In collaboration with Sikh Heritage Month.

Join us for a conversation with Jaspreet Kaur, Maneet Kaur, Jasmeet Kaur, Amarpreet Kaur, and Rapinder Kaur as they explore how being a Sikh can influence your career choices. How does your Sikhi impact what you do for a living? Regardless of whether you have a ‘traditional’ career (ex. doctor, lawyer, engineer) or something more unexpected (ex. therapist, tradesperson, writer), how does your relationship with the Guru influence the decisions you make in your job?

Sikhi & Acceptance offers a safe and open environment for the curious and open-minded where all are welcome. This is a place where we can have an open discussion around the Sikh community, shattering normative ideas of the ideal Sikh. The environment is a safe and intimate space where we can address concerns, ask questions, learn and unlearn. Regardless of your ideologies, let’s have a conversation beyond labels.

If you believe in certain things, how do they come into your practices? Our speakers share their stories, how Sikhi plays a role in their life, and have an open dialogue with all of the guests.
Bring all of your weird, wild and wonderful questions!

All are welcome. You don't need to be a Sikh or know anything about Sikhi to attend.

Preview Sikhi & Acceptance here:
https://youtu.be/aO4jmK6Uk3s‍

About the Speakers:
Rapinder Kaur is particularly drawn to the concept of individual empowerment and how this process can lead to collective change. A Registered Psychotherapist and Art Therapist, Board member, community organizer and facilitator, she is fascinated with the idea of using art to disrupt traditional thinking by imagining new possibilities for engaging in the world. Her curiosity for the inner workings of the mind and her love for all things creative has provided her the privilege of working with people of all ages, many of whom have experienced and overcome great adversity. Rapinder strongly believes that art therapy has the potential to change lives and often in profound ways. When words are not enough, people can turn to images and symbols to tell their story and in telling their stories through the art therapy process, they can find a path to health and wellness, emotional reparation, recovery, and ultimately, transformation.

Amarpreet Kaur is a collaborator, leader and community builder who is passionate about improving the quality of life for vulnerable and marginalized populations. She believes in the spirit of volunteerism and always finds time for community initiatives such as food banks, seniors programs, and civic engagement. Amarpreet is currently working as a Nurse Practitioner at the LAMP community health centre and is a co-founder of the Seva Food Bank. She has been involved in many community development initiatives in Canada and abroad.

Maneet Kaur and Jasmeet Kaur are community mental health nurses from Brampton who are currently enrolled in the Master of Nursing program at McMaster University with a focus on South Asian mental health research. In 2015, they co-founded SOCH, a community mental health promotion initiative. Through their community nursing experience, Maneet and Jasmeet recognized that South Asian patients, even while being serviced by the mental health system, continue to have difficulty navigating services. The idea of SOCH was developed in response to addressing this specific need. Maneet and Jasmeet strongly believe that the South Asian community will benefit from mental health education, which will subsequently help in breaking the stigma towards the topic.

Dr. Jaspreet Kaur is a Professor in the Child and Youth Care program at Humber College in Toronto, Canada. She completed her Ph.D. in Cultural Studies from Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario, where she focused on children’s rights, education, and returned for fieldwork to her village in Panjab. Jaspreet serves on the SikhRI Advisory Council along with the Board of Directors of the Sikh Feminist Research Institute and Kaurs United International.