Surat: A Weekend in the Big City

February 19, 2013: During late January, I travelled across country to a city I’ve been meaning to visit for some time – New York. I’ve always been enthralled by its depictions in movies, books, and TV shows. Lucky for me, the weather allowed my exploration of the grimy subway, the beautiful skyscrapers, and the constant movement and noise. But my weekend in New York wasn’t just about learning the ways of a different city, it was about learning more about myself, my community, and Sikhi. You see, the real reason I had an excuse and opportunity to go to the Big Apple was Surat, my first east coast Sikh conference.

The weekend was centered on activism and using baani to ignite, inspire, and remind us that activism has always been a part of Sikhi. We started with a workshop on Anand Sahib. Groups worked on translating a pauri of Anand Sahib that reminded us how closely intertwined spirituality and service are. We then moved on to a history lesson through a game of taboo – Singh Sabha Movement themed – to understand the roots, goals, and history of this 20th century Sikh reform movement. Later that day, groups, through tetris, determined focus areas in which the Sikh community could improve itself. These groups went on to create project proposals – proposals that would be competing for a $5,000 grant the very next day. Saturday then concluded with one of the most creative segments I have experienced at a conference yet – Women and the Arts – a rotation through the work of five Sikh women. We were honored to view photographer Fiona Aboud’s beautiful portraiture of Sikhs around the country; to create a nursery rhyme with Harliv Kaur, co-author of the Ik Chota Bacha series; to spend some time writing down our dream jobs with Parveen Kaur, author of My First Singh and My First Kaur children’s books; to watch powerful footage captured by Harpreet Kaur and Sach Productions of two families who had lost loved ones in the Wisconsin shooting; and finally, to brainstorm with Inni Kaur on how to improve her already wonderful volumes of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s sakhis. These women have channeled their creativity in such powerful ways, into projects that are inspiring to little toddlers, to us and to our grandparents. It was absolutely a treat to hear the advice of each of these Kaurs, especially when we could physically see what can come out of a determined passion to create something wonderful.

That night, everyone at Surat bonded over another kind of common passion: dancing. But the next morning, we were up bright and early for a jam-packed day in Manhattan! We started with hearing the life story of Gurvendra Singh Suri, a businessman and philanthropist who has enabled the work of several organizations and projects in the Sikh American community. We were then sent off to our project proposals, which we presented to a judge. The judge then picked the most viable and creative project from the two or three proposals presented to them. The four ‘winners’ of this round then got thrown in the Shark Tank to compete for the $5,000 prize sponsored by the Dasvandh Network and Sikh Spirit Foundation. Each idea was brimming with potential, so even though the winning idea won the $5,000 prize, the three other groups were also offered $2,000 to jumpstart their projects. Surat organizers and sponsors put the focus on the participants. They truly showed us that if any one of us has a creative idea, we have an entire network of people to support us in our endeavors. And I cannot thank them enough for empowering us to enact our projects.

That afternoon, Surat participants dispersed into the Big Apple, visiting the MET, experiencing Dylan’s Candy Shop, or ice skating in Central Park to name a few. We came back together for the last workshop – a discussion of the Zafarnama and how we can integrate its beautiful message into assessing our own lives and current events. This last workshop was followed by a “poster session” where representatives of about ten different Sikh organizations were available to answer questions about their work, raise awareness about their work, and allow Surat attendees to get involved with the community. Saanjh, Dasvandh Network, SALDEF, Sikh Coalition, EcoSikh, and Sikh Spirit Foundation, among others, were in attendance at the session. It was a great way for Surat attendees to really see activism in action and provide an opportunity for us to get involved with organizations already doing great work. Then after heading back to the hotel, Sunday closed with a fantastic open mic night featuring the talent of a couple opera singers, a few writers, and a whole lot of humor.

I returned home the next day feeling empowered. Surat was creative and relevant in every way. Organizers and workshops relayed the conference’s theme in a manner that as applicable to our lives, all the while reminding us that activism is part of Sikh history and baani. We balanced time for fun with time for serious discussion with the opportunity to learn from others and then to create our own projects – and walking away from a conference with a plan to further its work is a powerful thing indeed.

Learn more about The Surat Initiative via Facebook or by visiting: http://www.suratinitiative.org/

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Join the Sohila Workshop! Friday, February 22 | 7 pm -9 pm | Manhattan NY In the Sohila Workshop we will translate, discuss, and reflect on Sohila in an innovative and dynamic way. Participants will leave with a better understanding of the bani, a way to integrate Sohila into their daily lives, and a piece of unique artwork! The workshop has been developed by the Surat Literacy Project team and will be hosted at the Sikh Coalition office in downtown Manhattan. Register for Free Now

Surat Sikh Conference 2013 Check out more photos from the 2013 conference here! Surat Conference 2013 - Challening Injustice: Anand Sahib and the Zafarnama, featuring SALDEF, Ensaaf, the Sikh Coalition, and EcoSikh.