A GROWING CIRCLE OF POSSIBILITIES

By LIABA NISAR

On any given day, Guelph, Ontario resident Anu Saxena can be found involved in a number of activities, from volunteering to local government advocacy. One of them is her work with the Canada India Research Centre for Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at the University of Guelph where she serves as a community member of the steering committee and focuses on outreach.  

CIRCLE is an interdisciplinary hub for cutting-edge research on India/Indian diaspora, a gathering place for faculty, students and community partners who are interested in research related to India and Indian diaspora.

Saxena says the key to her decade-long venture into multidisciplinary work is her connections within the community.

“I see my role as a connector, to create meaningful connections between the community and stakeholders, and to see how they can benefit CIRCLE,” she says.

Originally from India, Saxena moved to Canada 30 years ago, and has lived in Guelph since 1994. A microbiologist by profession, she later started volunteering, which was a whole different world to her – she describes it as “learning how to walk again”.

But it has paid off. Saxena is part of the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington, CIRCLE, Immigrant Services of Guelph and Wellington and other non-profit organizations. She sees all of these avenues as puzzle pieces within the grand scheme of her work, allowing her to give back to the community, and provide aid to those who truly need it.

Pre-COVID, it was easy to take many community resources for granted. Now, it’s a different matter. Saxena has played a key role in the reallocation and redistribution of community resources within the city, ensuring that residents’ needs are met safely.

Along with her work in Guelph, she still reflects on the importance of reaching the South Asian diaspora within the city.

She wants people to know that India is a progressive country in many ways. That Canada could learn a lot from India, and vice versa. She says a constant interconnection of networks between the two countries is crucial, but it can only be strengthened if people are willing to learn not only about their own ethnicities but those of the people around them.

The Guelph & District Multicultural Festival, held annually since 1978, is one of Guelph’s biggest outdoor events. And, at the centre of it all, is Saxena.

More than 50 cultural backgrounds are represented with a pre-pandemic average attendance of 25,000 people at this event. Among the booths of sizzling food, crafts, and cultural dance performances, Guelphites can travel the globe from the comforts of Riverside Park. From music and dance from the Indian subcontinent to Indian crafts and art (not to mention, the delicious food), the Indian diaspora has always been well-represented at the Festival since its early days.

Saxena encourages students to engage with CIRCLE’s work and community outreach. Her appreciation for people from all walks of life, as well as the plethora of ways she gives back to the community, make Anu Saxena a treasured pillar in the City of Guelph.

• This article is an edited version of the original published at the CIRCLE website, canadaindiaresearch.ca.

• Liaba Nisar, a student-writer with CIRCLE, is a BA graduate in Geography and Theatre Studies from the University of Guelph.

• For more on CIRCLE, please visit canadaindiaresearch.ca/connect.

• Interested in participating in the growing global community of CIRCLE? Write to indiaresearch-L@uoguelph.ca.

 • If you’d like to share the story of your arrival in Canada, please write to desinews@rogers.com or call 416-695-4357.