What's at stake:
Punjabi Sikh community members and candidates alike emphasize the importance of cultural representation and understanding in Fresno’s District 1 and District 7 races to better serve all communities in the city.
In 2022, Taran Waraich arrived in Fresno to attend Fresno State, becoming the first in his family of farmers to go to college.
As a first-generation college student, Waraich has become acutely aware of how difficult it can be for Sikh students like him to navigate systems that weren’t built with them in mind.
That sense of responsibility has been shaped not only by his own experiences, but also by his involvement in the community. Waraich describes a generational divide—particularly around mental health, education, and cultural awareness—between Sikh parents and their children.
“I want leaders who invest in the youth, create pathways for education and careers, and make Fresno a city where students don’t feel they have to leave to succeed,” Waraich said.
That vision is part of why he’s paying close attention to this year’s Fresno City Council races.
He sees something familiar in candidates like Nav Gurm and Naindeep Singh — people whose experiences reflect his own and who, he believes, could better represent Fresno’s Punjabi Sikh community.
“I think for the first time, we are seeing candidates like Deep and Nav represent a community that has been part of the city for generations but haven’t had a seat at the table,” Waraich said. “This is personal and it shows that the hard work of immigrant families and the Punjabi Sikh community is finally getting recognized in leadership. This isn’t just symbolic, it’s a shift.”
If either candidate is elected in the June 2 primary, it would mark a historic first: Punjabi Sikh representation on the local governing body, a milestone that Waraich hopes could open doors for the next generation. A large population of Punjabi Sikhs, approximately 70,000 people, live in Fresno, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.
Both candidates have also raised the most campaign funds ahead of the June primary, according to an April story published by The Fresno Bee.
Who is Naindeep Singh?
Naindeep Singh, 47, executive director of the Jakara Movement and a Central Unified school board trustee, said his decades of community work — particularly with young people — shapes his vision for District 1, which covers northwest Fresno and areas west of Highway 99.
He is campaigning on what he calls a “Fresno Affordability Agenda,” aimed at lowering everyday costs such as housing, utilities, transportation and childcare.
Singh also said he would push for Fresno to adopt a formal sanctuary city policy, expand legal aid and “know-your-rights” resources for immigrants and LGBTQ+ community members, and work to ensure residents feel safe accessing services regardless of status.
Singh said he was raised in diverse, predominantly Black and Mexican neighborhoods, where he’d go over to neighbors’ homes to learn and share common experiences. He plans to bring this multicultural approach to City Hall.
“I’m humbled that I’ve earned the trust and support of communities across the district and region that I’ve worked with in the trenches,” Singh said. “That I’ve stood shoulder-to-shoulder with and I could continue to build a more inclusive Fresno.”
In terms of needs within the Punjabi Sikh community, he thinks they’re “very vociferous in their opposition against SEDA and their belief that we need to invest in our existing community and especially our historic neighborhoods that have for far too long been ignored by city hall.”
Fresno’s Southeast Development Area (SEDA) is a proposed $4.3 billion plan to turn 9,000 acres of farmland into a new city-sized community with up to 45,000 homes by 2050.
The city says it addresses housing demand, but critics point to a $3 billion infrastructure gap, neighborhood impacts, and estimates that it could cost Fresno Unified 11 schools and $200 million a year.
Singh emphasized that Fresno residents deserve a transparent and accountable government, arguing that current conditions at City Hall fall short and that restoring trust is critical for ensuring the city remains a place where future generations can build lives.
“We, as a community, need to have a conversation and getting money out of local politics and other cities have made progress in terms of other campaign financing options,” Singh said. “I have raised money, but at least it’s largely local individuals especially doctors, nurses and truckers and not dark PACs.”
As of May 5, Singh has raised a total of $208,125 in campaign funds.
Who is Nav Gurm?
Nav Gurm, 26, said his path to public service has been shaped by both his education and early experience in local government. After graduating from UCLA, he returned to Fresno, working for about a year and a half as a legislative assistant for current District 7 Councilmember Nelson Esparza. District 7 stretches from part of the Tower District into central and southeastern Fresno.
While in law school at UC Davis, he spent significant time in Sacramento, where he observed what he described as a more proactive local government, with greater investment in housing, entertainment, and public spaces — an approach he believes Fresno can learn from.
Those experiences, Gurm said, ultimately led him to run for the District 7 seat, with a platform focused on restoring core city services, especially in historically underserved areas, pointing to public safety, infrastructure and neighborhood services like tree trimming and road repairs.
Gurm said “there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution to Fresno’s issues,” noting that some residents want more cultural programming and community engagement, while others face basic infrastructure gaps or lack access to nearby grocery stores.
“It’s definitely not lost on me to have the opportunity to bring that Sikh representation and the values of the Sikh faith, which teaches me to give back, look out for your neighbors and look out for the most vulnerable,” Gurm said. “Those are the values I want to take to City Hall.”
He said he would prioritize ensuring the mayor’s Office of Community Affairs has the funding and support needed to continue its work. He hopes to work closely with the cultural liaisons, helping connect District 7 residents to city resources while ensuring all communities feel represented and supported.
Gurm suggested that local media coverage has focused more on his campaign fundraising and less on the personal stories and backgrounds of the candidates.
“We have an opportunity to break that glass ceiling for Fresno, but ultimately, it is kind of just a representation of the community here that has played a very active role in the last few decades in Fresno,” Gurm said. “But at the same time, I’m running to represent my neighbors of District 7, and that’s the constituency that’s always going to take first and foremost priority.”
Gurm has raised $137,500 in campaign funds as of May 5.
‘Understanding and representation’
Waraich said he wants city leaders who understand affordability and how to create more opportunities across Fresno. Those are just some of the priorities shaping what many in Fresno’s Punjabi Sikh community are seeking from candidates.
“There’s also a bigger need for cultural understanding and representation,” Waraich said. “Many people still don’t understand what a Sikh identity is, whether it’s a turban, a beard, or the basic belief, which leads to bias or discomfort in schools, workplaces, and public spaces. I think having leadership that understands this helps normalize that we are a part of society.”
Gurminder Sangha, community organizer with Sikh Institute Fresno, said many Punjabi Sikh families traditionally avoid seeking help, but growing challenges in the U.S., particularly among younger generations, require greater engagement with local government.
Sangha has worked with Singh since 2000, initially collaborating on efforts to connect Sikh youth with their culture, language, and values.
In Fresno, he said, there are many issues city and county leaders should address better, including substance abuse, a lack of cultural and faith-based services, and limited access to resources for elders. Sangha also highlighted barriers facing Sikh and Punjabi small business owners, including limited access to public contracts and complex permitting processes, and called for more equitable outreach and education.
He added that the community is seeking stronger collaboration with law enforcement on issues such as transnational repression, noting that some local Sikh residents have reported being targeted. He also pointed to a 2023 meeting between Fresno officials and a group of Hindu leaders, who alleged Singh and local realtor Gurdeep Shergill had ties to organized crime and Khalistan-related extremism. The Hindu leaders suggested the Fresno Police Department put both of them under surveillance.
Sangha noted that Singh’s candidacy for District 1, west of the 99 freeway, is significant given the area’s long history of disinvestment and residents’ desires to prioritize reinvestment over new development. He added that District 7, which includes a large Punjabi Sikh population, could also benefit from Gurm’s business-minded approach and focus on accountability.
“For me personally, it is very important as being first a Sikh person with the turban, serving in the higher ed and I am perhaps the only one who is serving that role and that comes with very much responsibility,” Sangha said. “Meaning that even though you do not want to, people look up to you. Youth look up to you. A significant part of the population looks up to you, and they feel comfortable talking to you, sharing their concerns with you.”
Gurbeer Singh Sangha, board president of the Khalsa Foundation, said electing candidates like Gurm and Singh would help amplify the voices of Fresno’s large Punjabi Sikh community.
Sangha pointed to gaps in culturally and linguistically competent services in Fresno, noting that the Khalsa Community Center, described as the world’s first Punjabi Sikh mental health and cultural center, offers free support including mental health care, domestic violence services, and substance abuse programs to address unmet needs.
He said the center continues to face high demand and long waitlists due to a lack of accessible services for Punjabi speakers. Greater representation on the council, he said, could help close those gaps and improve access to care.
“I think having their representation is going to kill a lot of ignorance,” Sangha said. “People in Fresno are still very uneducated about who we are, even though we make up such a large portion of this population.”
Candidates for District 1 and 7
Fresno City Council District 1:
- Monte Forkas, small business owner
- Naindeep Singh, nonprofit director and Central Unified School District board trustee
- Joe Hinojosa, accessibility coordinator
- Rob Fuentes, State Center Community College District board trustee and federal prosecutor
Fresno City Council District 7:
- Jason J. Keomanee
- Ariana Martinez Lott, small business owner and community activist
- Nav Gurm, attorney and small businessman
- AJ Rassamni, founder of the Blackstone Merchants Association
