In the past year alone, Sikhs have made headlines across the world.
There was the first U.S. army officer who filed a lawsuit and was allowed to wear a turban under his helmet. Then there was Waris Ahluwalia, a New Yorker who was stopped at an airport because he refused to unravel his hair for authorities.
And now, Sikhs are being celebrated in a beautiful exhibition launching stateside in September.
Despite so much conversation around Sikhs, there remain many misconceptions and judgments unfairly placed upon the religious demographic. Indeed, since 9/11, there have been countless hate crimes against Sikh, Arab, Muslim and South Asian Americans.
According to the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, there have been over 800 hate crimes investigated by the FBI since the 2001 terrorism attacks. But a separate report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that as of 2005, hate crimes against these people were 15 times higher than what the FBI had reported.
To empower Sikhs everywhere, the London-based photographers Amit and Naroop came together and photographed 40 Sikhs from around the U.S. The duo had already documented 36 Sikh British in 2013, but were asked by The Sikh Coalition, based out of New York City, to replicate the project with Sikh Americans.
"It became a collection of images that symbolized the power of identity," the duo said in an email to Mashable. "The strength of looking unique and having pride in your appearance no matter your race, gender, age or sexuality. Here [is] a group of people who wear turbans on their heads and don't cut their hair. They do this with pride. It is not a fashion accessory, it is fundamental to who they are."
For Sikhs, the photographers explained, this symbolism is multifaceted, encompassing discipline, strength, unity, equality.
The photographers quickly discovered just how different Americans and British Sikhs were.
"In the U.K., there is no confusion between Sikhs and other religions," they said. "In the U.S., we were shocked to see how little people knew about Sikhs. They were misunderstood and, to a certain degree, feared.
"The Sikhs we have photographed have all faced abuse -- some verbal, some physical -- and yet their resolve to be keep their identity [anonymous]," they said. "Yes, we obviously want to break the ignorant stereotypes made in the U.S that all Sikhs look like terrorists. Even writing those words makes us angry. In this day and age, with all the technology, information and resources available to us, for someone to still make that assumption is unbelievable. But yet it happens. It’s shocking."
Ultimately the duo hopes to portray Sikhs to Americans unfamiliar with them in a new light.
"Sikhs are kind, caring people who believe in equality and serving others before themselves," they said. "If people can begin to stop judging people by appearance, but instead look at their actions and character, then the U.S. can start to understand the value Sikhs bring to their country."
The Sikh Coalition will be holding the exhibition in downtown NYC from September 16 - 25
Topics Diversity
