Local Initiatives: San Francisco

It is no surprise that the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles are home to the second and fourth largest South Asian population in the United States given the history of migration from South Asia to parts of California at the turn of the twentieth century. California is home to the first places of worship established by South Asians; agricultural laborers in places such as Yuba City; activists such as Bhagat Singh Thind who challenged racist naturalization policies; and more recently, a growing community of newer immigrants in the South Bay.

In 2006, SAALT initiated a community dialogue in San Francisco, which brought together over 35 community members to discuss assets and gaps within the community. Some of the gaps and needs that were discussed included:

The geographical dispersement of the community, which is sometimes compounded by differences along religious, cultural, professional, class-based lines
Need for better coordination between and among groups within the South Asian community in the Bay Area
Need to outreach effectively to communities that tend to be more isolated and marginalized specifically, working class, LGBTQ communities, youth, limited-English speakers, women and the elderly
Need to identify ways to sustain political involvement by community members when the community is not facing a rallying moment or a crisis

Bay Area organizations and advocates continue to address many of these needs. Below is a resource list of organizations as well as links to reports about South Asian communities in the Bay Area. Help us to add more information to this webpage; email us at info@saalt.org.

South Asian Organizations

Narika
Email: narika@narika.org
Phone: 1-800-215-7308

South Asian Sisters
Email: contact@southasiansisters.org

Trikone - San Francisco
Email: trikone@trikone.org

Alliance of South Asians Taking Action (ASATA)
Join the list: asata-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Civil Rights/Social Justice Organizations in San Francisco /Bay Area

CAIR- Council on American-Islamic Relations- SF/Bay Area
E-mail: nocal@cair.com
Phone: (408) 986-9874

American Muslim Voice
E-mail: amvoice@amuslimvoice.org
Phone: 650-387-1994

United Muslims of America
E-mail: contact@umanet.org
Phone: 650-872-2578

National Legal Sanctuary for Community Advancement (NLSCA)
E-mail: akhlaghilaw@sbcglobal.net
Phone: 415-553-7100

Immigrant Rights Organizations

BAIRC (Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition)
E-mail: info@immigrantrights.org
Phone: (510) 839-7598

Asian Law Caucus
Phone: (415) 896-1701

APILO (Asian Pacific Islanders Legal Outreach)
E-mail: info@apilegaloutreach.org
Phone: S.F. Office: 415.567.6255; Oakland Office: 510.251.2846

Reports

Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian Communities in the San Francisco Bay Area: An Introduction to Grantmakers, published by Asian American Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP)

This report by Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) and Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR), highlights some of the issues, challenges, and concerns facing these communities post-September 11th.


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