Venue: South Surrey Recreation and Arts Centre,
14601 20 Ave, Surrey, BC Google Maps
Date: April 26th, 2024
Time: Doors open at 6:00PM, Film starts at 6:30PM
A conservative Indo-Canadian family in small-town British Columbia must come to terms with a devastating secret: three sisters were sexually abused by an older relative beginning in their childhood years. After remaining silent for nearly two and a half decades, the sisters finally decide to come forward—not only to protect other young relatives, but to set an example for their daughters as well. Warning: This film deals with mature subject matter. Viewer discretion is advised.
Guest Panellist: Dr. Balbir Gurm
Dr. Balbir Gurm is a caring, dedicated, award-winning nursing leader, professor of nursing at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, researcher, and consultant. Balbir Influences policy through leadership on boards, organizations, advisory panels, and committees to improve communities. Dr. Gurm advocates for equity, access, and funding for oppressed groups.
Dr Gurm is a consultant on diversity and inclusion, cultural safety and has provided workshops to municipalities, businesses, professional groups and non-profit organizations on how to be anti-racist and create culturally space spaces for workers and clients. She has lived experience and has conducted research in the area. She is passionate about equity and is the founder/facilitator for the Network to Eliminate Violence in Relationships. She wrote with a team, a free living ebook Making Sense of a Global Pandemic: Relationship Violence & Working Together Towards a Violence Free Society. Available at. https://kpu.pressbooks.pub/nevr/
As a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Nurses she is recognized as a nursing leader. She has added two YWCA awards and the BC Achievement Award in 2021 to her list of honours. Dr. Gurm is known for excellence in education and leadership and as someone who uses her privilege to improve society. She is participating in the upcoming anti violence conference.
Guest Panellist: Jeeti Pooni
Jeeti Pooni broke her silence about being sexually abused as a young child when she realized that her cousin, who had raped her, was potentially abusing others in her extended family. Her outing of the veil of silence about sexual abuse has been a spark for much needed conversations, not only for the Indo-Canadian community but all communities.
Jeeti is a Motivational Speaker, a social changemaker and the author of The Silent Stoning. As the driving force behind The National Film Board of Canada documentary Because We Are Girls, Jeeti courageously shares her story.
Persevering through one of the longest-running sexual assault court cases in Canadian history has made Jeeti an even more determined advocate for change to the criminal justice system and passed-down cultural beliefs that shame and oppress women in her culture. She is a voice for others that have suffered abuse.
Jeeti lives in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada with her husband and two daughters.