Anita Agrawal is a first generation Indo-Canadian. Born in Montreal, she has lived in Calgary, The Ottawa Region, Montreal and India.
For seven years, Anita has been a manager of her family's Toronto based accessories manufacturing and exporting business - responsible for web development, customer relations and charitable donations division. With their products exported globally in over 30 countries, her position has taken her throughout, North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
In addition to her experience in small business, Anita has worked extensively in the non- profit sector as a researcher, organizer and frontline volunteer. Anita has worked with the Council of Canadians (http://www.canadians.org), Canada's largest citizens' organization, as the regional assistant for Ontario-Quebec.
In 2003 Anita was appointed the President of the Board of Directors of the South Asian Visual Arts Collective (SAVAC), an organization that promotes contemporary artists of South Asian descent locally and internationally. Over her four years as president, she increased the organization's activities, budget and presence; during which they created an annual awards program, a scholarship fund and forged ties with agencies such as the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD). She has also volunteered her time in building business and marketing plans for Women in Trade Ontario (WITO), developed an intensive policy database for the Status of Women Canada, conducted primary research for The Melissa Project and has also volunteered as an English as a Second Language instructor for new immigrants at the Cecil Community Centre.
Throughout her student career Anita has always been actively involved in student life; as the Vice-President of the Hindu Student's Association at the University of Toronto, the Vice-President of the e-commerce society at Centennial College and the Anthropology Graduate Student's Representative at Carleton University.
As a writer, researcher and artist, Anita's work has been featured in many publications, including the Ottawa Xpress and Art India.
Additional Information:
- Anita is fluent in both English and Hindi.
- Anita completed her undergraduate degree in Biology and Anthropology (B.Sc Hons) at the University of Toronto. She also completed a post-graduate diploma in e-commerce from Centennial College.
- Her MA research in Anthropology focused on the effects of social and economic policies on women who have experienced domestic violence.
- Anita ran as the 2007 provincial ONDP candidate for Etobicoke Centre.
