Surrey-based charity Sher Vancouver has elected its first female president.
“This pivotal moment paves the way for a new era of leadership, marked by the election of Sunita Mistry as president, making her the first woman to helm the organization since its inception,” reads a Sher Vancouver news release sent on Wednesday (April 17).
“I am very excited to lead an organization that advocates and empowers vulnerable and marginalized people in my community,” Mistry said in the release.
Mistry previously served as a director and is also a peer support facilitator for Sher Vancouver’s Lotus Group, which is a space for queer and trans women, non-binary and two-spirited individuals who are 19 years or older.
Founded in 2008, Sher Vancouver is a registered charity for 2SLGBTQIA+ South Asians and their friends, families and allies in the Vancouver area.
Founder Alex Sangha and the current president, Ash Brar, will move into different roles. Sangha will shift his focus to fundraising and financial management, and Brar will take on the role of executive director.
The other members of the board include Annie Ohana, vice-president; Vincent Prasad, secretary-treasurer; and Josh Soronow, Jason Pillay and Gurpreet Singh, directors-at-large.
“The board’s diversity is reflected in its members’ roles within Sher Vancouver’s support groups and broader community initiatives, ranging from peer support facilitation to promoting sexual health awareness,” reads the release.
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In June, Sher Vancouver will host the inaugural Sundar Prize Film Festival in Surrey.
“Celebrating Human Resilience” is the new festival theme, planned June 15 and 16 at Surrey City Hall’s Centre Stage theatre.
It’s where “cinema meets social change” during the two-day gathering.