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Thank you to all the families who have joined our newest Sadhana initiative: Sadhana Samudaya, our online progressive Hindu children's classes for children aged 6 to 12! We had a great response to our first meet and greet on January 9th, and are exciting to start learning together. If you're interested in signing your kids up, please write to us at info@sadhana.org.
Also, on January 30th -- Banada Ashtami, a day sacred to Goddess Shakambari -- we were able to serve 200 families in South Queens, NY with culturally-competent groceries, menstrual hygiene products, and PPE in our food distribution pop-up at Shri Shakti Mariammaa Temple. We are so grateful to Sadhana's NYC Co-Chair Anusuya Singh for spearheading this efforts, and to all our community partners: South Queens Women March, the Campaign Against Hunger, Shri Shakti Mariammaa Temple, and United Madrassi Association.
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Finally, thank you to everyone who has been giving to our Decade of Sadhana giving campaign! We need your support in order to organize events like our January 30th food pantry, so please spread the word and make a gift to Sadhana today if you are able. Any amount helps!
Pranams,
Sadhana Board
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Valentine's Day is just around the corner! We are thrilled to partner with South Queens Women's March for Safe Conversations: a workshop done in pairs of two people to celebrate love between friends, siblings and partners, while teaching the art of active listening. This workshop will take place Monday, February 15, at 6:30 PM ET.
Bring your romantic partner, sibling, best friend or anyone you love! Thanks to this era of Zoom gatherings, your partner can be in the same location as you or across the planet. Space is limited, so register soon!
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"Calling Out Racism" Interfaith Panel
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On Tuesday, February 23, at 9 pm ET, Sadhana board member Tahil Sharma will be speaking on a panel titled "Calling Out Racism in Our Traditions & Communities." In this interfaith panel, speakers will discuss encounters with racism and White supremacy in religious communities. The speakers will also share how some communities are taking inventory of their roles in teaching and sustaining discriminating views and behaviors -- and are now seeking equitable pathways forward. This event is being organized by the University of Southern California's Office of Religious and Spiritual Life.
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Sadhana board member Nikhil Mandalaparthy is quoted a recent article on Living Facts, an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts, titled Young Adults Reimagining Religion. Nikhil shares about how what Sadhana means to him, and the importance of a safe space where young American Hindus can reinterpret and reimagine their faith.
“It's not completely throwing away everything we grew up with,” he says. “It’s just casting away the aspects we don’t want to pass down to our own kids.”
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Looking for Social Media + Communications Volunteers!
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We're looking for tech-savvy, creative, and motivated volunteers to help maintain Sadhana's social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), our email newsletter, and our website! Are you interested in communications, and passionate about Sadhana's work? Can you commit 1-2 hours a week? If so, write to us at info@sadhana.org!
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Since 2011, Sadhana has been building a progressive Hindu movement centered in social justice through community transformation, advocacy, and seva (selfless service).
We have been recognized by the White House for our environmental justice work; featured in outlets like the New York Times for helping to establish the nation’s first sanctuary temple; and are often still the only Hindu voices in progressive interfaith movements like the Poor People’s Campaign.
In 2020 alone, we have stepped up this work in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. We mobilized Hindu leaders and temples in New York City to increase participation in the 2020 Census. We are the only Hindu organization represented on NYC Mayor DeBlasio’s Faith Sector Covid-19 Task Force. We have joined coalitions to provide hot meals, free groceries, and more to community members in Queens, NYC. And we’ve been reaching broad audiences nationwide through our virtual Satsanghs, covering issues from mental health to anti-Blackness.
As we enter our tenth year, we hope to transition from being a fully volunteer-led organization to hiring our first Executive Director, who will help us take this work to the next level.
However, we can’t do this work without your help. With your support, we hope to raise $51,000 by our ten-year anniversary in October 2021.
We hope that 2021 will be a year of tremendous growth and energy for our progressive Hindu movement. If our mission, vision, and values are meaningful to you, please consider making a donation of any amount to Sadhana today.
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You can also donate a portion of your online shopping purchases to Sadhana through Amazon Smile.
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