[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1620747718319{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column][vcex_image align=”center” css_animation=”bounceIn” image_id=”13416″ hover_animation=”shadow”][vc_separator color=”custom” style=”dotted” border_width=”5″ css=”.vc_custom_1642546496610{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}” accent_color=”#018f8b”][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeIn” responsive_text=”true” text_align=”center” font_size=”30px” min_font_size=”18px” font_weight=”bold” line_height=”145%”]

Shwasti is a Toronto based organization for Bengali seniors that frequents Dentonia Park.

Shwasti started out as a walking group for Bengali seniors in the Crescent Town area and evolved into a social group to maintain relationships in the Bengali community during the pandemic.

For our A Tale of Two Parks project, Shwasti members spoke with us about their experiences overcoming COVID, immigrating to Canada and the passions that they have maintained while living in Canada.

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” style=”dotted” border_width=”5″ css=”.vc_custom_1642546496610{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}” accent_color=”#018f8b”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row remove_bottom_col_margin=”true” css=”.vc_custom_1642538070358{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_hoverbox image=”13350″ primary_title=”” hover_title=”” hover_background_color=”custom” css_animation=”fadeIn” hover_custom_background=”#018f8b”]Shwasti going on their walking event at Dentonia Park on August 15, 2021.[/vc_hoverbox][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_hoverbox image=”13385″ primary_title=”” hover_title=”” hover_background_color=”custom” css_animation=”fadeIn” hover_custom_background=”#018f8b”]”United Against Hate” sign of solidarity & heart art installation at Dentonia Park.[/vc_hoverbox][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_hoverbox image=”13374″ primary_title=”” hover_title=”” hover_background_color=”custom” css_animation=”fadeIn” hover_custom_background=”#018f8b”]Shwasti taking a break from walking at Dentonia Park on August 15, 2021.[/vc_hoverbox][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”fadeIn” remove_bottom_col_margin=”true” css=”.vc_custom_1636435017904{margin-bottom: 50px !important;padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Shwasti’s Community Members Stories

These are the 7 stories of community members from Shwasti.

To view, listen & enjoy all the stories — click the title for the entire playlist.

Parvin shared her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of maintaining faith.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc9ETgWIfB8&list=PLzqRsNvKNhEZpiu62392ffxrx1gXkHz12&index=6″ align=”center” css_animation=”fadeIn” title=”Fatema Begum”][vc_column_text]

Fatema shared her story about her personal experience overcoming COVID-19 and how important her faith is to her.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuRBlRVeAtQ&list=PLzqRsNvKNhEZpiu62392ffxrx1gXkHz12&index=7″ align=”center” css_animation=”fadeIn” title=”Ummey Ashma”][vc_column_text]

Ummey shared a story about why Shwasti was created and how they adapted their activities during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_separator color=”custom” style=”dotted” border_width=”5″ css=”.vc_custom_1636400563403{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}” accent_color=”#05e0f6″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sckMBAjG8IA&list=PLzqRsNvKNhEZpiu62392ffxrx1gXkHz12&index=1″ align=”center” css_animation=”fadeIn” title=”Taslima Hassan”][vc_column_text]

Taslima shared an excerpt of her novel, Adharkonna (Girl of Darkness). The short story she shares with us in this video is called Jonaki, Jonaki (Firefly, Firefly).

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azb6WNO3I3s&list=PLzqRsNvKNhEZpiu62392ffxrx1gXkHz12&index=3″ align=”center” css_animation=”fadeIn” title=”Nazma Sultana”][vc_column_text]

Nazma spoke about joining Shwasti to spend time with other Bengali community members when she visits Canada. In this video, she talks about her passion for travelling and outdoor activities.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_separator color=”custom” style=”dotted” border_width=”5″ css=”.vc_custom_1636400563403{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}” accent_color=”#05e0f6″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4-3NhFhkec&list=PLzqRsNvKNhEZpiu62392ffxrx1gXkHz12&index=5″ align=”center” css_animation=”fadeIn” title=”Shathy Ahmed”][vc_column_text]

Shathy shared her story about immigrating to Canada and starting a successful business, as well as her experiences traveling the world.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07sCrdbDZuw&list=PLzqRsNvKNhEZpiu62392ffxrx1gXkHz12&index=2″ align=”center” css_animation=”fadeIn” title=”Shah Mohiuddin”][vc_column_text]

Shah played a storytelling game with us, he talks about his family, his passion for gardening and about his experience immigrating to Canada.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”fadeIn” remove_bottom_col_margin=”true” css=”.vc_custom_1636435017904{margin-bottom: 50px !important;padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

Shwasti Gallery

Shwasti Blog Post

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” style=”dotted” border_width=”5″ css=”.vc_custom_1636400563403{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}” accent_color=”#05e0f6″][vc_hoverbox image=”13638″ primary_title=”” hover_title=”Shwasti Blog Post” css_animation=”fadeIn” use_custom_fonts_hover_title=”true” hover_title_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fdia.space%2F2022%2F02%2F15%2Fengaging-with-community-shwasti-at-dentonia-park-thisisimaginationatwork41%2F%3Fpreview_id%3D13623%26preview_nonce%3Df667834626%26post_format%3Dstandard%26_thumbnail_id%3D13638%26preview%3Dtrue”]Social Researcher, Ari Para reflects on engaging with communities at Dentonia Park, specifically with Shwasti at their events, while listening & preserving their stories.[/vc_hoverbox][vc_separator color=”custom” style=”dotted” border_width=”5″ css=”.vc_custom_1636400563403{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}” accent_color=”#05e0f6″][vc_empty_space height=”100px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1620747190798{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column][vcex_image align=”center” css_animation=”bounceIn” image_id=”13439″ hover_animation=”shadow”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row gap=”30″ remove_bottom_col_margin=”true” css=”.vc_custom_1620748330639{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column css_animation=”slideInLeft” width=”1/2″][vc_gmaps link=”#E-8_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” size=”” css_animation=”fadeIn” title=”This Story Experiment is based in Dentonia Park”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text css_animation=”slideInRight”]

To Learn More About Shwasti

Please email Nadira Dolly Tasbassum at presidentshwasti@gmail.com[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” style=”dotted” border_width=”5″ css=”.vc_custom_1642546496610{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}” accent_color=”#018f8b”][vcex_image align=”center” css_animation=”fadeIn” img_size=”medium” image_id=”12115″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1620747718319{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Shwasti Stories