Surat-Lalkaar 2012 – A New Collaboration

Earlier this year, we wrote an in-depth post, summarizing the workshops and questions raised at the Jakara Movement’s annual Lalkaar conference.  We were hardly alone.  Our sisters at Kaurista shared their thoughts, as did a number of individual participants.

So now is something big and exciting.  For years a criticism of the Jakara Movement was that it was California-centric.  Recently an exciting collaboration opportunity availed itself.  Sevadars of the annual Surat Sikh Conference were seeking fresh blood and ideas.  The Jakara Movement was seeking an opportunity to begin unveiling its numerous local projects in more venues.  Synergies were found and Surat-Lalkaar 2012 was born.

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150+ Revolutionaries – Answering a Lalkaar

Before discussing the conference, I wanted to strongly encourage our Sikh youth sangat throughout California to come to Fresno/Kerman this coming weekend for an amazing opportunity.  While most Sikh organizations depend on large contributions by high-fly financiers with their own set of pre-conditions, Sikh youth organizations such as the Jakara Movement and the Sikh Activist Network do not.  The Jakara Movement’s biggest donors are its own members, making small contributions and the sweat and blood of its own members that come every year to sell fireworks.  This is truly grassroots, where the youth give their own labor for causes and projects they love.  Check out the video, follow the facebook event page to sign up, and then click below the fold for my report on Lalkaar 20111.

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Lalkaar 2011 – Recap

New city; new people; same great weekend and success.  We could write a whole new recap of the weekend. and maybe later on we will, in order to give different insights.  For now, “long-haired beauty” from our sisters at Kaurista did a masterful job.  See you at Lalkaar 2012.

For the past eleven years, the Jakara Movement has hosted annual conferences to educate, enlighten and inspire youth from all over the world to become activists and revolutionaries with the aim of making a positive change in the Sikh community. Lalkaar 2011 was no different. The theme was Kaur Voices: Exalt, Express, Empower. This title itself could have been daunting, intimidating; but 150 young men and women ventured out to Sacramento, CA this past weekend to learn and to discuss Kaur issues, Kaur struggles, Kaur victories, and Kaur strength.

The conference began with discussing case studies in groups of about ten people. Topics of the studies ranged from the caste system to rape to domestic violence – issues that are often overlooked and ignored, but whose awareness and eventual elimination are critical to the well being of our Sikh community. Some

were shocked by the scenarios presented – all real situations that have happened to men and women in the Sikh community. Others were used to hearing about these issues and were seeking avenues for change and for justice. This want for change and for progress led to the second workshop – brainstorming concrete ideas to combat issues that Sikh women face in our community. Each group came up with strong, doable ideas – creating a Sikh Women’s Day, strengthening Khalsa School education with Sikh women history, establishing hotlines for Sikh women in need – and the list goes on. It is with the inspiration from this conference and the willpower of individual activists to turn these ideas into realities.

After a day of intense discussion, everyone headed over to Howe Park to relax, get some BBQ and play a little football. But the activities didn’t even end there. Bowling and laser tag were next. And let me tell you, 150 Sikhs at a bowling alley, fueled with the ice cream bar Jakara sevadars had put together, got crazy — the fun, exciting, bonding with each other kind of crazy.

The second and last day of the conference was about introspection – individuals evaluating themselves to assess where they stand as a Sikh woman or as a Sikh man. The day began with Gurbani translation. Here is a line from the vaar by Bhai Gurdas that each group translated:

ਸਣ ਵਣ ਵਾੜੀ ਖੇਤੁ ਇਕੁ ਪਰਉਪਕਾਰੁ ਵਿਕਾਰ ਜਣਾਵੈ।

San Van Vaarhee Khaytu Iku Paraoupakaaru Vikaaru Janaavai.

Hemp and cotton grow in the same field but the use of one is benevolent while the other one is put to evil use.

This obviously a rough translation, but essentially Waheguru equips us with gifts, with materials, with minds, with hearts – these all come from the same “field,” so to say. However, it is up to us to use those for good or for bad, for positive change or for maintaining status quo.Lalkaar means a calling. We use what Waheguru has blessed us with to answer that calling.

The last workshop was about the Kaur and Singh Code. We split up into groups by gender. Our goal was to come up with codes of conduct that would uphold our self-respect, self-esteem, and our love for Sikhi itself. This was all about empowering ourselves and encouraging ourselves to actually be the people we aspire to be.

The conference concluded with a banquet. The entertainment was a milieu of the raw talent that conference participants had kept hidden all weekend. Some sang, some danced, some did spoken word. It was a blatant display of the diversity that our Sikh youth has to offer.

If we could put our talents together, toward a cause greater than ourselves, the things we could achieve are indescribable. We could answer our Lalkaar. So to my fellow Lalkaar 2011 participants and those who attended in spirit, I say this – do not forget the sense of inspiration and motivation that this conference found within you; take that and do something, make your ideas a reality, and never stop thinking bigger and bolder. After all, we are the movement.

To see more photos from the conference, please click here.

xoxoLongHairedBeauty

More News Coming…Lalkaar 2011: Kaur Voices

Come join us at Lalkaar, Jakara Movement’s 12th Annual Collegiate Conference, this summer in Sacramento, CA!!

After 12 years of holding our annual summer conference in Fresno, CA, we have moved our location to Sacramento, CA. This year’s topic will be Kaur Voices. Join Sikh males and females throughout the United States to discuss and work towards ending ending sexism, genderism, racism, casteism, and other social injustices impacting our community. Jakara Movement’s summer conference, Lalkaar, has provided a space, a forum, and a safe place to discuss these issues for over a decade. We hope this is the year you will attend and contribute your ideas to ending the social injustices of discrimination.

Lalkaar provides great networking opportunities for young Sikhs to meet each other and form a sense of unity with their community. The conference will begin on Thursday, June 16, 2011 and will run through Sunday, June 19, 2011. The curriculum of the conference is presented during the morning and afternoon, while during the evenings we provide our attendees with social activities such as, bowling, laser tag, a picnic in the park, an ice cream social, and an evening formal for young Sikhs to build strong networks within the sangat.

A tentative schedule is provided below. However, this schedule is subject to change and will be updated with details frequently so it is important to keep up with us through www.jakara.org!

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Looking for a Few Good Sikhs

Jakara Facilitators are THE key component of making the Jakara conference experience inspirational, education, comfortable and ultimately successful. Being a Jakara Facilitator is a duty as you are the ambassadors of the conference. We are looking for individuals that are responsible, can construct an environment for open dialogue, and are committed and passionate about the key issues that effect our community.

Get a very different look at the conference and become a facilitator today!  Apply here now!

Apply Now!

Early Bird Registration is Up, Save Money!

Register by April 30th and save yourself some money!

This year marks the 11th annual Jakara Movement Conference in Fresno, CA.  Come join 175 young Sikhs from throughout North America as they convene together to explore the Guru Granth Sahib: The History of the Sikh Soul.

Tell your friends and make sure you join us June 17-20,2010.  Register now for the early bird special!

Reflections on the 10th Jakara Movement Conference

10 years ago the Jakara conference was born;
5 years ago the Jakara Movement was born.

This year we held our 10th annual Jakara Movement conference.  This year we came together to Remember 1984.

From remembering the past, reflecting on Gurbani, reconnecting with the voices of the people, rethinking the role of the meda, and revering our heroes and sheroes – it was an eventful Friday!  Saturday included recognizing the lessons of 1984, reaffirming our commitment to the Sarbat Khalsa and Gurmata tradition of consensus building, recollecting with our brothers and sisters, reacting to their personal histories, responding to the past, and finally realizing a new reality is possible.

From evenings of recreation to days of reflection, we hope that the Jakara Movement Conference 2009 proved to be inspirational, not only to those participating, but for the greater Sikh Qaum as well.

We write this post as a space for you to leave your comments.  All are invited to share their thoughts – those in attendance and those that may have missed it this year.

Many made commitments during the conference.  We hope you keep true to them.  We hope you remember the lesson of 1984 – divided we fell; united we’ll stand.

It is only as a “collective” that we will build a brighter future for tomorrow; it is only as a united Qaum that we have the power to change tomorow; it is only together,
we are the movement.

PS: Please leave your thoughts and comments – also please take the time and fill out our numerous applications at our ugly website (yes, it is underconstruction) – www.jakara.org

LIVEBLOGGING – 10th Jakara Conference – Responding with Activism

Learning about 1984 is not enough.  The Jakara Movement is providing avenues to respond and to engage with your community.  With a growing activist base, hundreds of volunteers throughout California will becoming together to host a series of events commemorating 1984.  These include:

• “Sukhmani Sahib for the Shaheeds” (Jun 2009) Success!
• Jakara Movement Conference (Jun 2009)
  Soon to be Success!
• The Gift of Blood – Blood Drive (Jun -Nov 2009)
  Underway!
• Visions for Truth: 1984 Movie Screenings (Aug 2009)
• Jakara Juniors Camps (Oct 2009)
• “Silent Marches” (Nov 2009)
• “Alliance for Justice Week” (Nov 2009)

Send us a message and get involved.  Also follow the Jakara Movement Blog – j. Khabar – for updates and details!

we are the movement.

LIVEBLOGGING – 10th Jakara Conference – Recollections of Eye-Witnesses

1984 is not some distant past.  It is within the lifetime of many Sikhs.  It is one of those ‘critical’ events that has shaped the history of the Qaum.  No book can be written on the Sikhs without this important chapter.  While many young activists were born after 1984, it is important that they connect with those older that can share their experiences.

At the Jakara Movement Conference 2009, Sikh activists, whose experiences during and after 1984, shaped their desire to engage with their community recollect and recall their stories to the Jakara Movement audience.  Leading activists in groups such as Sikh Research Institute, Sikh Coalition, and SALDEF all participated at the Jakara Movement conference.

Bridging voices of the past, with the leaders of tomorrow.

we are the movement.

LIVEBLOGGING – 10th Jakara Conference – Revering Shaheeds

At the Jakara Movement Conference, we revere our Sikh heroes and sheroes.  We celebrate all that they bore witness (‘shaheed’ is a witness) to injustice and never hesitated in their fight for Truth and Justice.

We remember Sardar Jaswant Singh Khalra and Sardar Sukhbir Singh Osan.

The nation that forgets its sheroes and heroes is a nation destined to be forgotten.

We will not forget.

Parnaam Shaheedan Nu.

we are the movement.