One Day in the Life of Sikh Captain America

Vishavjit Singh wanted to challenge the way that New Yorkers thought about superheroes. And for one day, he did.

By Jamilah King Sep 13, 2013

Meet Vishavjit Singh, an editorial cartoonist behind Sikhtoons, which chronicles the experiences of everyday Sikh Americans in the aftermath of 9/11. Inspired by one of his comics, Singh decided to spend one day roaming the streets of New York City and wrote about it for Salon:

People shook my hands, and a few literally congratulated me. The celebrity-of-the-moment experience was a little overwhelming. But I was jarred out of that trance by a few negative outliers. One man tried to grab my turban. Another yelled, "Captain Arab." And yet another: "Terrorista!"

[snip]

It was the most unlikeliest of days for me. Hundreds of strangers came up to me. And we were able to lay to rest any anxieties or inhibitions in those moments — about other people, about the unknown, about ourselves, about violating other people’s personal spaces or not understanding their beliefs. We could simply meet. Say hi. Snap a memory of that moment. And I could leave brand-new images on the hard drive of their mind — as well as their hand-held devices, Apple clouds, virtual worlds.

You can read the rest of Singh’s tale over at Salon.

(h/t Angry Asian Man)