"Until true systemic change takes place, and racist, discriminatory and unjust structures are dismantled in our society, I know I will not be able to rest."Born in Montreal to a French-Canadian mother and a South Asian father,  Anusha Kassan shares her experience of her writing her story in Landed. 

Anusha is currently an associate professor with a high-impact position in the School and Applied Child Psychology Program at the University of British Columbia. Her scholarly interests are informed by her own bi-cultural identities and an overarching social justice framework.  Anusha’s program of research presently includes two major foci: immigration experiences across different groups (i.e., newcomer youth, women, 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples), and cultural and social justice responsiveness in professional psychology.  Connect with Anusha at anushakassan.comcampfirekinship.com
IG: @campfire_kinship

"I feel a sense of belonging when people believe in my strengths and skills and opportunity, and the other way when I give back to the community...when I help a new immigrant."

After having to move countries during a pandemic with a toddler in tow, Benazir Rahman joins us on this episode to share her tips for a successful transition, including the message from her story in Landed - "Be You, You Can". Born and raised in Bangladesh, and a researcher by profession, she now works at the University of Calgary as a Global Development Specialist. Her areas of interest include international trade, social work, and post-secondary education.  

Having experienced generosity and kindness as a new immigrant in Calgary, Benazir believes in the power of giving back and is currently helping Afghan refugees find meaningful employment. 

In addition, Benazir and Gayathri discuss the Landed book publication journey, and Gayathri peels back the curtains on her learnings in this episode.campfirekinship.com
IG: @campfire_kinship

"When I can share my honest mindset and vulnerabilities....I feel a sense of belonging."
- Shivi Agarwal, Landed co-author

Shivi holds a master's in management and has years of experience in human resources and learning & development. She currently works as customer success manager with Kudos®. In her previous work tenure in Calgary, she helped 100+ clients transition from the oil and gas division to find employment in the tech sector. Shivi also runs a talk show in Calgary, @thestartupimpact, as a side hustle. The saying she lives by is: "The only thing that matters is who you want to become and the price you are willing to pay to get there."

Links mentioned in the episode:
Shivi's IG: @shivi.a
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0B7PSHKMRcampfirekinship.com
IG: @campfire_kinship

"I feel a sense of belonging when I feel respected....Respect is something that no matter where you are, who you are, where you are from - it is how you can have a sense of belonging, connect, build a trusting environment for one another, and build a safe environment for everybody.”In this inspiring episode, Anam Kazim - author of the story "The Dusky Dawn" in Landed - provides a glimpse into the transformations of her life, moving from Pakistan to Canada, then east-west within Canada; and going from #engineering to becoming an MLA and then an #entrepreneur.  She shares her wisdom in leveraging the power of a support network, seeing the beauty in a garden of differences, and owning your truth - as factors to help you transform.

Links mentioned in episode -

Anam Kazim - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anamkazim
Landed: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0B7PSHKMR
Book launch: https://campfirekinship.com/launch-eventcampfirekinship.com
IG: @campfire_kinship

“A sense of belonging comes when you can be your true authentic self.”In this episode, we talk about the role of curiosity in creating community with Landed’s co-author, Inez Ashworth. Inez, founder of Inclusive Concepts, is a cultural innovator and a trusted advocate with her own unique style. Her life and career have been dedicated to working for equality and justice, bringing people together and creating inclusive environments where everyone can be their authentic selves. Much of Inez’s energy and inspiration comes from community work, volunteering, and mentoring minority students. Inez is one of the sponsors of the Landed Book Launch celebration on Sep 17; as well as the co-founder of Human Movement from Sep18-20 which is one-of-a-kind event to inspire  a community of changemakers to gather, reflect, and learn together.

https://thehumanmovement.ca
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/landed-book-launch-celebration-tickets-381683093407campfirekinship.com
IG: @campfire_kinship

"No matter what others say who you're supposed to be, who you're not, or who you should be - just remember who you are and stick to the truth. Always have that hope that all together, we can make things better."

Anna is an internally displaced person from Crimea, Ukraine who fled from Russia’s military invasion in 2014. She is a Fulbright alumna with a master’s in international studies from Old Dominion University and a master’s in community social work, from the University of Calgary. Anna has worked as an administrative assistant with the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine, faculty of social work at the University of Calgary, at a homeless shelter and is presently family school liaison coordinator – Ukrainian. Anna has authored a very moving story called “Two suitcases,” in our book Landed. Listen to this episode to hear her experience in the project and her favourite quotes from her story.

www.campfirekinship.com
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0B7PSHKMR
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/landed-book-launch-celebration-tickets-381683093407campfirekinship.com
IG: @campfire_kinship

"I feel a sense of belonging when I am with a group of people that are looking beyond the differences between us...and just embracing one another as a people of the same nation."

We're proud to host conversations with the authors of our latest anthology, Landed, Transformative Stories of Canadian Immigrant Women, set to officially launch in September 2022.  To kick-off, this episode features a conversation with Charlotte Anyango Ong'ang'a, whose  story in the book is titled "Still I Feel." 

Originally from Kenya, Charlotte Anyango Ong'ang'a is a linguist, career development specialist and storyteller. She holds a PhD in linguistics, a master’s in teaching English to speakers of other languages and a bachelor’s in English language and literature. Her expert linguistic knowledge is applied in the areas of resume, cover letter writing, networking, interview preparation, job search strategies, and workplace communication. Charlotte has taught linguistics, communication skills and provided career guidance at higher education institutions for over 12 years in different countries.

In this episode, Charlotte shares her inspiration for joining this anthology and provides a glimpse into the challenges of navigating life as a new immigrant and mom of a newborn. She also reads a favourite paragraph from her story and sums up the power of storytelling: "If you listen to people's stories, you will understand why people are the way they are."

Links mentioned in episode:
https://campfirekinship.com/book
https://linkedin.com/in/charlotteongangacampfirekinship.com
IG: @campfire_kinship

"I feel a sense of belonging when I am recognized for my unique skills and perspectives, and am valued for them."

If you've been thinking about making a career transition, this episode is for you. Courtney Dragani transitioned her career from working at a large energy company, to a start-up called the51, a move she made to follow her passion for women's economic empowerment. Tune into this episode to hear these insights:

- On making a career change based on alignment with personal values, and learning opportunities

– On taking a leap of faith by managing risks

– On taking inventory of transferable skills

– On typical barriers faced by women when applying for new roles

– On Courtney’s inspiration to pivot from the corporate to #startup world

– On having the #selfconfidence confidence to apply, even if you don’t tick every single box in a job description

– On taking a balanced view of #careerfulfillment and how to manage unmet needs

– On the convergence of #motherhood and careers

– On her mission at the51 activating women’s #economicempowerment - the51.comcampfirekinship.com
IG: @campfire_kinship

In a society that values "producing and performing," it is no wonder that topics like self-care are trivialized. Stats show the effect, with 3 out of 4 people experiencing burnout in the workforce. This mental health week, we are zooming into topic, and talking with Lennis Perez about how to beat burnout. 

Lennis is a chemical engineer turned wellness engineer. After 16 years of engineering experience, she started her business, Just Lennis, and the Engineering Wellness Academy to equip women in STEM with stress management tools. She is a Chopra certified meditation teacher and is certified in plant-based nutrition. She has experienced, firsthand, the high stress and high demand that STEM careers put on individuals. Tune into this episode to hear her journey in overcoming stress, and how she helps others increase their impact, fulfillment, and peace of mind.

Links & acronyms mentioned in the episode:
https://lennisperez.com/
https://www.instagram.com/lennisperez_
https://instagram.com/campfire_kinship
https://campfirekinship.com/
STEM - science, technology, engineering, mathcampfirekinship.com
IG: @campfire_kinship