On Sept. 23, 2008, the South Asian Bar Association of Southern California (SABA-SC) hosted a screening of Divided We Fall in Los Angeles. Following the screening, held at Loyola Law School, a panel featuring Ahilan T. Arulanantham, Director of Immigrant Rights and National Security for the ACLU of Southern California; David Glazier, a Loyola Law School professor; Sharat Raju, the film's director and producer; and noted attorney and community organizer Nitasha Sawhney (one of the interviewees featured in DWF) led a discussion to a group of 70 attorneys and law students on civil rights issues in the wake of Sept. 11 and prevention of hate crimes against South Asians. (Below: Nitasha Sawhney speaks in the panel after the screening.)
“One of the goals of SABA-SC is to raise awareness of legal issues pertaining to the South Asian community," said Pankit Doshi, Co-President of SABA-SC. "By screening Divided We Fall, we hope to have educated the community on the issue of hate crimes and hate violence, in particular after 9/11, and how it affects our community to this day.”
Among issues raised at the SABA-SC screening, the panelists noted that, unlike other communities, the South Asian community often does not report incidents of violence or discrimination. Both Sawhney and Arulanantham stressed the importance of reporting hate crimes to authorities and community organizations that can address the issue. The audience was also encouraged to pursue opportunities to educate and assist the community to deal with discrimination and other civil rights issues.
The South Asian Bar Association of Southern California ("SABA-SC") is the oldest and largest South Asian bar association in the country. SABA-SC is dedicated to the advancement and development of South Asian attorneys and strives to promote the professional development of lawyers and law students, educate the community about relevant legal issues, and expand and enhance business and professional opportunities for South Asians.
(Above: The panel and the board of SABA-SC after the screening.)
No comments:
Post a Comment