October is Hindu American Awareness Month in Olympia

The Olympia City Council signed a proclamation designating October 2022 as Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Month.

The proclamation recognizes Hindu Americans for their contributions to many economic sectors, having excelled in business, law, politics, information technology, medicine, and science.

"Olympia and our nation have greatly benefited from Hindu Americans, especially through the Vedanta philosophy, Ayurvedic medicine, classical Indian art, dance, music, meditation, yoga, literature, and community service," the proclamation stated.

Olympia, through the proclamation, recognized Hindu Americans' numerous holidays and festivals, such as Diwali, which celebrates the victory of good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.

"Despite their positive contributions to this nation, Hindu Americans face stereotypes and misconceptions about their heritage and have been the targets of bullying, discrimination, hate speech, and bias-motivated crimes," the proclamation added.

"Hinduphobia, defined as a set of antagonistic, destructive, and derogatory attitudes and behaviors towards Hinduism and Hindus that may manifest as prejudice, fear, or hatred, is also increasing in the U.S., especially on college campuses, in parallel with the rise of anti-Hindu hate crimes," the proclamation explained.

Through the declaration, the city council encouraged people to recognize the significant contributions made by community members of Hindu heritage.

Hindu Americans in Olympia represent diverse ethnic backgrounds, including individuals of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Malaysian, Indonesian, Afghani, Nepali, Bhutanese, Sri Lankan, Fijian, Caribbean, and European descent.

The proclamation added that most Hindu immigrants have come to the United States as students in search of better economic opportunities or to unite with family members. Others have arrived in this country after facing religious persecution in their countries of origin.