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South Asian Americans Leading Together Community Voices, Common Vision



South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), formerly known as South Asian American Leaders of Tomorrow, is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to fostering an environment in which all South Asians in America can participate fully in civic and political life, and have influence over policies that affect them. SAALT works to achieve this goal through advocacy, community education, local capacity-building, and leadership development. SAALT cultivates partnerships with and among South Asian organizations and individuals; amplifies the concerns of disempowered community members; and works in collaboration with broader civil and immigrant rights movements.

Peruse the internal pages of this section to find information about our advocacy and our program work around the country. Check the "Who We Are" section to find information about the staff, board members, advisors, and volunteers who keep SAALT running.

SAALT's Guiding Principles
We work to address political, social justice, and quality-of-life issues facing South Asian Americans, especially the disadvantaged and marginalized segments of the community.

  • We seek to enter into partnerships with local South Asian American organizations and formulate national policy positions that are informed by and evolve from local expertise and experience.
  • We do not discriminate with respect to age, economic status, ethnicity, gender, geography, immigration or citizenship status, language ability, national origin, profession, religion, and sexual orientation.
  • We seek to have South Asians participate in collective problem-solving that will lead to positive social change through influencing local, state, and national political bodies.
  • We seek to facilitate the emergence of a South-Asian American identity that transcends generational, religious, ethnic and class-based boundaries, without undermining national, cultural or religious affiliation.
  • We seek to maintain a collaborative relationship with its local partners by maintaining a transparent internal structure, sharing information, and engaging in open communication and consensual decision-making.

CAPACITY BUILDING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN 2007

South Asian Summit 2007 (March 16-18)
Over 150 individuals from nearly 40 organizations working with underserved South Asian community members gathered in Washington D.C. between March 16th and 18th for a landmark national summit, cosponsored by SAALT and the South Asian Law Students Association at American University, Washington College of Law. The Summit provided a unique opportunity for local organizations, advocates, and community members to come together at the national level and articulate progressive policy priorities, access peer learning opportunities, and build coalitions. The weekend of events opened with a congressional staff briefing at the Capitol, followed by roundtables with community members and government agency representatives. The Summit also included a range of skills-building and informational workshops on issues related to community development, organizing, and policy.

Building Community Strength Report (August 2007)
SAALT released a new report about the South Asian community and community-based organizations. The 30-page report provides information about the needs, opportunities and challenges facing South Asian organizations, including social service providers, women's rights, worker and youth-focused collectives, and advocacy groups. The report also includes demographic information about the growing numbers of South Asians who face linguistic, cultural, immigration status, and socioeconomic barriers. Combining the results of surveys and interviews of 31 community-based organizations, Building Community Strength presents valuable information about issues addressed, constituencies served, and modes of outreach used by groups. SAALT hopes that the report is a launching pad for further discussion, analysis, and action among community members, allies, and stakeholders.

Be the Change 2007
On October 6th, over 1000 volunteers contributed 3000 service hours in 35 cities and campuses nationwide as part of Be the Change: National Day of Service, sponsored by SAALT. The annual event engages individuals and community groups who believe in the values espoused by Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders who have devoted their lives to public service and civic engagement. In 2007, Be the Change occurred in cities across the country, including Washington DC, New York, Boston, and the Bay Area, as well as college campuses from Ohio State University to Vanderbilt University. SAALT's national partners included the Bangladeshi American Foundation, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, South Asian Marrow Association of Recruiters (SAMAR), Muslim Public Affairs Council, Delta Phi Omega Inc., Kappa Phi Gama Inc., Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), and the Sikh Coalition. This year, SAALT engaged more campuses and cities than ever before and received numerous requests for information, resources and guidance from individuals and organizations interested in being part of this national event.

POLICY ANALYSIS, ADVOCACY, AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION
SAALT's Access to Justice project aims at informing South Asian community members about their rights, educating the general public about the needs of the South Asian community, and liaisoning with governmental and legislative policymakers.

As the only national organization serving South Asian Americans, SAALT advocates at the national level on civil and immigration rights issues facing South Asians, primarily those who are marginalized in our community. In 2007, SAALT focused on the following issues: immigration reform and immigrant rights; xenophobia in political discourse; and hate crimes/profiling. SAALT has been active in ensuring that South Asian voices are heard in Congress by testifying before the House of Representatives Immigration Sub-Committee Hearing on Immigration, participating in a Congressional briefing on poverty in Asian Pacific Islander Communities, speaking on immigration issues before the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, and testifying before the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the impact of post 9/11 events on our community.

Our community education work in 2007 has ranged from the development of factsheets, reports, and other useful materials to conducting outreach to diverse segments of the South Asian community. Among the resources created by SAALT include a 25-page report on xenophobia in political discourse; a groundbreaking tool that dispels myths and realities around immigration issues; and factsheets on changes in immigration policies. SAALT has also participated in workshops at places of worship and college campuses, speaking about the challenges facing the South Asian community at the National Convention of the Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, the Islamic Circle of North America conference, and the Telegu Association of North America conference, participating in a national mobilization of Asian Americans, and cosponsoring a free legal clinic on immigration issues in Maryland and a panel discussion on domestic violence issues in the DC area. SAALT has also been a pioneer in educating the public about the needs of the South Asian community by participating in the Queens College of New York dialogue on Civil Rights and Immigration, the Applied Research Center conference on race, and screening SAALT's documentary entitled Raising our Voices: South Asian Americans Address Hate.

COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT AND COALITION BUILDING
SAALT's community empowerment work in 2007 included participation in the Night of a Thousand Conversations project, and the launch of our What's At Stake in 2008 civic education townhall series. The townhall series will engage South Asians around the country in discussions and action steps geared towards increasing political education and activism.

SAALT also works closely with local organizations in New Jersey, New York City, Chicago and San Francisco to present community empowerment workshops and community education events. Our New Jersey Community Empowerment project, for example, is focused on addressing issues affecting South Asians in New Jersey and creating partnerships with local community leaders and organizations. Similar regional projects are anticipated in other parts of the country.

To build solidarity with other immigrant groups and communities of color, SAALT participates in a range of coalitions from the Detention Watch Network to the National Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans to the Rights Working Group to the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

SAALT IN THE MEDIA
In 2007, SAALT has been covered in a range of ethnic and mainstream media outlets including:

  • A Dividing Line Springs Up From Jindal's Milestone; Washington Post, October 2007
  • Volunteers in Bay Area, Nation Honor Gandhi; India West, October 2007
  • No Reprieve for South Asians from Post 9/11 Detentions; New American Media, October 2007
  • SAALT Reports South Asian Organizations Face Growth Challenges; India West, August 2007
  • South Asian community urged to stand up for immigration reform; India West, June 2007
  • 'When one is hurt, all others are hurt'; India Abroad, May 2007 (profile on SAALT staff)
  • South Asian Groups Hold Community Summit in D.C.; India West, April 2007
  • South Asian Community Groups and Advocates Convene in Washington D.C. to
  • Discuss Emerging Issues and Address National Policymakers; Apna Punjab, March/April 2007
  • Adhikaar led New York team at Washington Summit; New York Nepali Times, March 2007