New York, New York (February 7, 2008) - The Sikh Coalition today launched the first two booklets in its new "Know Your Rights Series." The pioneering publications focus on immigrant student rights and healthcare access issues.
The Sikh Coalition's Know Your Rights Series is aimed at empowering Sikh Americans to stand up for their rights. Under the laws of the United States, everyone is entitled to certain basic necessary services and freedoms. The Know Your Rights series ensures that Sikhs know what these are. Each booklet is available in both English and Punjabi.
Since many members of our community are new to the United States, the first two publications in the Sikh Coalition's Know Your Rights series focus on immigrant and refugee rights in New York.
The first booklet explains the rights of immigrant students and parents in New York City schools. It contains information about enrolling children in school, students for whom English is a second language, parents' rights and discrimination or harassment against students. It also provides contact information for key Department of Education offices.
A second booklet, entitled "Immigrant and Refugee Guide to Affordable Health Care in New York State," focuses on healthcare access issues. It answers questions relating to language access, health care for the uninsured, and immigrant rights to healthcare. It also contains six pages of referrals and additional resources for specific health concerns.
The Sikh Coalition would like to thank the Amar Kartar Foundation for its generous support of this project. With the Foundation's help, Sikh Americans are getting the information they need to understand their rights. The Sikh Coalition would also like to thank the New York Immigration Coalition and Advocates for Children, whose materials formed the basis of our publications.
The Sikh Coalition's Know Your Rights Series is available online at www.sikhcoalition.org. To get your own copies of the publications, please send an email with your mailing address to neha@sikhcoalition.org.
If you live in New York, and would like copies of these booklets to distribute at your local gurdwara, please contact Neha Singh at 212.655.3095 (ext. 84).
