Save Shri Shakti Mariammaa in Ozone Park, Queens! |
Our beloved Shri Shakti Mariammaa temple in Ozone Park, Queens, it at risk. The women-led temple, which worships Kali, is known for its radical love and acceptance of all individuals, particularly those who have faced rejection from other Hindu communities. From marrying LGBTQ+ couples to providing a safe refuge to women in need, Shri Shakti Mariammaa goes above and beyond in embodying Kali and her protectiveness of those in need. Now, the temple needs our help. The city is requiring SSM to register as a community space, which requires over $150,000 in necessary renovations. The temple cannot move since it is in a key location for elderly worshippers to attend. We have come together with several other progressive organizations to fundraise to save this space that is an integral part of the Indo-Caribbean community in Queens.
Check out our GoFundMe below, please donate what you can, and spread the word! |
Celebrate the Festival of Brotherhood in the City of Brotherly Love! |
Calling all Philly friends: Join us as we celebrate the festival of brotherhood in the City of Brotherly Love! Come out and learn about Raksha Bandhan, munch on delicious Indian snacks, and spend a morning making crafts -- maybe even make a rakhi of your own!
We're proud to be celebrating a version of Rakhi grounded in our progressive Hindu values; a non-binary Raksha Bandhan that lifts up all gender identities and expressions and allows anyone to tie a rakhi on anyone they consider to be a sibling. |
London's Lullaby for Humanity
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Calling all Londoners!
On August 9th, Hindus for Human Rights UK alongside Indian Dancers for Gaza’s Children present Lori- A Lullaby for Humanity, a haunting and mesmerizing dance performance by Aranyani Bhargav.
Afterwards, a panel of incredible speakers including the performer, and journalist Karishma Patel, formerly of the BBC, will talk about Palestine and what we can do to help.
All proceeds from this performance will be donated to charity to help Gazan children. We hope to see you there!
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Sydney, Australia: Come Sow the Roots of Resistance! |
Join us for a migrant-led night of storytelling, poetry, dance and art connecting Australia’s coal to the climate impacts in our homelands.
Premiering Voices for the Valley, a documentary about NSW's biggest coal mine and the campaign to stop it in Wiradjuri Country — through the eyes of Punjabi-Australian Manjot Kaur.
The space is migrant led, for migrants and descendants of migrants, to weave together the stories of climate impacts, and solutions in our diaspora communities. There will be food, drink, and space to connect and share your own stories.
Co-hosted by Hindus for Human Rights ANZ, Sapna South Asian Climate Solidarity, Sydney Bollywood, Sweltering Cities & Nature Conservation Council NSW. |
July 25th, 6 PM, Los Angeles, CA: She Speaks: Sultana's Dream with Tanzila Ahmed:
LA friends, join the the second night of the She Speaks poetry series, inspired by Sultana’s Dream, the visionary 1905 story by Bengali Muslim feminist Begum Rokeya. Learn more here. July 27th, 12 PM ET: Reimagining Birth and Death in Hinduism
Our July Baithak has been POSTPONED! While originally supposed to occur on July 19th, our baithak will now be happening on Sunday, July 27th. This event will address how Hindu rituals around birth and death have been shaped by caste and patriarchy, and how we can reshape how we think about life and death to reflect a more progressive mindset. Learn more and register here.
July 27th, 12 PM, Queens, NY: So You Want to Talk About Mental Health? How can parents and children have safe and healthy conversations about mental health?
Join us for a community workshop focused on building understanding, support, and healing—together. Lunch will be provided! Learn more here. |
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Last weekend, our Western Regional Organizer, Vivek, and several HfHR members joined a rally in Dublin, CA to say NO! to new detention centers in Northern California. Organized by Tsuru for Solidarity, Japanese-Americans and their allies made it clear that they will not allow the horrors of the 1940s be repeated for anyone, anywhere. No human deserves to be thrown in concentration camps, and the legacy of how America treated Japanese-Americans during World War II must continue to inspire pro-peace, anti-war change.
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Farewell and Best of Luck to Our Director of Organizing and Advocacy, Pranay Somayajula! |
Last Friday, we bid farewell to Pranay Somayajula, our Director of Organizing and Advocacy, wishing him well as he starts his next chapter as a PhD student. Pranay has been the heartbeat of HfHR for several years -- after he finished his undergraduate studies at George Washington University, he joined HfHR on our Communications team, and following his MSc at the London School of Economics, he re-joined HfHR to head all things Organizing and Advocacy. From being an unwavering presence at Palestine rallies to delivering charismatic speeches at universities, conferences, and protests, Pranay has exemplified what it means to be an anti-Hindutva, anti-caste, anti-bigotry organizer: brave, outspoken, and always ready to stand up for the rights of all people, everywhere.
The entire HfHR team misses Pranay dearly, but we know he's going to be a superstar at his PhD program. |
How Does Revolution Inspire You? |
Submit Today to Our Student Art and Essay Contest |
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Our High School and College Student Art and Essay Contest is back for 2025! This year, our incredible judges include USA Today’s best-selling author, Sonali Dev, artist Bisakh Som and many more! The theme reflects on Indian art as a vessel of resistance against crushing oppression from colonization, caste, gender and other powers.
How do you see this revolutionary spirit alive today? We can't wait to see what you create! |
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| Hindutva in Diaspora
In this episode of Scroll India's discussion series, peace activist and author Harsh Mander sits down with our Executive Director Sunita Viswanath and our Director of Organizing and Advocacy, Pranay Somayajula, to discuss Hindutva across the diaspora.
The panel examined the influence and promotion of Hindutva ideology abroad, and how this affects communities and politics both in India and abroad. Furthermore, panelists discussed the challenges faced by those advocating against Hindutva and for pluralism, secularism and human rights in India. |
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| UN experts, Freedom House, USCIRF call on US to designate India as “Country of Particular Concern”
Last week, our Senior Policy Director, Ria Chakrabarty, spoke at a congressional briefing on Capitol Hill alongside representatives from the United Nations, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, Freedom House, and the Indian-American Muslim Council. Together, these representatives urged the US government to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) due to its serious and ongoing human rights and religious freedom violations.
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Joint Statement on the Enforced Disappearing and Custodial Torture of Student and Youth Activists by Police Forces in Delhi, India
Both Hindus for Human Rights UK and USA have signed onto a statement with over 20 other signatories condemning police forces in Delhi, India for their use of enforced disappearances and torture against youth and student activists under the justification of 'urban Naxalism' or 'Muslim-led' disruption of a 'peaceful Hindu state'. |
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Joint Statement on U.S. Federal Court Delivering Landmark Judgment Affirming Civil Rights for the Caste Oppressed
"As Hindus, we must reckon honestly with the historical and ongoing harm that Hinduism’s violent caste system causes, which is why we support civil rights enforcement against caste discrimination," says our Western Regional Organizer, Vivek Kembaiyan, in a statement written by the Ambedkar King Study Circle and endorsed by the Savera Coalition. |
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Become an HfHR Member Today! |
An HfHR membership gives you access to a community of progressive, change-oriented Hindus, our exclusive WhatsApp community, affinity groups, weekly community calls, merch discounts, local organizing groups, and more. Join today! |
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The HfHR weekly digest serves as your weekly guide to progressive Hindu advocacy. Find things you can do to take action, articles to read, podcast episodes to listen to, and more!
*Note: Readings are curated from a diverse range of sources and do not necessarily represent the views of HfHR.
Let us know what you think of our weekly digest! If you have ideas for news items you want to see included, or suggestions for action items or articles to highlight, let us know via the button below. |
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