In 2018, the WSO launched #AskCanadianSikhs as our media & press relations initiative during the rise of anti-Sikh narratives in Canadian media during and after Prime Minister Trudeau's trip to India.
Sikh Canadians were frustrated that many journalists and media outlets were ignoring the diverse voices from our community and painting a culturally and historically incompetent story of the Sikh community in Canada.
We successfully engaged 3 million Canadians over various platforms through this campaign and successfully shifted the dialogue around Sikhs, our identity and history to one that did a better job of telling a nuanced story. We also met with major editorial boards, establishing pro-active relationships with media outlets & journalists, and providing constructive criticism on coverage.
The WSO will continue its efforts to advocate for Sikhs in the media, making sure our voice is heard and reported accurately.