Wednesday, April 14, 2010
6 PM Doors, 7 PM Program
Intersections
274 Fifth Avenue
Between 29th and 30th Streets
With Sundeep “Sonny” Singh
On April 14, 1699, a day that’s today honored as one of the biggest
Sikh holidays, Guru Gobind Singh (the tenth Sikh guru), along with
thousands of other Sikhs, created the Khalsa, a collective body of
armed revolutionaries, warrior-saints, whose mission it was to
overthrow tyranny in all its forms. Marking the 311th anniversary of
the creation of the Khalsa and the codification of Sikh identity, this
Living Room will explore the revolutionary foundation of Sikhism and
provide an opportunity to discuss the modern day relevance of Sikh
philosophy and poetry-scripture.
Facilitated by musician and
activist Sonny Singh of the Sikh Coalition, we will celebrate Vaisakhi
2010 by discussing the Sikh approach to social justice through learning
about Sikh history and philosophy and through singing and discussing
the meaning of a shabad (Sikh devotional verse) together. Sonny will
lead the shabad on the harmonium, accompanied by Nisha Mistry on the
dholak.
Bio:
Sundeep “Sonny” Singh is a musician, activist,
and educator based in Brooklyn, New York. He has been involved in
movements for social and economic justice since he was in high school,
and has worked as a Community Organizer at the Sikh Coalition since
2008. Sonny also plays trumpet and sings in the bhangra brass band Red
Baraat and is a freelance trumpet and dhol player. Since moving to NYC
in 2003, he has worked in the labor movement for the union UNITE HERE,
was a Community Organizer at the Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization
Project (CHAMP), and is a member of the Left Turn Magazine collective.
Sonny
received his M.Ed. in Social Justice Education from the University of
Massachusetts, Amherst in 2003, where he studied and practiced the art
of popular education, using education as a tool for transformation and
liberation. Sonny grew up in Charlotte, NC and Phoenix, AZ.
