Join us and other South Asian organizations at noon on Tuesday, July 15th at the New York City Hall! We will be conducting a press conference calling for Mayor Eric Adams to withdraw from an event with Kajal Hindustani. Hindustani has spent years spreading hate and promoting violence against minorities and liberal voices in India and a recent report revealed that she gave more hate speeches than any other Hindu supremacist in 2023. “This kind of rhetoric has no place in New York City. Our communities—Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Dalit, Sikh, and progressive South Asians—deserve better than to see a hate-spewing demagogue welcomed by our elected officials,” our press release states. |
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We thank SALDEF for inviting Hindus for Human Rights to their annual Langar on the Hill! The beautiful tradition of sharing a meal together reflects our shared values of community, seva (service) and education!
Our very own Policy Director, Ria Chakrabarty spoke at the event on the significance of a shared meal. "In every faith tradition, we understand that sharing a meal is sharing God's blessings together. In the best of our traditions, we share these meals as a great equalizer. Everyone has to eat, and everyone is deserving of divine blessing," she said. At Hindus for Human Rights, building a community where we celebrate our diversity of culture, religion and tradition together is a priority! |
Come join us for our July Baithak for Liberation- Reimagining Life and Death in Hinduism!
This month we’ll be discussing the Hindu cycle of life, through a progressive lens! We’ll hear from leaders who are challenging traditionally patriarchal and dominant caste-based ideas and create new, beautiful ways to mark life’s inevitable beginnings and endings. We can’t wait to see you there! |
Sri Shakti Mariamma Temple Needs Our Help! |
Help Save our Community's Mandir From celebrating Pride to hosting a LGBTQ+ wedding, from being female-led to embracing its Indo-Caribbean roots, the Shri Shakti Mariamma Temple of Queens, NYC has long been a safe haven for all. At every opportunity, Shri Shakti Mariamma has given to the community through food distribution, toy drives, senior home visits and shelter support.
Now, it is our time to give back. Because without urgent funding for mandatory repairs, this sanctuary will have to close its doors forever.
And we cannot allow that to happen.
Please share this GoFundMe widely and donate generously if you are able.
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Student Art and Essay Contest |
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Our much anticipated Student Art and Essay Contest is finally back!
And there’s a twist: we’ve opened up submissions to college students for the very first time ever!
This year’s theme reflects on Indian art as a vessel of resistance against crushing oppression from colonization, caste, gender and other structures of power.
How do you see this revolutionary spirit alive today? Become part of this inspiring history! |
Temple Outreach in New York |
In January, the Trump administration authorized ICE raids in areas of worship and other similarly sensitive locations.
Ever since then, HfHR’s own Rohan alongside Ishwar, an educational psychologist and community leader based in NYC, have been collaborating with temples in the community to raise awareness about ICE raids and conduct Know Your Rights sessions.
At Hindus for Human Rights, we believe that immigrants are the very fabric of our country and are fully committed to ensuring their safety. |
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Bay Area Meetup
Join our Bay Area chapter meetup on July 19th from 2-4 PM! We'll discuss how to confront Hindutva ideology in our families and communities. Come ready for meaningful discussion and connection with fellow community members. Don't miss it! Learn more here!
She Speaks: Sultana's Dream
We are so excited to introduce the second night of the She Speaks poetry series in LA! Inspired by Bengali Muslim feminist Begum Rokeya, and curated by writer and artist Tanzila Ahmed, this evening will feature powerful feminine voices and performances. Join us on July 25th for a night of bold dreams, unwavering hope and art! Learn more here!
So You Want to Talk About Mental Health?
New Yorkers! Facilitated by Ishwar Bridgelal, an educational psychologist, alongside Miranda Deebrah, a licensed social worker, this conversation will be focused on building understanding, support and healing as a community. Join us on Sunday, July 27th for this can’t-miss event! Learn more here!
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Lori : A Lullaby for Humanity |
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Save the Date, London! 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.
Proceeds from this performance will be donated to charity to help Gazan children.
Keep an eye out on our Instagram for the ticket link and more information coming soon! |
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| Auditing HAF Claims of Hinduphobia
In this article by Mukta Joshi, published in the Jewish Current, Joshi does an in-depth audit of the use of Hinduphobia by right-wing organizations such as the Hindu-American Foundation to misclassify acts often fueled by anti-Asian, anti-Muslim or other sentiments. As the article describes with quotes from our very own Pranay Somayajula and Sunita Viswanath, this phenomenon hurts South Asian human rights work. |
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| | How Mamdani Toppled Cuomo
This article explores the recent New York City mayoral primary, in which State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani achieved a major political upset over former Governor Andrew Cuomo. As Hussein Samad writes, Mamdani’s campaign stood out for how it engaged diverse communities and embraced cultural identity—releasing Urdu-language videos and connecting with voters across the city. The piece also includes insights from our Executive Director, Sunita Viswanath, who reflects on the significance of inclusive leadership in public life.
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| Faith Leaders Standing up for Palestine
As the Senate voted on Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, over 65 interfaith leaders were arrested in the Capitol cafeterias protesting CUFI's annual lobbying day. CUFI (Christians United for Israel) is the largest pro-Israel lobby in the country and wields significant influence over US foreign policy. Pranay Somayajula, our very own Director of Advocacy and Organizing, said about the protest,“We’re almost two years into this genocide now. Even more people have woken up to just how horrific the situation is and how urgent it is that we take action.”
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| You Are Also That
At the 2nd Annual Interfaith Action for Palestine, convened to counteract CUFI’s (Christians United for Israel) conference, our amazing Director of Advocacy and Organizing Pranay Somayajula, spoke on the significance of standing with Palestine as a Hindu. “You could spend your whole life studying scripture—but if you're not willing to stand up for the dignity and divinity of every human being, you're not practicing faith. You're just performing it,” he said.
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| Global News about India
From Chhatisgarh to Transnational Repression, from anti-Muslim hate crimes increasing after Pahalgam to the AirIndia crash, this guide from the Wire provides highlights from news associated with India in the past months. “Outside India, global voices are monitoring and critiquing human rights violations in India and the rise of Hindutva,” the article begins. |
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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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