Simran Garcha’s TedX talk: How to Confront Domestic Abuse
GRSJ student Simran Garcha recently delivered an inspiring TedX Talk where she shared her transformative journey from a childhood marred by domestic violence and silence to a life of healing and advocacy.
Raised in a South Asian family where silence was equated with strength, Simran unpacks the personal and cultural costs of suppressing truth. Through therapy and self-expression, she found resilience and launched initiatives like Simupstart, a mental health platform for teens, and GenConnect, fostering intergenerational understanding. Simran’s story underscores the power of speaking up, breaking cycles of trauma, and building community.
Simran is a passionate advocate for breaking the silence surrounding intergenerational trauma in South Asian communities. By sharing her personal story of resilience and battle against silence, it’s her mission to foster empathy and mutual healing for those who have endured similar pain. Mental health does not discriminate or look the same for everyone, and through her work, Simran aims to empower others to reclaim their voices to break the cycles of trauma and repression.
As a student majoring in Gender, Race, Sexuality & Social Justice at UBC and minoring in Psychology, Simran’s academic and personal experiences deeply inform her advocacy. She speaks for herself and the countless others whose voices have been drowned out by fear and cultural stigma. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.
