SIKHS Our IMPACT
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WE ARE SIKHS Our IMPACT. Our STORY. P.O. Box 309 0701 Traville Gateway Drive Rockville, MD 20850 +1 216 673 7999 wearesikhs.org [email protected] Friends, The concept of National Sikh Campaign humbly started CONTENTS in 2013 on the back of a Starbucks napkin. Over the course of four years, a small band of volunteers committed to introducing their faith and values to their neighbors after 1. The Making of a Movement 02 the tragic shooting in Oak Creek, Wisconsin grew into a nationwide movement. 2. Discovering the Depth of Because of your support, National Sikh Campaign’s We Are Misperceptions of Sikhs in America 04 Sikhs initiative in 2017 gained the backing of advisers that have counseled Presidents Obama and Bush, as well as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, reached over 92 3. Finding the Words million people, and demonstrably improved awareness of to Make Our Message Heard 06 Sikh Americans in Fresno, California and Phoenix, Arizona — two areas of the United States most impacted by hate crimes on Sikh Americans. 4. From Grassroots to Primetime: Developing our Campaign Strategy 08 Accordingly, the Sikh American community has had more positive and informative coverage in 2017 than any other year in our over 100-year history in the United States. 5. Our Impact at a Glance: After struggling for decades to communicate our values in the United States, the We Are Sikhs initiative helped In-Depth Look our community communicate our values and our at Campaign Components 10 story on our terms. Most importantly, this campaign has demonstrated that – a. Television Ad Production no matter how polarized our current politics and culture may and Broadcasting 12 be – our common values are more important than our differences. b. We Are Sikhs Your support has is sincerely appreciated. We look forward Website and Online Engagement 14 to the work ahead. Very best, c. Grassroots Action and Earned Media 16 The National Sikh Campaign and We Are Sikhs Team 6. Know Your Neighbor Campaign Dr. Rajwant Singh and Multi-faith Alliance 18 Gurwin Singh Ahuja Shawn Singh Ghuman Neha Bhatti 7. Pressing Forward in Difficult Times 20 Inderpal Singh Pritpal Singh Surinder Singh 8. Awards and Honors 21 Sumeet Kaur Sandy Kaur Dhaliwal Jas Sajjan Jivan Singh Achreja We Are Sikhs: Our Impact. Our Story. We Are Sikhs: Our Impact. Our Story. Rallied to action by the 2012 mass shooting Through multi-faceted outreach at the national THE MAKING in an Oak Creek, Wisconsin Gurdwara that sent shockwaves of grief and fear and local levels, We Are Sikhs shared stories, facts, OF A MOVEMENT throughout Sikh communities—and and messages with Americans from diverse backgrounds sustained by the belief that Sikh values to promote increased understanding of this largely his is a story about truly reflect the core tenets of the American ethos—the individuals behind the National misunderstood religion. what is possible when Sikh Campaign volunteered countless a group of committed hours, weeks, and years assembling T what would become the most extensive In cities like Fresno, California, the needle individuals transforms their awareness campaign ever coordinated is already moving: nearly 80% of residents deeply held convictions into for Sikhs in America. who saw our campaign ads report action. It is not easy to change knowing “some” or “a great deal” about Yet we were not alone on this journey. Sikhs in America. Nationally, the campaign hearts and minds, but that In the pages of this report, you will meet generated over 500 stories in the media is exactly what a group of the people and organizations—both within and won the support of local and national everyday Sikh Americans and outside the Sikh community— government leaders, as well as prominent who committed time, words, resources, institutions ranging from the National set out to do when we began and energy to setting the record straight Council of Churches to the Center for the National Sikh Campaign on who Sikhs are and what values we American Progress. in 2014. stand for. HOW DID WE DO IT? Read on to learn the answers to these questions and more: • What impact did we have, and whose perceptions of Sikhs changed most? • How did we mobilize key leaders from across the political spectrum? • Why is one of our ads called “funny neighbors,” and what made it our most effective? • What’s next for We Are Sikhs? 02 03 We Are Sikhs: Our Impact. Our Story. THE RESULTS WERE DRAMATIC: most Americans don’t know who Sikhs are or what we believe in: DISCOVERING THE DEPTH • While 99% of American men who wear turbans are Sikh, OF MISPERCEPTIONS OF SIKHS just one in 10 Americans could identify a man wearing a turban as a Sikh. Americans were much more likely to IN AMERICA identify turban wearers as Middle Eastern or Muslim. n August 5, 2012, In July 2014, the National Sikh Campaign • 60% of Americans said they “know nothing at all” recruited Hart Research Associates about Sikhs. a white supremacist to conduct a qualitative and quantitative fatally shot six Sikhs research study on Americans’ perceptions • 31% of Americans claim they have never seen a Sikh O of the Sikh community. We wanted and injured several others to go beyond the most striking incidents before, and nearly 70% have never interacted personally as they gathered to prepare of violence and discrimination and better with a member of the Sikh community. a community meal inside understand—what do everyday Americans know and think about Sikhs? • While 16% of Americans feel cool or cold toward Sikhs, their place of worship in the majority (56%) feels neutral. Oak Creek, Wisconsin. This dark and harrowing The last point illustrates the opportunity we have as day was not the first time Sikh Americans to positively influence a significant Sikh Americans suffered number of Americans who are simply unaware of our faith. violence at the hands of fellow countrymen ignorant to the peaceful identity of the Sikh community. The greatest challenges facing Sikhs in Harvard University. The Chief Pollster Painfully, it wouldn’t be America stem from a lack of awareness who led the research for our study was about our faith and values. By working Geoff Garin, Chief Strategic Advisor to the the last. with Hart Research Associates, a national 2008 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. leader in research methodology, we were While Sikhs endured discrimination able to gather insights on Americans’ By incorporating existing reports such throughout their immigrant experience perceptions of Sikhs with unprecedented as Turban Myths conducted by the Sikh to the United States beginning in the early rigor and technical sophistication. American Legal Defense and Education 1900s, the false association of turban- Fund (SALDEF) and Go Home, Terrorist, wearing Sikhs with terrorism in the th Hart Research Associates has conducted conducted by the Sikh Coalition, Hart years following September 11 marked polling for prominent institutions including Research Associates was able to build a heightened level of widespread bigotry the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, on and strengthen a long history of Sikh and hate. the United Nations Foundation, and American studies. “ I don’t know anything about Sikhs. It’s the first time 04 I’ve ever heard that word. I’m judgmental about it, 05 and I’ll admit it.” – Focus group participant, Chicago We Are Sikhs: Our Impact. Our Story. After completing the most thorough perception study on Sikhs ever conducted in the United States, we had determined the messages that would help us turn FINDING THE WORDS TO the dial on awareness and tolerance of Sikhs in America. MAKE OUR MESSAGE HEARD Armed with key insights and strategies, we set out to take action on making the We Are Sikhs campaign a reality. n addition to helping our team better Messaging significantly increases positive I understand the extent attributes associated with Sikh Americans. of Americans’ knowledge Proportions who feel that each describes Sikh Americans well of Sikhism, our study also (8-10 Rating on zero-to-ten scale, 10 = describes extremely well) investigated how core tenets of Sikh faith could be used to create messages that The results showed that while most 68% Americans know little or nothing about 65% 61% +35% would resonate with the Sikh Americans and some feel uncertain +33% +35% % average American and or anxious upon seeing Sikhs, there is 33 32% 26% leave the greatest enormous potential to enhance positive feelings toward Sikh Americans through They regularly They are generally They are generally impression with listeners. education and awareness building: experience prejudice hard workers generous and kind and discrimination • A description of Sikh religion, beliefs, and history 61% 61% 61% in America evokes a strong, positive reaction—nearly +35% +42% +42% % two in three survey respondents (65%) rated their feelings 26 19 % 19 % as highly favorable (ratings of 8-10 on a 0-10 scale) after They are generally They are They generally hearing the description, including initially skeptical good neighbors generally patriotic have American values audiences such Republicans and Americans who did not attend college. PRE-MESSAGING POST-MESSAGING How We Did It • The most effective messages connect Sikhism Pre-campaign polling began with three focus groups of white Americans with American values, particularly equality with mixed education levels and ages in Iselin, NJ and Chicago, IL. Following the focus groups, a national survey of 1,000+ non-Asian Americans and religious freedom, and describe how Sikhs was conducted online, allowing respondents to view and react to images of Sikh Americans embody the quintessential American immigrant story. and engage in interactive exercises to gauge which messages stood out most.