The LWWRC Blog: Notes from the Field

Mothers in Diaspora: An Interview with Sharon Findlay

Sharon Findlay is a Project Manager at the University of Guelph’s Live Work Well Research Centre (LWWRC), providing leadership, strategic planning, and oversight for major long-term SSHRC- and WAGE-funded grant projects. Her research at the University of Guelph for her BA and MA in European Studies centred around connecting people and their stories; her work looked at migration, oral history, individual and collective memory and the concept of home, with a particular interest in the representations of narratives through art and performance. Since 2015, Sharon has co-developed Italian Heritage Projects in collaboration with the Italian Studies program at the University of Guelph to collect and curate stores of Italian immigrants to Canada. In addition, she is also the project developer for a SSHRC-funded oral history Italian Heritage Project initiative at the University of Waterloo 2023-24. Sharon consults as a freelance grant writer and project developer in the heritage and arts sectors. When not at work, Sharon can be found hiking with her daughter and dog, biking, exploring areas of natural beauty, and spending quality time with friends and loved ones.

The Research Experience: My Co-op Work Term at the Live Work Well Research Centre

Sakhi Sanghvi completed her winter 2024 Co-op Work Term with the Live Work Well Research Centre. This was her experience.

Indigenous and Autistic: Nothing About Us Without Us

April is World Autism Month, which is intended to promote connectedness with and inclusion of autistic people. It was previously known as "Autism Awareness Month," and some organizations still refer to it that way. However, autistic-led organizations and communities have long called for a shift toward "Autism Acceptance" or "Autism Appreciation" to reflect their understanding of autism as a lived experience, not an illness or condition. They are advocating for the right to lead the way in policy and research about their lives.

Indigenous Language Revitalization and Living Well

February 21st observes International Mother Language Day to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. UNESCO initially recognized this day to acknowledge the importance of those who gave their lives for the Bengali Language Movement in 1952. It has since become a beacon for other cultures who risk having their traditional languages taken from them. It is essential to encourage the use and practice of mother languages to preserve and protect them and promote linguistic diversity and cultural understanding.

Navigating Nature and Academia as a Disabled Scientist, a Talk by Dr. Kelsey Byers

January 24th marks International Day of Education, representing education as a human right, a public good, and a public responsibility. The theme for 2024 is "learning under lasting peace" to bring awareness to education's crucial role in countering hate speech. Without inclusive access to academia, many children, youth, and adults will struggle to achieve quality education and opportunities. One such struggle is that of a disabled person navigating the academic field to meet the challenges of receiving quality education and opportunities.

Advocating for Indigenous Persons Living with Disability: An Interview with Evelyn Huntjens

The University of Guelph is celebrating Indigenous Recognition Week from January 15-19, 2024! In support of this event, we are sharing our interview with Evelyn Huntjens about Indigenous Disability Awareness Month (IDAM), which takes place annually in November, and her work in supporting disability services to Indigenous peoples.

The Migration Experience: An Interview with Shruti Nadkarni

December 18 is International Migrants Day, a day set aside to reflect on the prominent contributions of migrants worldwide. Migrants are essential drivers of development in both their native and destination countries, whether workers, students, or families. It is crucial to reflect on these contributions and create a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for migrants. To learn more about the barriers to and experiences of those migrating to Canada, we conducted an interview with Shruti Nadkarni.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Indira Naidoo-Harris is the Associate Vice-President (AVP) for the Office of Diversity and Human Rights at the University of Guelph.

Connecting to Community: My Live Work Well Co-Op Experience

Moira Forster completed her summer 2023 Co-op Work Term with the Live Work Well Research Centre. This was her experience.

Activist, Academic… and Target?

Abigail Mitchell (she/her) is a PhD student in Sociology at the University of Guelph and holds an MA in Criminology and Criminal Justice Policy from U of G. Originally from Mississauga, ON, Abigail is a proud bisexual woman who serves on the U of G Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Advisory Committee for Students and the Research Ethics Board. Her research focuses on domestic homicide, sexual femicide, and internet-facilitated child sexual abuse.

Want to contribute?

Welcome to Notes from the Field, where you can read the latest post from the Centre’s blog, where we invite organizations and individuals whose work and values align with our own to share their thoughts and musings about their work and anything that may be important to them. Are you interested in writing a blog? You may be eligible for an honorarium of $100 for a blog of 500-900 words on a topic that fits the Centre’s Work, Vision, and Values. The blog contribution is approved by the Director and edited as needed by the Centre. Please send your proposal to liveworkwell@uoguelph.ca
and let us know what you would like to write about!