Sodhi Family, Government Leaders and Victims’ Rights Group to Hold Press Conference Drawing Attention to Backlash Murders
911 Archives
On September 14th, representatives from the family of the first post-September 11th hate crime victim Balbir Singh Sodhi are requesting your help in drawing attention to backlash murders that have happened in the United States over the last year. The Sodhi family, as well as representatives from families of other backlash murders, will be receiving condolences from government leaders, religious leaders and representatives at the press conference, which will begin at 6 pm and take place in the Media tent of the Balbir Singh Sodhi Embrace Diversity Memorial Event being held at Red Mountain Park, 7800 East Brown Road, Mesa, AZ. There is a special Media parking lot near the tent. Please see directions below.
Backlash murders are the invisible casualties of September 11th. On September 15, 2001, while planting flowers outside of his gas station in Mesa, AZ, Balbir Singh Sodhi was shot and killed, and became the first murder categorized as a hate crime in the post-September 11th backlash. But in the year since, there have been as many as 18 US homicides that have possible or proven ties to the September 11th backlash.
Speakers at the Balbir Singh Embrace Diversity Memorial Event will address the issues of hate-related violence and the need for all people to embrace the vast diversity in this country. These speakers will also be in attendance at the press conference. Speakers for the event expected at the press conference include: Joseph Zogby, Special Council 9/11 Discrimination, Civil Rights Division, US Department of Justice; District Attorney Rick Romley; Jethadar Sahib Bhai Manjit Singh, a prominent Sikh religious leader who has flown in from India for the Memorial Event; Anya Cordell, Director of The Campaign for Collateral Compassion and Keno Hawker, Mayor of Mesa.
Due to heightened security for the Memorial Event, the police are requesting that they be notified in advance of the number of individuals attending the press conference. Security will have a master list of people entering the Media tent in order to issue badges. If you plan to attend, please let us know the number of people in your press crew by 5 pm on Friday, September 13th. Contact Ek Ong Kaar Khalsa at (602) 288 – 1530 or [email protected]. Also, please allow 30 minutes before the start of the press conference for security clearance.
Directions to the Media Parking Lot at Red Mountain Park:
1. Take I-10 East (Tucson) to Route 202 East
2. Take Route 202 E. to Rt. 101 South
3. Take Route 101 S. to US-60 East
4. Take exit 188 off of US-60 E
5. At the end of the exit ramp, turn left (North) onto S. Power Rd.
6. Take Power Rd. to Brown
7. Make right (East) onto Brown
8. Take the first driveway entrance to the Park just past Sun Valley
9. Go to Speaker (Media) Parking Entrance