Sher Vancouver Podcast

In this special wrap-up episode, we reflect on our four-year podcasting journey together. Anu Pala, podcast mentor and editor, guides us through a heartfelt review of our episodes, memorable moments, and the incredible guests we’ve had the opportunity to meet through this platform. Join us as we share what podcasting truly takes, offer some behind-the-scenes stories, and express our deepest gratitude to everyone who has been part of the Sher Vancouver Podcast journey. This episode is a celebration of the community we’ve built together. Thank you for being with us through every episode! 

To end our podcast journey, we invite a trained Indian Classical Vocalist who has been singing and performing Kirtan since the age of 9 years. His talent was recognized in the Sikh Community in April 2010 where his music and chanting started being celebrated by the community all over the world. He is a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher and aspiring to bring awareness around LGBTQI in the South Asian community by creating QUEERKIRTAN to heal together with the wounded. Tune in to hear how Gurnimit Singh has transformed his life using Kirtan as his healing medicine.

We speak with Khushi, also known as Bad Shah, Canada's first Bollywood drag king. Khushi shares her journey as an international student from Mumbai to Victoria, BC, and how she found drag as an outlet to cope with the move. Her drag persona, Bad Shah, has become an icon among the South Asian LGBTQ+ community, making history by bringing representation and breaking barriers. Tune in to learn what it takes to be a solo Bollywood drag king amidst the popular queens. 

We speak with Jason Pillay, a queer Indo-Fijian who has made his mark in the Vancouver Fashion scene. Jason Pillay is his own brand and he shares his hustle journey of attending fashion school to becoming a well-known stylist in Vancouver who got to style Ashanti in her latest movie! He has worked on many sets in Vancouver’s Hollywood and beyond. Jason’s unique approach to style has graced countless red carpets, movie sets, and TV networks, influencing the next wave of fashion trends. Tune in to learn what it takes to be a fashion stylist here in Vancouver. 

We speak with Syd and Dee Gill, a mother-daughter duo who are on a mission to empower queer and trans individuals to be proud and live their authentic lives. Syd Gill works at Qmunity - BC’s largest Queer, Trans and Two-Spirit Resource center, as the fundraising coordinator. She is also on the board for the Vancouver Dyke March. Dee Gill is a clinical counsellor with over 30 years of experience and an inspiring mom who advocates for her two biological trans daughters. Tune in to hear these fierce women of color owning their identities.

https://ca.linkedin.com/in/syd-gill-06578b226

https://searchlightcounselling.com/about-us/

Harjant Gill is an award-winning filmmaker and associate professor of anthropology at Towson University in Washington DC. Dr. Gill’s research and films explore the intersections of gender, sexuality, religion, citizenship, transnationality and notions of belonging with a particular focus on Indian and diasporic masculinities. His films on Indian masculinity have been screened at film festivals, academic conferences and on television networks worldwide including BBC, Doordarshan (Indian National TV) and PBS. Tune in to learn about how Punjab as a hyper patriarchal society generates issues of violence, addictions, and physical and sexual abuse.

We speak with Norma Lize, a trans activist and refugee advocate from Lebanon who has received awards for her advocacy work. We learn about refugee settlement into Canada and what that journey entails especially for LGBTQ+ individuals who are forced to leave their homes due to threats,  violence, and imprisonment. Norma shares her personal story as a refugee and her journey moving into Canada as a transwoman. Norma now helps other LGBTQ+ refugees settle in Canada and works for Rainbow Refugee. Rainbow Refugee is a Vancouver based organization whose aim is to provide safer and equitable migrations for people fleeing persecution based on sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics/expressions and HIV status. 

Rahat Saini is an actor, storyteller, and comedian. Rahat is an actor in Make Me A Match, Hallmark's very first South Asian story! This movie touches on Indian Matchmaking with a twist.  She also starred in the play Unexpecting, a production by Zee Zee Theatre, which celebrates queer love and provides insights into the realities of modern motherhood. Rahat is making herself visible and taking up space with all her identities to help empower other brown women to do just that. Tune in and leave feeling inspired for 2024! 

Parminder Kaur Swaich is a Punjabi writer, social activist, and poet. She is dedicated and passionate about literature and has written 5 books. She writes and directs plays about important deep rooted issues in our Punjabi culture that no one likes to talk about - rape, drugs, addictions, and female infanticide. She is a powerful, fearless, Punjabi Sikh activist who is ready to stand up for marginalized and oppressed individuals. Parminder Swaich believes we must do more for our community too, and not just for our own families.

For this special episode, Jolene Queen Sloan, desi drag queen, helped us to translate this episode from Punjabi to English. Tune into this wholesome conversation between different generations and learn about their stories.

ਪਰਮਿੰਦਰ ਸਵੈਚ ਇੱਕ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਲੇਖਕ, ਸਮਾਜਿਕ ਕਾਰਕੁਨ ਅਤੇ ਕਵੀ ਹੈ। ਉਹ ਸਾਹਿਤ ਪ੍ਰਤੀ ਸਮਰਪਿਤ ਅਤੇ ਭਾਵੁਕ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਉਸਨੇ 5 ਕਿਤਾਬਾਂ ਲਿਖੀਆਂ ਹਨ। ਉਹ ਸਾਡੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸੱਭਿਆਚਾਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਹਿਮ ਡੂੰਘੀਆਂ ਜੜ੍ਹਾਂ ਵਾਲੇ ਮੁੱਦਿਆਂ ਬਾਰੇ ਨਾਟਕ ਲਿਖਦੀ ਅਤੇ ਨਿਰਦੇਸ਼ਤ ਕਰਦੀ ਹੈ ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਬਾਰੇ ਕੋਈ ਵੀ ਗੱਲ ਕਰਨਾ ਪਸੰਦ ਨਹੀਂ ਕਰਦਾ - ਬਲਾਤਕਾਰ, ਨਸ਼ੇ, ਅਤੇ ਕੰਨਿਆ ਭਰੂਣ ਹੱਤਿਆ। ਉਹ ਇੱਕ ਸ਼ਕਤੀਸ਼ਾਲੀ, ਨਿਡਰ, ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਿੱਖ ਕਾਰਕੁਨ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਹਾਸ਼ੀਏ 'ਤੇ ਅਤੇ ਦੱਬੇ-ਕੁਚਲੇ ਵਿਅਕਤੀਆਂ ਲਈ ਖੜ੍ਹੇ ਹੋਣ ਲਈ ਤਿਆਰ ਹੈ। ਪਰਮਿੰਦਰ ਸਵੈਚ ਦਾ ਮੰਨਣਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਸਾਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੇ ਭਾਈਚਾਰੇ ਲਈ ਵੀ ਬਹੁਤ ਕੁਝ ਕਰਨਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ, ਨਾ ਕਿ ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਆਪਣੇ ਪਰਿਵਾਰਾਂ ਲਈ। ਇਸ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਐਪੀਸੋਡ ਨੂੰ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਤੋਂ ਅੰਗਰੇਜ਼ੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਨੁਵਾਦ ਕਰਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਾਡੀ ਦੇਸੀ ਡਰੈਗ ਕਵੀਨ ਜੋਲੀਨ ਕੁਈਨ ਸਲੋਅਨ ਨੇ ਮਦਦ ਕੀਤੀ।  ਇਸ ਵਧੀਆ ਐਪੀਸੋਡ ਨੂੰ ਸੁਣੋ ਅਤੇ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਕਹਾਣੀਆਂ ਬਾਰੇ ਜਾਣੋ। 

Baltej Singh Dhillon became the first turbaned Royal Canadian Mounties Officer (RCMP) officer in 1991 after a long national debate about making religious accommodations to the uniform . Being the first Sikh officer with a turban led to a long journey of being proactive and teaching others acceptance of the Sikhi faith. Baltej understands what it feels to be targeted and attacked for being himself and shares how his faith keeps him grounded and rise above it all. Baltej stands proudly as a father with his lesbian daughter and stands together with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. He wants everyone in the community to know you either choose education or ignorance during this time of misinformation and hatred towards the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Tune in to learn more about the Sikhi faith and how these teachings help Baltej responds to hatred.