On April 12, 2024, North Park’s Sikh Student Association (SSA) organized a guest speaker event during lunch. Jaskanwal Singh came to North Park Secondary School to discuss and share his opinions on themes such as: masculinity, sobriety, gang culture, family issues, etc. North Park SSA organizes events related to Sikhism, putting together popular events like Turban Up, a Gatka Event, Langar Day, and others to spread more awareness about Sikhism.
Singh is a graduate of York University (BA with Hons. in Criminology) and a graduate of the University of Ottawa (JD in Common Law). He is currently working as corporate legal counsel for an engineering firm while awaiting to be called to the Ontario Bar to be licensed as a lawyer. Singh also has a strong passion for social justice, mental health, education reform, and youth work.
During the event, Singh talked about some personal details of his life, such as being involved in gang activities, his school life, his family issues, and his connection with God. Singh also used Sikh hymns several times in his presentation and gave real-life examples to go along with them, giving the attendees a chance to understand the knowledge on a deeper level.
He talked about how his family dynamic also affected him as a person. While also living in a family with a stressful environment, being involved in gang activities also influenced many aspects of his personal life. He mentioned specific details about his awakening call, how he finally realized everything he was doing had a negative impact on other people in his life, and how his connection with God was rebuilt.
“As teenagers, we are at an age and stage in life when we are beginning to get out of our shells and beginning to explore a new world. Attending this event helped me realize that each person goes through struggles when trying to find out where they belong and have lots to overcome in their lives. Mr Singh mentioned much about this struggle. He touched upon topics that are not mentioned and talked about in school, and his words helped me receive a greater understanding of not just the role that mental health and family dynamics play in our lives, but also why it is important to understand the social pressures we face,” said Gagan Kaur, one of the attendees of the guest speaker event.
Singh’s life story is a true inspiration for many people. The aspects of his personal life that were discussed at the event helped the attendees understand the core principles of Sikhism, which made this event truly special.
THE NORTH STAR 