United States: In a First, Seattle Codifies Caste in Public Policy
Washington: Seattle has become the first US city to outlaw caste discrimination as its local council added caste to anti-discrimination. The resolution moved by an Indian-American politician and economist Kshama Sawant was approved by a 6-1 vote on Tuesday.
The proponents of the ordinance say that it was needed as people who are facing caste discrimination on American soil had no protection.
“It’s official: our movement has won a historic, first-in-the-nation ban on caste discrimination in Seattle! Now we need to build a movement to spread this victory around the country,” Kshama Sawant, who is an upper-caste Hindu said.
It’s official: our movement has WON a historic, first-in-the-nation ban on caste discrimination in Seattle! Now we need to build a movement to spread this victory around the country ✊ pic.twitter.com/1mBJ1W3v6j
— Kshama Sawant (@cmkshama) February 22, 2023
The call to ban discrimination based on caste, a division of people based on birth or descent, has grown louder among South Asian diaspora communities in the United States. Equality Labs is behind the anti-caste discrimination resolution in Seattle. Equality Labs is a coalition of over 30 anti-caste Ambedkarite organisations.
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