Hindu American Foundation announces milestone in outreach to Midwest region

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The advocacy organization, Hindu American Foundation, announced Dec. 11 2023, that it had reached a significant milestone in its grassroots initiatives, as 35 cities across the Midwest region honored Hindus and Hinduism through Diwali and Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Month (HAAAM) Proclamations.

Yash Desai, the Midwest Regional Director for HAF, spearheaded the effort to emphasize the importance of recognizing Hindu American communities. The outreach spanned Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin, and Desai’s effort successfully secured proclamations in 35 cities.

“These proclamations serve as genuine tokens of appreciation for the impactful contributions of the Hindu American community across diverse fields, including education, science, law, medicine, and technology. The recognition also sheds light on the growing issue of Hinduphobia in the nation,” the press release from HAF said.

“The proclamations highlight the valuable contributions of Hindu Americans in various fields, raising awareness about the rising Hinduphobia across the nation. It’s a testament to the profound impact our community has made in these cities.”

The breakdown of the proclamations by state is as follows:

• Illinois: HAAAM (15), Diwali (20)
• Michigan: Diwali (1)
• Missouri: Diwali (3)
• Wisconsin: HAAAM (1)

Cities honored with Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Proclamations in October include:

• Cook County: Glenview, Hoffman Estates, Palatine, Schaumburg, Wheeling
• Cook and DuPage County: Elk Grove Village
• Cook, DuPage, and Kane: Bartlett
• DuPage County: Bensenville, Carol Stream, West Chicago, Woodridge
• Lake County: Buffalo Grove, Libertyville, Vernon Hills
• Waukesha County, WI

Diwali Proclamations were granted to cities across various counties, including:

• Cook County: Lincolnwood, Mount Prospect, Niles, Skokie, South Barrington
• DuPage County: Itasca
• DuPage and Kane County: Aurora*
• DuPage and Will: Naperville*
• Cook and DuPage County: Roselle
• Kane County: Carpentersville
• Lake County: Highland Park, Lincolnshire, Lindenhurst, Waukegan
• Peoria County: Peoria*

Michigan*: Lansing (Michigan State level Diwali Resolution) Missouri*: Saint Louis, Saint Louis County, Saint Louis City, Saint Charles County

(* indicates HAF was consulted, collaborated, and/or coordinated.)

Desai urged communities to leverage these proclamations to spread awareness about Hindu Dharma in local neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces.