Source: myOC.com

http://www.myoc.com/community/religion/spirit/spirit.shtml

On January 8, 2003 myOC.com reported that "The Sikh Center [in Orange County, CA] has been in existence since 1990. During the 1980s five Sikh families in Orange County began conducting services in their homes. Now the Center has over 500 families as members. Although exact numbers are difficult to obtain, several sources indicate that there are between 16 million and 20 million Sikhs worldwide... Bicky Singh... is president and chairman of the board of trustees for the Sikh Center. He also mentions the benefits of prayer. 'It brings everyone together and lets everyone think about some positive things,' he says. 'It is the rightful thinking' that is needed in society today... He goes on to explain: 'We need to make ourselves more visible. ... The problem that Sikhs are facing right now in America is the problem of identity crisis. We have been guilty by association. ... We need people to understand that everybody who wears a turban is not a bad person. If you look at the facts, 99 percent of the people wearing turbans in the United States are Sikhs... For us, it's part of our attire. We have to have it. There's no way we can take it off,' says Chadha as he stresses the need to educate the public about Sikh beliefs."