I’m Prerna Sharma, the National Screen Institute’s new research assistant – a term position funded by the Government of Canada through the Canada Summer Jobs program. I’m a recent graduate of the University of Manitoba with a bachelor of science in genetics.
I have always loved stories; my passion for stories started at a very young age. I was born in India, but came to Canada as a toddler, so I grew up with the duality that comes from being born in the east and growing up in an immigrant neighbourhood but living in the west.
Since I was surrounded by many other first-generation immigrant families, I was exposed to different cultures early on. These experiences cultivated my interest and curiosity about peoples’ stories. I also grew up listening to stories told by my parents – both their own stories and made-up ones. There are many ways to consume and appreciate the art of storytelling.
As I got older, I started reading more and loved borrowing books from the library. Over the last few years, I expanded my repertoire to include podcasts, listening to music and watching TV shows from many other countries. Engaging with different types of media allows me to see and try to understand the world through an alternative lens.
Through my role at the National Screen Institute, I hope to support storytellers as they share their stories with the world.
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This position is funded by the Government of Canada through the Canada Summer Jobs program.