FRESNO, Calif. – Harman Singh was four years old when he arrived in Fresno from San Jose with his mother. He says his family found economic stability here. And he planted roots that shaped his future.
From his early days in elementary school, to Rio Vista Middle School and eventually Central West High School, Harman says he felt like he understood his city well.
Now 27, Harman is a trustee for the Central Unified School District.
“The city offered, in a way, a sanctuary,” Harman said. “I make a promise to those who do not come from wealth: ‘Hey, there is opportunity for you.’”
Harman says that promise has translated into action. Beyond his role as a trustee, Harman is actively involved in local politics. He’s currently managing a campaign for one of two Punjabi Sikh candidates – Naindeep Singh, also a trustee on the Central Unified board – seeking a seat on the Fresno City Council.
Naindeep Singh wants to represent District 1. It’s a district comprising most of the central and west parts of Fresno. In a district directly opposite, Nav Gurm is running for District 7, which covers central and east parts of Fresno.
The candidates represent how far Sikhs have come after settling roots largely in places like California for the last century. If either of them is elected, they would change the face of the Fresno City Council – which has seen its share of representation for other city minorities such as Latino, Black, and Hmong residents.
Officials from the Sikh faith – who largely come from the Indian state of Punjab – are a rare sight in higher government offices in Fresno, California's fifth largest city. There are an estimated 50,000 immigrant descendants from Punjab living in Fresno. The community is deeply rooted in the region. One state Assemblymember of the Sikh faith, Jasmeet Bains, is even seeking a seat in Congress in House District 22.
But aside from shifting the makeup of the council and adding representation, both candidates say the issues they want to tackle are ones they don’t see changing generally.
Naindeep Singh and Gurm have some similarities: both are long-time Fresno residents, both say they are committed to improving the city, and both are actively engaged with community members.
Candidates on the issues
Naindeep Singh and Gurm say infrastructure in their respective areas is one of their top priorities.
"Our Fresno community deserves more and deserves better," Naindeep Singh said on a recent Saturday where he was walking 16 miles across his district to meet residents.
Naindeep Singh says that District 1 represents the political fights of the past.
"They're not natural districts. They're gerrymandered districts that oftentimes politicians made because the politicians wanted to pick the voters instead of the voters picking the politicians," he says.
On the other side of town, Gurm plans to clean the parks, repave roads, fix potholes, and repair sidewalks in District 7. He says these are issues that are not unique to one single community.
"What's good for the Sikh community is good for the entire Fresno community, and what's good for the entire Fresno community is good for the Sikh community," Gurm said.
Gurm, who studied law, says he’s guided in his run for office by remembering the ways his own community has benefited from living in Fresno.
"I'm very aware of Fresno's rich diversity and its tapestry," Gurm said. "One of the core tenants of Sikhism is Seva, which is giving back and helping the most vulnerable."
Gurm says he has spent the past year knocking on doors in District 7, listening to neighborhood residents, holding meet-and-greets, and attending community events.
"It's about serving the neighborhoods and serving your residents," Gurm said. “To me, [this] isn't a flashy job, it's public service.”
Connecting with the community
In the meantime, the listening march held by Naindeep Singh in early May with his supporters through District 1 included several stops throughout the day.
The marchers, including Nora Ceballos, wore orange and purple campaign T-shirts.
Ceballos has lived in Fresno for a little over two decades and currently works at the Central Unified School District. She says the concerns of families in District 1 are not being heard.
"We need more streets, perhaps we need to work with the Department of Transportation to see if they can somehow reach an arrangement to provide a little more public transit in this area,” Ceballos says in Spanish.
She adds that some streets have no sidewalks. Others lack signage.
“Our children walk on these streets, and it is very dangerous,” she says.
Like in many campaigns for office, Naindeep Singh and Gurm seek to activate young people, including to seek out leadership positions.
Harman Singh, who is managing Naindeep Singh’s campaign, says that the votes of younger people will be decisive in the 2026 elections, but they need to be motivated.
"I would argue that everything is political. The potholes that you have in your neighborhood to the trees that you don't have to the larger decisions of where money is going,” Harman Singh says.
On June 2, voters will have a say about whether fresh voices can bring about the change they seek in the city.
