largest annual intercollegiate Bhangra and Fusion dance competition; and

WHEREAS, many industries in Delaware, especially the retail, healthcare, transportation, and information technology industries, have significantly benefited from the contributions of the Sikh community; and

WHEREAS, since September 11, 2001, Sikhs have been victims of mistaken identity and racial discrimination

because of their beards and turbans and have been subjected to a disproportionately high rate of hate crimes, and Sikh boys suffer bullying at twice the national bullying rate for other boys; and

WHEREAS, in 2015, the FBI began collecting data about religiously motivated anti-Sikh hate crimes; and

WHEREAS, in a report released last October, anti-Sikh hate crime victimizations were recorded by the FBI as the highest number ever at 198, and Sikhs still remain the second-most targeted group in the nation for religiously-motivated hate crime incidents; and

WHEREAS, the faithful service of the Sikh American community to Delaware and the United States merits appreciation as an integral thread in the fabric of American plurality.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 152 ^nd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that the month of April 2024 is proclaimed “Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month” in the State of Delaware.