Sikh women talk about their faith and social justice in this International Women’s Day special.
Sikhism promotes social justice, gender equality and democracy as prominent pillars of the faith. This was demonstrated at the Kisaan Ekta Morcha or the Farmer’s Protest in India from November 2020 – November 2021. The farmer’s were successful in pressuring the Indian Parliament and President Narendra Modi in repealing three unjust agricultural laws.
The protest was the largest protest in human history and inspired the Sikh diaspora to take to the streets to advocate for their people in the homeland. This was exemplified by Jasjot and Arenjot Kaur Sanghera, two women heavily involved in the Bellingham Sikh Youth Initiative. This initiative organized rallies in Bellingham, WA in support of the farmer’s protest and raised funds for protest needs in India.
In the following interview host Jagmit Singh and guests delve into how their relationship with the Sikh faith has evolved due to the protests and more specifically how they, as second generation Punjabi Sikh women, navigate their faith and promote their values in a way that is true to their experience.