- Home
- Community Programs
- Local Initiatives: New Jersey
Local Initiatives: New Jersey
SAALT initiated a Community Empowerment project in New Jersey after a SAALT Exchange in Edison, New Jersey in 2005. The project is currently being coordinated by NJ Outreach Coordinator, Qudsia Raja, who can be reached at Qudsia@saalt.org.
Below, you will find facts about the community in New Jersey, information about projects, and community-based resources. Please refer to the New Jersey Issue Briefs, a series of documents that provide information about a needs assessment conducted of South Asians in New Jersey, along with recommendations around access to services for South Asians.
The South Asian Community in New Jersey
According to the latest US Census data, nearly 185,000 South Asian residents live in New Jersey. The New York/New Jersey metropolitan area has the highest population of South Asians in the country.
According to the latest US Census data, nearly 185,000 South Asian residents live in New Jersey - making the state home to the third largest South Asian population in the United States!
General Population:
Nearly 200,000 South Asians reside in the state of New Jersey. The New Jersey Community Empowerment Project developed from a series of meetings in 2004 with South Asian organizations in New Jersey, allies and with concerned South Asian individuals. Through these dialogues, it became clear that South Asian communities in New Jersey are underserved and largely voiceless in policy debates.
In response, SAALT developed the New Jersey Community Empowerment Project. The objectives of the New Jersey Community Empowerment Project are to:
There are many ways you can be involved with SAALT in New Jersey:
Community Partners in New Jersey
Manavi
P.O. Box 3103, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 435-1414
Provides services for South Asian domestic violence survivors
Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund
1413 K Street, NW, Washington, DC
(202) 393-2700
Serves the needs of the Sikh Community, including civil and religious rights
Sikh Coalition
396 Broadway, Suite 701, New York, NY
212-655-3095
Defends civil rights and liberties in the US, educates the broader community about Sikhs and diversity and fosters civic engagement amongst Sikh Americans
South Asian Bar Association - NJ
200 Executive Drive, West Orange, NJ
(973) 736-0100
Provides forum for networking, education and advocacy and serves legal needs of South Asian community
South Asian Health Project
(800) 530-9821
Achieves health equity for individuals of South Asian origin through individual and community empowerment
South Asian Mental Health Awareness in NJ
(732) 940-0991
Helps South Asians understand mental illness and empowers South Asian families and individuals
UNITED SIKHS
JAF, P.O. Box 7203, New York, NY
(646) 338- 5996
Assists underprivileged and minority communities through civic, educational and personal development
Below, you will find facts about the community in New Jersey, information about projects, and community-based resources. Please refer to the New Jersey Issue Briefs, a series of documents that provide information about a needs assessment conducted of South Asians in New Jersey, along with recommendations around access to services for South Asians.
The South Asian Community in New Jersey
New Jersey Issue Briefs |
According to the latest US Census data, nearly 185,000 South Asian residents live in New Jersey. The New York/New Jersey metropolitan area has the highest population of South Asians in the country.
According to the latest US Census data, nearly 185,000 South Asian residents live in New Jersey - making the state home to the third largest South Asian population in the United States!
General Population:
- Of the 200,000 New Jersey South Asians, approximately 170,000 are Indian, 12,000 are Pakistani, 2,050 are Bangladeshi and 1,100 are Sri Lankan
- Between the years of 1990 and 2000, the number of South Asians in New Jersey increased by 113%
- The population percentage of New Jersey South Asians by county is: 31.8% Middlesex County, 12.5% Hudson County, 10.5% Bergen County, 6.4% Morris County, 5.3 % Essex County and 33.6% other counties
- About 77% of South Asians in New Jersey are foreign born (outside of the US) and 55% of New Jersey South Asians are US citizens
- 32% of New Jersey South Asians have graduate/professional degrees while 13% do not have a high school diplomas
- The most common South Asian languages spoken at home are Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu
Nearly 200,000 South Asians reside in the state of New Jersey. The New Jersey Community Empowerment Project developed from a series of meetings in 2004 with South Asian organizations in New Jersey, allies and with concerned South Asian individuals. Through these dialogues, it became clear that South Asian communities in New Jersey are underserved and largely voiceless in policy debates.
In response, SAALT developed the New Jersey Community Empowerment Project. The objectives of the New Jersey Community Empowerment Project are to:
- Strengthen and coordinate local efforts to raise awareness of emerging needs and existing services for South Asians
- Monitor and engage in statewide policy discussions that will impact the South Asian community
- Conduct outreach and education to the South Asian community
- Encourage the South Asian community to become strong and visible participants in New Jersey's civic and political life through programs that foster civic education
- Conducting outreach to religious and community based organizations around issues of civil rights and access to services
- Engaging in policy and advocacy work on immigrant and civil rights issues; Examples include issuing public statements around civil and immigrant rights issues impacting the community and providing testimony to the New Jersey Blue Ribbon Commission
- Coordinating activities to engage South Asian community members such as community forums, election monitoring and documentary screenings; examples include an Immigrants’ Rights and Resources Forum in Iselin and a naturalization forum in Jersey City
- Informing the South Asian community about issues of concern through community education materials, monthly e-newsletters and a SAALT New Jersey webpage; Examples include our Frequently Asked Questions Brochure for Middlesex County Residents and a series of New Jersey Issue Briefs
There are many ways you can be involved with SAALT in New Jersey:
- Join the New Jersey SAALT Circle - contact qudsia@saalt.org to get involved
- Participate in Be the Change, SAALT’s National Volunteer Day of Service, in New Jersey. Planning has already begun. If you would like to join the New Jersey planning team, please contact SAALT’s National 2008 Be the Change Coordinator, Ramya Punnoose, at btc2008@saalt.org.
- Become an Election Monitor for the 2008 Elections. SAALT will be participating in election monitoring during the 2008 Elections. SAALT has joined AALDEF (Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund) in the past few elections to monitor election polls in Edison and Jersey City. The volunteers also administer an exit poll survey that documents information important to the community. If you are interested in volunteering for the 2008 Elections, please email us at saalt@saalt.org
Community Partners in New Jersey
Manavi
P.O. Box 3103, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 435-1414
Provides services for South Asian domestic violence survivors
Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund
1413 K Street, NW, Washington, DC
(202) 393-2700
Serves the needs of the Sikh Community, including civil and religious rights
Sikh Coalition
396 Broadway, Suite 701, New York, NY
212-655-3095
Defends civil rights and liberties in the US, educates the broader community about Sikhs and diversity and fosters civic engagement amongst Sikh Americans
South Asian Bar Association - NJ
200 Executive Drive, West Orange, NJ
(973) 736-0100
Provides forum for networking, education and advocacy and serves legal needs of South Asian community
South Asian Health Project
(800) 530-9821
Achieves health equity for individuals of South Asian origin through individual and community empowerment
South Asian Mental Health Awareness in NJ
(732) 940-0991
Helps South Asians understand mental illness and empowers South Asian families and individuals
UNITED SIKHS
JAF, P.O. Box 7203, New York, NY
(646) 338- 5996
Assists underprivileged and minority communities through civic, educational and personal development
