The Unheard Stories of Dalit Canadians (2020-23)
Primary Investigators: Dr. Anne Murphy (University of British Columbia) & Dr. Suraj Yengde (Harvard University/University of Oxford)https://blogs.ubc.ca/annemurphy/research/caste-in-canada/
The “Caste in Canada” project presents the histories and experiences of Canadians impacted by caste discimination — such as Dalits, who have been subjected to extreme marginalization and exclusion by dominant castes in the caste system of South Asia, and others, also marginalized on the basis of caste — in the words of members of these communities. Listen, and watch: to understand the implications of caste in Canada.
This page offers a sample of the narratives collected for the project: follow the links for each individual’s name to explore further, to see more short videos on various topics, or delve into the longer interviews.
Kamlesh Ahir
political scientist and economist
Talks about the caste system and Indian marriages, the persistence of the caste system in Canada, interaction between caste and female identity and much more.
Sutey Ahir
A lifelong history of fighting against caste oppression both in India and in Canada.
Talks about how caste influenced his life in India and Canada and how casteism influenced his decision to migrate to Canada.
Surjit and Manjit Bains
Manjit Bains: Chairperson of the Women’s Empowerment Committee of the Chetna Association of Canada.
Surjit Bains: the Treasurer of the Chetna Association of Canada
They talk about the caste-based discrimination happening today and about the experience of being a Dalit woman.
Jogender Banger
Talks about how he navigated challenges related to caste when he arrived in Canada
Jai Birdi
Executive director of the Chetna Association
Talks about how we can react to caste discrimination with power and resilience.
Meera Estrada
An award-winning writer and editor
Talks about her feelings when she first learned about her caste and discusses about reasons why she decided to talk openly about her caste.
Param Kainth
Talks about how prevalent casteism is today and how Buddhas teachings inspired other Gurus.
Kamaljit
Activist, writer, poet
Talks about how the discussion around caste is unfolding in North America and what significance it holds for the Dalit community. He also talks about how Dalit activism shaped his upbringing.
Mohan Lal Karimpuri
Talks about the impact Dr. Ambedkar had on the Dalit Community.
Talks about how the discussion around caste is unfolding in North America and what significance it holds for the Dalit community. He also talks about how Dalit activism shaped his upbringing.
Vijay Puli
Holds Master’s degree in Social Work and has significant experience working with marginalized communities such as BIPOC, Dalits, Adivasis, people with disabilities, women and children.
Talks about how caste shaped his youth and how caste operates in Western societies.
Gurpreet Singh
Passionate advocate for social justice
Talks about the prospects of his future and how he sees his identity.