The Indian Panorama

Month: December 2017

  • Meet Dr. Arati Kreibich-the First South Asian to serve on the Glen Rock Town Council

    Meet Dr. Arati Kreibich-the First South Asian to serve on the Glen Rock Town Council

    NEW YORK (TIP): Dr. Arati Kreibich, one half of the Glen Rock A-Team, is making history as the first South Asian to serve on the Glen Rock Town Council. Kreibich and her running mate, incumbent Amy Martin, ran on a platform of making sure everyone in town has “a seat at the table.” Being the first South Asian on the council will, she feels, help make everyone in town feel welcome and heard.

    “Because I know and have felt what it is like to be overlooked, it is important to me to listen to those in our community who do not feel heard,” says Dr. Kreibich. “I think our voters connected with this, and I hope that knowing that someone on Council has shared these experiences will help our residents feel more welcome and more empowered to engage with our government. This in turn will make us a stronger, more connected community.”

    Dr. Kreibich is looking forward to working towards the goals she and Ms. Martin set during the campaign: keeping the budget low, increased environmental sustainability, shared services, a greater role for our town’s seniors, and long-term solutions for downtown Glen Rock.

    “I bring with me my life experiences as a scientist, an immigrant, a woman, a parent and concerned citizen to the table. I am excited and honored to use my many skills to represent all Glen Rockers on Council, and to start working to fulfill the promises we made to make sure we give everyone a seat at the table!”

     

     

     

     

  • Chairman Crowley, House Democrats Urge Republicans to Hold Hearings on the Rise of Hate Crimes

    Chairman Crowley, House Democrats Urge Republicans to Hold Hearings on the Rise of Hate Crimes

    WASHINGTON D.C. (TIP):  69 House Democrats, on November 30, asked Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, to hold hearings on the rise in hate crimes in America and the urgent need for the federal government to improve how these crimes are tracked and addressed.

    The FBI recently reported that the agency documented 6,121 hate crimes in 2017 – a noted increase from 2015. However, this statistic is far from comprehensive given the broad gaps in reporting from many jurisdictions – meaning the true scope of this epidemic is likely far greater.

    “It’s no secret that the rise in hate crimes has tracked with the campaign of the President. His stated support for the use of violence as well as sympathy for white supremacist groups has created an atmosphere of dread within all too many American communities,” the lawmakers wrote. “Given this disturbing new reality, we urge the committee to convene immediate hearings to address the rise of hate crimes, the need to bridge the data gap, and steps that lawmakers, law enforcement agencies, and our communities can take to prevent these crimes from occurring in the first place.”

    The letter is led by House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley (D-NY), Congressional Black Caucus Chair Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM), Congressional Asian Pacific Caucus Chair Judy Chu (D-CA), Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), the ranking member on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations, and LGBT Equality Caucus and Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chair Mark Pocan (D-WI). The letter was also signed by Reps. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), Donald Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), and 59 others.

    The FBI released a report on November 13 that found that hate crimes had increased in 2016. The FBI defines hate crimes as a criminal act motivated by bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.