July 5, 2017 Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

Contributed by Tanya Sood, Communications Intern

Dr. Bharati Sethi, Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at King’s University College was the keynote speaker at a conference called “A Step in the Right Direction” held at Brescia University College from June 15 - 17, 2017.

Dr. Sethi presented a lecture entitled "My Journey with Literacy. Then and Now" about literacy and empowerment and how it manifested in her life in India and Canada. Dr. Sethi also presented on refugee women stories of resettlement. Here she discussed her doctoral study about the lives of refugee women and shared her passion for this research and her own experience as a refugee.

Organized by Laubach Literacy Ontario and the Ontario Native Literacy Coalition in London, the conference aimed to provide training, resources and services to meet the changing needs of its members and adult students to create a stronger, more literate Ontario.

“Dr. Sethi did an artful job of bridging the traditional gap between the worlds of academics and of frontline delivery. By sharing her personal literacy journey, along with obstacles she has faced, humour, and selections of her own poetry, Dr. Sethi’s messages resonated with the audience – filling them with hope and admiration, but also raising questions about the nature of teaching and its potential for increasing personal resilience,” says Tamara Kaattari,  Executive Director of Literacy Link South Central.

Dr. Sethi has been working for the past eight years as a community researcher. Her research focuses primarily on issues affecting immigrants and refugees in Canada’s urban and rural communities. Her dedication in this field has earned her several prestigious awards including the Governor Generals Award (2014), Provincial Newcomer Champion Award (2014), Ontario Women’s Health Scholarship (2012 and 2013), Tutor-Primary Health Care Fellowship (2009), the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (2009-2012), and the Inaugural Hilary M. Weston Scholarship (2009 and 2010). In 2012, she was nominated as one of the top 25 immigrants to Canada.

Dr. Sethi was also chosen to be part of the “I am London 150” social media campaign by the City of London. It features 15 successful immigrants who have chosen to make London their home.

Currently, Dr. Sethi has an exhibit entitled “Photovoice - Do you see what I see?” that addresses immigrant and refugee womens' post-migration experiences.  This exhibit is showcased at Westmount Library, London, until July 30, 2017.

Learn more about the School of Social Work at King’s.