Jasleen Brar

Jasleen is currently a Bachelor of Health Sciences student at the University of Calgary with a major in Health and Society and minor in Indigenous Studies. She has been working as a research student for the past few years under the Department of Family Medicine, researching the barriers to primary healthcare for immigrant and refugee women, and recently under the Department of International Indigenous Studies, evaluating and building local community partnerships. Jasleen is also an avid community volunteer with extensive experience working with and for local immigrant communities within the realms of advocacy, service and healthcare.

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Being the daughter of first-generation immigrants and having grown up immersed in an extensive Sikh, Punjabi immigrant community and neighborhood, much of my volunteer efforts are concentrated in giving back to this community that has shaped so much of my identity. In 2019, I co-founded Sikh Heritage Alberta – a non-profit organization that aims to re-shape the immigrant narrative, uncover community stories, and create volunteer opportunities for the incoming youth generation. Further, I am a volunteer with a local nursing home association that works with Punjabi residents in long term care homes to reduce language barriers and attempt to redevelop the community atmosphere that is integral to the Punjabi culture. I have also been a team lead, and now advisor, for Sikh Youth Calgary, through which we have organized community fundraising initiatives such as food, clothing, and blood drives as well as established a strong partnership with the Drop-In Centre and Food Bank.