Embracing a legacy that spans 120 to 130 years in this country, the Sikh community has been a vital contributor culturally, politically, socially, and financially to the essence of our State. However, a recent revelation has highlighted a critical gap in Punjabi language inclusion within vital state documents and forms while the state makes the forms available in multiple other languages.

In the face of commendable efforts by the Sikh Youth Alliance, a temporary setback ensued as Assembly Bill A484 drafted by SYA with intention to integrate Punjabi as one of the Non-English languages in state documents and forms, faced a hurdle in advancing to the next stage. More than 150 languages are spoken in the Garden State, with about a third of residents live in households that speak one other than English.

Those languages, according to advocates and U.S. Census information, are, in order of how often they’re spoken: Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Korean, Portuguese, Gujarati, Arabic, Polish, Haitian, Russian, Hindi, Tagalog, Italian, Vietnamese, Urdu, and French.

Language access is yet another issue that has taken on added urgency in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a crisis that left countless New Jerseyans clamoring for assistance on unemployment, testing, vaccinations, housing, and more. With nearly 100,000 Sikhs and other individuals of Punjabi descent calling New Jersey their home, the existing language barrier due to lack of proficiency in English serves as a hindrance, impeding their access to many essential services.

The Sikh Youth Alliance is proactively fostering a collaborative partnership with Assemblyman Sterley S. Stanley’s office to address and rectify this oversight promptly and effectively and include Punjabi language in Assembly Bill A 3837, and its Senate counterpart S 2459 moving forward, says Bhupindar Singh, Outreach Lead for the organization. This pivotal step aims to facilitate the provision of comprehensive documents and translation services in Punjabi, addressing the needs of a portion of the State’s population by adding it as the 16th language.

The Sikh Youth Alliance emphasizes the critical importance of providing services in Punjabi, guaranteeing that the wider Sikh and Punjabi community in New Jersey can effortlessly avail themselves of the benefits provided by the State. This non-availability of essential documents and services in Punjabi language not only hampers the community’s access to vital services but also undermines the cultural richness and diversity that the Sikh population contributes to the State.

By addressing this language gap, we aim to create a landscape where all members of the Sikh community can seamlessly engage and benefit from essential State services without being burdened by language barriers. This move aligns with the broader commitment to recognizing and honoring the diversity that enriches the fabric of New Jersey. The Sikh Youth Alliance remains steadfast in its commitment to working collaboratively towards building a more accessible, equitable, and culturally aware New Jersey.