Upcoming Jakara Juniors Kids’ Camps

This year’s theme is “A Nation Never Forgets” and will focus on the most recent chapter in Sikh history.

We are looking for volunteers, advocates, and participants.

Volunteers – send us an email and help us put you in contact with your local region.

Advocates – encourage your friends and family members to attend and participate

Participants – we are looking for kids!  Make sure you children, nephew, nieces, brothers, and sisters come out and learn about their Sikh heritage, culture, and religion.

Click below to find out when and where it is happening in your community

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Thoughts on “Visions of Truth” – Fresno and San Jose

This past Saturday (September 19, 2009), the “Visions of Truth” film series came to San Jose and Fresno, California.  Both came to respective college campuses and drew audiences of 50+.  Families, the elderly, and the young joined together to reflect on the events of 1984, through the lens of film and visual media.

The attendance was larger than expected, for promoting independent small-scale productions, and drew accolades from the participants.  In Fresno, city councilpersons, including the president Cynthia Sterling, joined in the film discussions and marked that she enjoyed such community participatory events and hoped to come again in the future.  It was also discussed that they key for greater non-Sikh participation in our community events is through our own participation and presence in events by non-Sikh groups.  All enjoyed the “Visions of Truth” events and eagerly hoped that they would continue in the future.

The Visions of Truth series now shifts to Southern California.  We’ll keep you updated on future dates and times, in October.

The Jakara family also wants to extend special thanks to all its volunteers in Fresno, Kerman, and San Jose that continues to put on quality events and encourage youth participation.  Together, we are the movement.

Thoughts on “Visions of Truth” – Yuba City

The “Visions of Truth” film series was launched this past Saturday, September 5th, 2009 at Yuba College.  It was a success, with even some non-Sikhs joining the audience.  The following was a critique by one of the organizers.  We are publishing it online to help other groups and cities that will be participating, as well as for helping other future initiatives by young Sikh activists.

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j.Kommunity Kerman – Update September 7, 2009

Things are happening in one of the Jakara Movement’s newest regions – Kerman.  Here is a calendar of upcoming events.

• The Study Hall – Tutoring – will be offered for 2 hours on Thursdays from 4-6pm.  If there is a lot of interest, it will be increased to two days a week.
• J.Kollegiates – Application Help for those applying to universities in November – at Gurdwara on September 19th.
• Jakara Junior Kids Kamps – October 24th
• J.Kollegiates – College Fair – to be held January or February at the Kerman Gurdwara

For more information about the latest happenings in Kerman, send us an email or phone number and we will put you in touch with our regional coordinator – Ramnit Kaur.

j.Kommunity San Diego – Update July 19, 2009

Some tentative dates planned:

Film Screening- Sunday, October 4, 2009 @ UC San Diego Ballroom
located on campus. It is the week right after welcome week here at
UCSD and we just hope that it’ll give us a better turnout.

Jakara Kids Camp- Saturday, October 17th, 2009 @ Escondido Gurdwara

We’ve been to both gurdwaras here to make anouncements for the scholarship. And many parents
have come to us asking when we will be holding the kids camps which is a great sign.

Girls Summer Youth Program – Fresno

Girls Summer Youth Program – the following will be in Fresno, CA this summer.  If you would like to start your own group, send us a message.

Description:

What is this summer youth program?
The summer youth program is for high school girls ages of 14-17. This is a type of mentoring program for you to connect with your female Sikh peers, talk about the problems you are facing as high school students, and discuss some potential resolutions. Basically, you will be discussing social issues that are affecting you as young Sikh teenage girls within the community.

Some examples of these issues are:

• Gender inequality within your homes and overall community
• The pressures you face from your Sikh peers
• The stress of preparing for post-high school careers
• Self-esteem
• Self-confidence, etc.

Anyone who wants to join in the group who fits the populace above is welcomed, the more the merrier! The meetings will be held from 6-8pm every Wed starting July 15th. The location is TBA.
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j.Kommunity Fresno – Update July 9, 2009

For those of you who were unable to attend last week’s meeting, lots of information was discussed – we have some exciting events coming up and have included details below.  Please note, that our next meeting with be on Friday July 31st at 6pm at Dakota Gurdwara. We encourage all our volunteers to attend these meetings.  Without your support and attendance, many of these events cannot be implemented.

• Visions of Truth: 1984 Movie Screening (Proposed date: August 22nd, 2009) – This event will take place in six regions across California.  It will be a mini film festival where we will invite the Sikh and non-Sikh community to watch films about the events surrounding 1984.  We are looking for volunteers to help with publicizing the event.  In addition, we will need volunteers to help on the day of the film festival.  If you are interested – please email Simran Kaur (i n f o [a t ] j a k a r a . o r g).
• Girls Summer Youth Program (First meeting: July 15th, 2009 from 6-8pm) – Jakara is starting a Girls Summer Youth Program that will have meetings once a week, every Wednesday, for two hours over the next four weeks. We encourage any girls that are between the ages of 14-17 to attend. Our first meeting will be at Dakota Gurdwara, Wednesday July 15th from 6-8pm.  If you are interested or would like more information – please email Aman Kaur at (i n f o [a t ] j a k a r a . o r g).
• Bhai Amrik Singh Scholarship for Excellence (Deadline: August 15th, 2009) – Jakara is currently offering two $250 scholarship for all incoming-college students.  For more information and to apply, follow the link.
• Bibi Upkar Kaur Scholarship for Excellence (Deadline: August 15th, 2009) – Jakara is currently offering two $250 scholarship for all college transfer students.  For more information and to apply, follow the link.
• Green-Clean our Gurdwaras (First weekend in August) – This is a new program we will be piloting in the Fresno Region where we will visit a gurdwara each month to do Seva and clean the entire gurdwara.  If you are interested, please email Iqbal Singh for more information on how to get involved (i n f o [a t ] j a k a r a . o r g).

Other events we discussed were:

• Car Wash Fundraiser – September 2009
• S.H.A.R.E.S. Fundraiser – Ongoing
• Junior Jakara Camps – October 2009
• Silent March – October 2009
• Alliance for Justice Week – November 2009

We encourage you to come to our next meeting to learn more about these events.