Surviving 1984: A Daughter's Journey Through Grief and Stigma | Ft. Jyoti Grewal Ep. 071 [Season 2 Finale]

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Jyoti Grewal shares her powerful journey from surviving the 1984 Sikh Genocide as a five-year-old child to building a life of resilience and healing in Canada. Her story reveals how she navigated cultural expectations, patriarchal norms, and personal trauma to create a different path for herself and her daughters.
• Witnessing her father's death during the 1984 Sikh Genocide at age five
• Experiencing the stigma of being from a family with "three daughters, such a burden"
• Immigrating to Canada at age seven while her mother stayed in India with her younger sisters
• Navigating between two cultural identities - Punjabi at home, Canadian outside
• Questioning patriarchal expectations that limited women's roles and independence
• Making the difficult decision to leave her marriage and redefine her self-worth
• Raising daughters with different values than those she grew up with
• Working in equity, inclusion and education to give voice to marginalized people
• Creating a "third middle ground" by selecting the best aspects from both cultures
"Your light is not meant to be reduced. You were sent here on this earth, given this one beautiful life. Question the pieces that ask you to reduce your light."
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To contact Jyoti:

• Jyoti's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jyoti-grewal-339048126?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAB75W90B3qT44R1zR-1BCjeaUhOLGf7PVmo&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3BwiL1JZCJTtaG%2BdJMpCmIVg%3D%3D
• Diverse Focus website - Small Changes To A More Diverse World | Diverse Focus

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Chapters

1. Surviving 1984: A Daughter's Journey Through Grief and Stigma | Ft. Jyoti Grewal Ep. 071 [Season 2 Finale] (00:00:00)

2. Introduction to Jyoti's Story (00:00:20)

3. Early Memories and the 1984 Genocide (00:11:34)

4. Life After Loss and Gender Bias (00:24:58)

5. Immigration to Canada and Cultural Identity (00:38:10)

6. Marriage, Divorce, and Breaking Free (00:53:07)

7. Raising Daughters and Generational Healing (01:04:17)

8. Final Reflections and Personal Growth (01:13:12)