About
In this special episode of the Commonwealth Poetry Podcast Gyles and Aphra Brandreth meet Jaspreet Kaur, a spoken word artist, writer and teacher from East London. Jaspreet is committed to using writing and spoken word to tackle issues including mental health stigma, and in this episode she shares how poetry has helped her to overcome her own mental health struggles. Discussing poetry as a form of therapy and how it can change the world, this is a special episode not to be missed!
Poems this episode include: Recovery; I Am; and Lost in translation, all by Jaspreet Kaur.
Episode guests

Jaspreet Kaur
Jaspreet Kaur, better known as Behind the Netra for her poetry, is a spoken word artist, writer and teacher from East London.
She spent five years teaching History, Sociology and Politics in secondary schools across London. With an academic background in both history and gender studies and a passion for social justice, Jaspreet has been committed to using writing and spoken word to tackle gender discrimination, mental health stigma, the postcolonial immigrant experience, and taboo issues within the South Asian community.
Her passion for teaching, social justice and spoken word has taken her to stages across the UK from Westminster Abbey, Theatre Royal London, The House of Lords, Wembley Stadium to Oxford University. Her TEDx London Talk ‘How Poetry Saved My Life’, explored how the power of words gave her the confidence to overcome her own mental health struggles.
Jaspreet is a regular commentator on BBC Sunday Morning Live, BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 2. She has been recognised by a number of organisations for her work, including the Asian Women of Achievement Award for her work in Arts and Culture, the ‘We Are The City’ Rising Star Award in Education, and a Finalist for the National Diversity Award for being a Positive Role Model. She was also voted one of the Top 10 Inspirational Sikh Women in the UK.
She is an Associate Research Fellow at Birkbeck University’s Centre for British Political Life.
Her debut book, Brown Girl Like Me, and her new illustrated children’s book, Spaces In Between, are available through all good bookshops.