Author: Pardeep Kaleka

Escapism is defined as a “habitual diversion of the mind to purely imaginative activity or entertainment as an escape from reality or routine.” When a billionaire reality TV star was elected President of the United States, much of America seemed surprised by the outcome. They should not have been, if they took an honest look at the values of our society. We are a nation where other pop culture superstars effect political policy. These celebrities are often asked to testify in front of Congress as issue experts on everything from environmentalism to a genocidal crisis. Being famous for being...

“I have lived through a real mаssаcrе, right here in Milwaukee. It took the life of my father and five others from my faith community.” – Pardeep Kaleka Building walls to protect America was a big focus of the Presidential campaign last year, but it has become clear that those once invisible walls already exist, within America. These metaphorical walls are now more visible, and were put up by our own communities, friends, and families. All of us to some extent live in a state of denial about social conditions, and more recently political ones. As a first generation...

Editor’s Note: Pardeep Kaleka was a panelist at a public meeting hosted by the Wisconsin Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights on August 29, to discuss the issue of under-reported hate crimes and civil rights violations. This is the testimony he presented at the hearing. | Hello, thank you for the opportunity to address the commission. On Sunday August 5, 2012 a white supremacist named Wade Michael Page walked into The Sikh Temple of Wisconsin and ʍurdered six immigrants; Paramjit Kaur, Prakash Singh, Sita Singh, Ranjit Singh, Suveg Singh, and Satwant Singh Kaleka, my father and...