Anu Saxena: Creating meaningful community connections

The Guelph & District Multicultural Festival, held annually since 1978, is one of the City of Guelph’s biggest outdoor events. More than 50 cultural backgrounds are represented and an 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. And, at the centre of it all, is CIRCLE Steering Committee member Anu Saxena.

On any given day, Guelph community member Anu can be found doing a number of activities, from volunteering to local government advocacy. Her work with the Canada India Research Centre for Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), includes serving as a community member of the Steering Committee and focusing on outreach.

She 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. This engagement between CIRCLE and community members, is close to the Centre's core values.

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

But, certainly, it has paid off. Anu is part of the Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington, CIRCLE, Immigrant Services – 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. Anu has played a key role in the re-allocation and re-distribution of community resources within the city, ensuring that residents' needs are met safely.

 

Her work in Guelph aside, Anu still reflects on the importance of reaching the south Asian diaspora within the city.

Anu wants people to know that contrary to what many believe, India is a progressive country in many ways. 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.

She 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.

Liaba Nisar, a student writer for CIRCLE, is in her fourth year completing a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Guelph.