Darshan Daryanani

Darshan Daryanani is pursuing a joint honors degree in Political Science and International Development with minors in Communication Studies and Social Entrepreneurship at McGill University. In Summer 2019, by collaborating with the McGill Art Hive Initiative, Byenvini à Montréal and the Community Garden of Education, Darshan helped organize 9 workshops for asylum-seeking families who were living temporarily in the Royal Victoria Hospital and Y-Residence. With an interest in design and the implementation of content strategies, Darshan published Art Connecting: Workshops with Children of Asylum- Seeking Families. More than simply a memory piece or a reminder of the energy, enthusiasm and imagination of the children and the many volunteers who participated in the weekly workshops, the book aims to represent the (lack of) freedom of expression and aims to communicate the difficulties faced by asylum-seekers through art-based research. Through this project, Darshan learnt the importance of teamwork, a shared goal and realized the true value of a community.