For all New Yorkers, the attacks of September 11^th, 2001 are indelibly etched in our collective memory.  The chaos, confusion, and sadness that pervaded, the emotional phone calls made and received, the uncertainty about what was yet to happen – all of these recollections are still fresh in our mind’s eye ten years later.

For some New Yorkers, immediately following the horrific events of the day, this sadness and anxiety was amplified by new worries of a backlash affecting Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim (including all South Asians).  Sadly, those fears of hate crimes and racial profiling proved to be well-founded.  As documented by human rights organizations, including South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), in the weeks, months, and even years following 9/11, there were widespread reports of violent and racist hate crimes targeting South Asians, Arabs, and Muslims in New York, and across the country.  Even religious institutions (including Muslim mosques, Sikh gurudwaras, and Hindu temples) were targets of firebombing and vandalism.