Sikh Kid 2 Kid
Sikh Kid 2 Kid started after the Oak Creek shooting in 2012 as a place for people to talk and share how they feel. We met weekly and eventually began to work on getting Sikhism added into the 6th grade school curriculum. We also started a program called teacher training where we would give tours of the gurudwara to local teachers and educate them on Sikhism.
What motivated you to create Sikh Kid 2 Kid and why?
We created Sikh Kid 2 Kid because we wanted to address the misconceptions about Sikhism and the turban. Many people, including teachers, did not understand our identity and culture and so we wanted to fix that. After 9/11, many people confused Sikhs with Muslims and had lots of hate towards both faiths. Our goal was to change this mindset by educating people and the biggest way we achieved this was by getting Sikhism added into the 6th grade World Religions class.
What would you recommend to others who want to do what you did?
It is important to find others who are passionate and willing to put the effort in. Create an end goal and take the small steps to get there, even if that means just doing something in your local community. You don’t need a big group of people to inspire change or fix misrepresentation.
What were some of the hardships you encountered when trying to spread your message to more people?
The most difficult part of all of this was when we encountered textbooks or other materials that had so many misconceptions about Sikhs. The process of changing what is written in textbooks can be very daughtering and time consuming. It is something we are still working on.
How did you get your community to join with you and enlarge your group?
We started as a group of friends that met at Gurudwara and were part of a debate club. We met once a week and advertised our group using flyers and a table at the gurudwara. More people joined after the Oak Creek shooting and after hearing about our group from others.
What were the impacts you saw?
We were able to create a video about Sikhism that they showed in classes and our biggest achievement was changing the 6th grade curriculum to explain Sikhism correctly and talk about it for more than just a paragraph. We were also able to make teachers and students more aware about Sikhi and our value.
What are your future goals?
We want to encourage other Sikhs and gurudwaras to educate about Sikhism in their area and get schools across America to add Sikhism to their curriculum. We are also looking into creating a guide for others on how they can also change curriculum in their schools. We have also tried to change curriculum in AP classes as well but have not received a response back from the College Board. We want Sikhism to be part of every school system in the United States.
How would you recommend parents teach Sikhism to those outside their community?
The best thing a parent can do is educate the teachers and administrators of their local school about Sikhi and support organizations in their community just like Sikh Kid 2 Kid.
Sikh Kid to Kid Members Participating in Interview:
Rubani Kaur is a 17-year-old Senior at MCPS high school
Ranbir Narula is a 15-year-old Sophomore at MCPS high School
Reheth Narula is a 17-year-old Senior at MCPS high school
Teaching your child’s classmates and teachers about Sikhism helps them feel as though they belong and shows them you are there to support them. Get involved in your child’s school by joining the PTA, going on field trips, doing a read aloud of a book, set up a table at International or cultural night, take food/ snacks for staff on Guru Nanak Gurpurab or on Vaisakhi with a note.
