Freedom of Expression

I come from a strong and hardworking family with deep roots of resilience. My father was a very intelligent and generous man. As a young boy he looked after a herd of sheep, yet he advanced quickly through school and university — finishing years ahead with honours. He studied Economics, became a Dipl. Economist, and later taught as a professor in many subjects. He worked in sales and marketing for a long time, then started his own Tool and Die company. He also helped organize PUPS, the pensioners' organisation in Serbia. He put all his brothers and sisters through university. He was a well-known and respected businessman.

My mother was also an Economist by degree. She worked in HR, treasury, and accounting, and later successfully opened and ran her own Tool and Die company as well as a small grocery corner store. My mother's father — my grandfather — was a butcher in the City of Belgrade. He was part of the Partizan movement and fought against the Germans in World War II. His nickname was "Aco the Butcher." He showed great courage by saving the life of an Italian man, Mr. Gino Venturino, when the Germans were searching for him. The two men became lifelong friends — like brothers — and remained close for the rest of their lives.

I myself spent approximately 30 years in the Canadian business environment, working for respected companies such as Keneff/Simons Electric, Polaroid, Panasonic, Canadian Waste, Maxon Corporation, Netpro Equipment, Astec Components, Gross Machinery, Data Cable, BDO (adjudicating insurance claims), EMI Music (now World Records), and many others.

In around 2010, I organised EDSCanada — a Medical Genetics Organisation Foundation NGO with a global focus. That foundation was destroyed by corrupt people. People I had trusted. People who used my work, my name, and my mission for their own ends — and then dismantled what I had built. Since then I have continued running the Humane Touch Foundation, later renamed Medical Genetics Rediscovered NGO / Medical Genetics Foundation. The work never stopped. Neither did I.

I had my own home with my ex-husband in Orangeville, Ontario, which was sold many years ago. The family home is in Serbia — the one I am to inherit. I worked hard for years, earned good money, and lived a good life. I travelled the globe and experienced moments of real abundance and connection.

But I also learned, in the hardest way possible, how quickly freedom can be attacked. Since 2014, I have faced betrayal after betrayal — from people I trusted most, including those closest to me. Attempts were made to silence me, to diminish me, to strip away not just my financial stability but my right to speak, to feel, and to exist fully in my truth. I was "poored up," questioned, and made to feel small by those who should have protected me.

And yet — here I am.

Freedom of expression is not just a legal right or a lofty ideal. It is a fundamental human need. It is the ability to say: "This is my story. This is my pain. This is my truth." Without it, we are diminished. When it is attacked — whether through manipulation, financial pressure, emotional abuse, or public shaming — something deep inside the human spirit is wounded.

I have learned that true freedom of expression is not loud for the sake of noise. It is courageous. It is choosing to speak even when your voice shakes. It is refusing to stay silent simply because it would be more convenient for others. It is writing this article today, knowing that some will disagree, some will criticize, and some may even try to twist my words — and still choosing to publish it.