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The 2019 Peace Prayer Day keynote speaker was Fania Davis, a leading voice in the restorative justice movement. From the tantric shelter stage at 3HO Summer Solstice Sadhana, Dr. Davis expressed support for efforts to raise awareness about Akal's profit relationship to immigrant detention:
"Again I want to thank the Siri Singh Sahib organization for conferring upon me its Social Justice Award. ((ONGOING CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)) You’re such a wonderful audience. Thank you. You’re one of the best. Thank you. Thank you. ((INAUDIBLE)) I admire the wide-ranging work of the seven non-profits affiliated with the SSS Corporation providing food, clothing, shelter, to communities in need, including immigrants in Las Cruces, offering emergency services to communities in crisis, and teaching the world about the liberating practice of kundalini yoga and many others. You are an extraordinary community. ((APPLAUSE))
I met Krishna Kaur in the 1970s but before coming here, being invited to come here, all I knew about this Sikh community was Krishna Kaur and Yogi Tea and kundalini yoga. And to discover this whole new world that has been unveiled for me since I’ve been here is truly amazing. So I appreciate and admire the amazing work you’re doing. And I understand that the Siri Singh Sahib Corporation has an affiliate for-profit company, Akal Global, and that’s a small part of their entire operation but I understand that it is an organization that enters into federal contracts to guard immigration detention centers in the US. And as a social justice activist, you see, you know what my story is. I cannot be silent about this. I cannot be silent. ((CHEERS AND APPLAUSE))…
...I understand there is a debate taking place within the community about this. This debate is healthy and I salute the organization for this. I stand in solidarity with those within the community who are raising these questions and I pray that a just resolution consistent with the peacemaking values of the Sikh community will come out of these discussions. ((SIPS WATER)) ((LOUD CHEERS AND APPLAUSE))"
For Dr. Davis' full remarks, view the transcript.
"Again I want to thank the Siri Singh Sahib organization for conferring upon me its Social Justice Award. ((ONGOING CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)) You’re such a wonderful audience. Thank you. You’re one of the best. Thank you. Thank you. ((INAUDIBLE)) I admire the wide-ranging work of the seven non-profits affiliated with the SSS Corporation providing food, clothing, shelter, to communities in need, including immigrants in Las Cruces, offering emergency services to communities in crisis, and teaching the world about the liberating practice of kundalini yoga and many others. You are an extraordinary community. ((APPLAUSE))
I met Krishna Kaur in the 1970s but before coming here, being invited to come here, all I knew about this Sikh community was Krishna Kaur and Yogi Tea and kundalini yoga. And to discover this whole new world that has been unveiled for me since I’ve been here is truly amazing. So I appreciate and admire the amazing work you’re doing. And I understand that the Siri Singh Sahib Corporation has an affiliate for-profit company, Akal Global, and that’s a small part of their entire operation but I understand that it is an organization that enters into federal contracts to guard immigration detention centers in the US. And as a social justice activist, you see, you know what my story is. I cannot be silent about this. I cannot be silent. ((CHEERS AND APPLAUSE))…
...I understand there is a debate taking place within the community about this. This debate is healthy and I salute the organization for this. I stand in solidarity with those within the community who are raising these questions and I pray that a just resolution consistent with the peacemaking values of the Sikh community will come out of these discussions. ((SIPS WATER)) ((LOUD CHEERS AND APPLAUSE))"
For Dr. Davis' full remarks, view the transcript.