You will never be forgotten Balbir. In your honor, we stay committed to healing and justice. Posted @withrepost • @valariekaur Let’s tell his story today. #BalbirSodhi • Twenty-one years ago today, a Sikh father was murdered in front of his gas station in Mesa, Arizona by a man who called himself a patriot. Balbir Singh Sodhi was the first person killed in thousands of acts of hate in the aftermath of 9/11. Since his murder, countless people have been killed or harmed by the way our nation responded to 9/11 — in war, torture, surveillance, deportations, detentions, and hate violence that continues today. Balbir Singh Sodhi was a kind-hearted and generous man, whom many called “Uncle.” He would give candy to children who came to his gas station as if they were his own children. He let people who didn’t have money for gas fill up and go. His brothers would shake their heads in disbelief. Was he a saint or a fool? But Balbir Uncle would just smile, saying God wants us to serve all. He and his brothers had come to America to escape persecution against Sikhs in India. He was planting flowers in front of his gas station when he was shot in the back, targeted for his turban. Balbir Uncle wore his turban as part of his faith — his commitment to love all of humanity. What if we made the vision that he died for our North Star? What would the world look like if we valued human dignity above all? What if we chose, like Balbir Uncle, to treat all as family, to see no stranger? How would we be remembered 20 years from now? #BalbirSodhi #September11 #SeeNoStranger WATCH the #UnitedWeStand summit at the @whitehouse today to honor his memory at unitedwestand.gov Share this post Original artwork by @loquacious_lines