Hearth 2 Heart on Belonging Gayathri Shukla

Vulnerability in sharing our stories allows us to show up as our true selves and helps to deepen belonging with others. Yet, embracing vulnerability raises important questions about the balance between authenticity and psychological safety. How can vulnerability act as a bridge to more meaningful bonds without leaving us feeling exposed? Let's dive deep with Dr. Roselle Gonsalves as she draws from her impactful work in inclusion and reconciliation, and insights from her latest book, The Ordinary Turned Precious!

Links mentioned in the episode:
www.rmgonsalves.com
Campfire Kinship
www.cjsw.com/program/hearth2heart
The Ordinary Turned Precious

In this new launch, host Gayathri Shukla unveils her plans for Season 2's theme, Belonging! She recaps her journey thus far, expressing gratitude for listeners' feedback and providing a glimpse of what you can expect in upcoming episodes.

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Campfire Kinship

In this final episode of Season 1, host Gayathri and Elena share some lessons they have learned from working together on the Landed project, and their hopes for the future.

Elena Esina is an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary where she manages an initiative called Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence. Elena holds a master’s in social work and a bachelor’s in financial management. For the last 10 years, Elena has been managing multiple large-scale research projects while conducting research on the prevention of domestic violence. She also leads Immigrant Women Work-Integrated Learning Hub that provides work experience placements for internationally trained women from all over the world in the academic setting.

In addition, Elena is a co-founder of Shift to Learn, an online learning platform that aims to stop violence before it starts. She is a recent recipient of the 2022 Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee medal in recognition of her leadership in supporting immigrant communities.

"I feel a sense of belonging when I am surrounded by people who care about me, and people who are sincere to me."

In this episode, we'll be exploring the story of Landed co-author Melike Tasdelen, an immigrant woman who defied cultural norms to pursue her education and economic opportunities. Coming from a part of the world where society values women based on their roles as wives and mothers, Melike's journey of self-discovery and determination to succeed is inspiring. She moved from Turkey to Canada by herself after graduating from accounting in 2013. She also has a degree from Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and works as an accountant.

Join us as we delve into her story of struggle and triumph, and learn how she navigated societal expectations as well as the additional obstacles of starting from scratch as an international student. campfirekinship.com
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"I feel a sense of belonging when communities show care and compassion."

Children of immigrants often find themselves living in two worlds. In this episode, Landed co-author and second-generation Filipina-Canadian Jesiebelle Salcedo shares how giving voice to her mom's immigration story has helped her heal her relationship with her mom while honouring her family's roots.

Jesie is a teacher, reader, and writer based in Calgary, Alberta. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Canadian studies and elementary English as an additional language from the University of Calgary. To date, she has worked with many first-generation and immigrant youth in local non-profit settings and within the school system, fueling her passion for anti-racism education. In her spare time, Jesie enjoys baking up a storm, exploring new foods, creating pottery pieces, and spending time with her friends and family. Find her on Instagram: @jbreadsandwrites; @jbs_fooddiariescampfirekinship.com
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"When I became an independent, single, immigrant woman homeowner in Calgary...that was like a proud, proud moment...a fantastic feeling of belonging in Canada, and calling it a home."

In this episode, Landed co-author Dr. Swati Dhingra joins us to share her immigration journey from India to Canada. She offers tips about the hurdles she faced along the way, including overcoming criticism.  

Dr. Dhingra is a research coordinator at the University of Calgary. With her unique background in dentistry and oral medicine from India, she brings an exceptional blend of knowledge and expertise in academic, clinical and community research. She has contributed to several multi-disciplinary research projects at U of C and has been a part of community research projects with Alberta Health Services. Dr. Dhingra is passionate about social work and always looks for meaningful ways to give back to the community. She is also a trained classical Indian dancer and has an extraordinary love for music and travel. Find her at: https://profiles.ucalgary.ca/swati-dhingracampfirekinship.com
IG: @campfire_kinship