I am a racialized settler and cis-gendered woman of color (she/her) who has been settled across different stolen and occupied Coast Salish territories, including of the xwməθkwəy əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səlílwəta (Tsleil-Waututh) nations (colonially known as Vancouver), since I was 4 years old. I am an only daughter of Sikh-Punjabi heritage. My parents and I had the privilege of choosing to migrate to these lands that I have only known as ‘home’.
With my roots in newcomer youth organizing spaces, I bring over 10 years of direct lived experiences in community-based youth engagement and the nonprofit sector. At the same time, I am constantly inspired by communities I am in and around to strive for ongoing unlearning and relearning in an effort to center values of intersectionality, decolonization, liberation, and justice.
Words that describe what I like to do:
- Project Management & Coordination
- Data Analysis
- Knowledge Mobilization
- Systems Management
- Curriculum Development
- Event Planning
- Report writing
- Formatting publications
Outside of work, my personal passions are:
Write
I have had the opportunity to explore and practice different forms of writing over the years. From poetic expressions to formal projects, each medium has its own story to tell. Below are some of the pieces I have felt great joy, pride, and gratitude in creating.
- MEd Digital Portfolio
- Sarwara, S. (2023). ‘Bhojan-Veechar’: A Contemplative Essay. Holistic Education Review, 3(2), 1-8. https://her.journals.publicknowledgeproject.org/index.php/her/article/view/2915/2617
- Sarwara, S. (2020). Nonprofit Youth Engagement: A Normalized Industrial-Complex. https://doi.org/10.26073/capu:5649.
- Origami Review Submission (Issue 2): Janam Din Mubarak Poem – https://www.theorigamireview.org/issue-2-summer-2022
Baking with sinamon hearts
I launched a small baking business out of my kitchen called ‘Sinamon Hearts’ in 2024. Emerging from a new found love for food as contemplative practice, I sell almond-flour based and low-sugar baked goodies and homemade samosas with fresh chutneys!
And of course, My Dog mia
Simran Kaur Sarwara 