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Listen "069: Learning Rooted in Belonging with Anita Chowdhury"
Episode Synopsis
What changes when learning begins from a place of belonging and connection?
In this episode of The People Teaching People Podcast, I sit down with Anita Chowdhury – an educator, researcher, and community leader whose work invites a more relational and compassionate approach to teaching and learning. Anita brings together social justice, arts integration, land-based learning, and engaged pedagogy in ways that honour sustainability, relationality, and care.
Our conversation explores how early experiences and relationships shape the way we learn, how community can become a powerful teacher, and why compassion and belonging matter so deeply in the spaces where learning happens. Anita reflects on hope, land, identity, and the small everyday moments that remind us what it means to support one another as humans and learners. It also invites us to notice the learning already happening all around us.
Listen in as we talk about:
01:00 Anita’s story
03:02 Roots in land and learning
08:08 Community learning in practice
13:15 Education as liberation
16:12 Land-based learning
18:08 Compassion at the heart of learning
23:54 Empowerment through Mamas for Mamas
27:26 Strength through support
31:23 Hope in everyday moments
33:25 A teacher’s lasting impact
36:29 Proud moments in learning
37:37 Curiosity for what’s next
39:36 Learning everywhere around us
Connect with Anita:
LinkedIn: Anita Chowdhury
Websites:
Mamas for Mamas Calgary: https://www.mamasformamas.org/calgary/
Soil Camp: https://soilcamp.ca/
Instagram: @mamasformamas.calgary
Facebook: @mamasformamascalgary
Connect with Tiana:
Website: https://tianafech.com
LinkedIn: Tiana Fech
Instagram: @tianafech
Facebook: @tianafech
Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course
ROOTS IN LAND AND LEARNING
Anita shares that her story begins in British Columbia, where the eco-conscious culture and time spent in her family’s community garden became her first understanding of healing, connection, and caring for the land. These threads now run through her work in land-based learning and community food initiatives. As her life unfolded, she followed her curiosity and opportunities across the country, teaching art history at Mount Royal, training as an elementary educator in Toronto, and navigating the beautiful complexity of raising children while pursuing meaningful work. Through moves to Ottawa, Toronto, and back again, she discovered that each place offered something different, but Calgary kept calling her home with its strong sense of community and compassion. Her journey reflects how our earliest experiences often plant the seeds for the work we’re meant to do. And – that sometimes the place that feels like home is the one that helps us grow the most.
COMMUNITY LEARNING IN PRACTICE
Anita describes juggling many roles that unfolded during an unusual moment in history including completing her education degree entirely online during the pandemic. Craving connection and hands-on teaching, she joined an experiential land-based learning program that brought her to a 30-acre regenerative farm supporting refugee children and youth. What began as a volunteer opportunity quickly became a defining experience, blending community, soil, learning, and care in ways that shaped her path forward. This work eventually led her into her master’s research and opened the door to a leadership role with Mamas for Mamas, where she now supports hundreds of families while raising her own. Through all these roles, she’s learned that meaningful work often grows from saying yes to the places and people who need us most. This allows those experiences to reshape what we imagine for ourselves.
EDUCATION AS LIBERATION
“Education is a path to freedom.”
Anita shares how her master’s research is deeply influenced by educators like bell hooks and Paulo Freire, whose work introduced her to engaged pedagogy and the idea of education as liberation. With a background in the fine arts, she sees creativity and land-based learning as powerful tools for helping children expand their perspectives and understand complex social issues in ways that feel empowering rather than intimidating. She hopes young people learn that they can make a difference in their world, even through small steps, and that learning can be a space for freedom, expression, and critical consciousness. At its heart, her work reminds us that education becomes transformative when it helps people imagine new possibilities for themselves and their communities.
LAND-BASED LEARNING
Anita shares that reconnecting with the land can begin in simple, accessible ways. She talks about how even small acts such as stepping outside for a moment, tending a struggling houseplant, or feeling the grass under our feet can help us rebuild a relationship with the natural world. These everyday practices create space for grounding and reflection, especially during times that feel overwhelming. She also highlights the guidance offered through Indigenous pedagogy, reminding us that Indigenous communities have been teaching land stewardship for generations. Whether through tiny daily choices or community-based efforts, nurturing this connection helps us feel more rooted, present, and supported by the world around us.
COMPASSION AT THE HEART OF LEARNING
Anita reflects on how education shifts when we view it through a lens of compassion, maternal care, and nurturing. These are qualities that have shaped families and communities for generations. She shares that empathy isn’t just a soft skill but a transformative force across every subject and setting, especially as children and youth navigate mental health struggles, identity, and belonging. Meaningful learning lives at the intersection of science, art, and heart, and the way people feel in a learning space often matters more than the content itself. Anita connects this to the deep importance of belonging. Community, whether for new moms, newcomers, or children, creates support, identity, and trust. When people feel seen and understood, they are more open to learning, growing, and stepping into who they are becoming. At its core, this reminds us that education is most powerful when it helps people feel connected to themselves, to others, and to the communities that hold them.
EMPOWERMENT THROUGH MAMAS FOR MAMAS
Anita shares how her work with Mamas for Mamas has shown her just how deeply education, community, and social supports intertwine in helping families move through and beyond periods of poverty. She explains that many people simply don’t know what resources exist or how to access them, especially when institutional barriers feel overwhelming. By offering gentle, informed resource navigation, the organization helps families understand their options, build confidence, and gradually feel empowered to seek support on their own. Whether it’s connecting a new parent with breastfeeding clinics or guiding someone toward community programs, the right information at the right moment can shift someone’s whole trajectory. At its heart, this work shows how meaningful it is when people don’t have to figure things out alone and how community can open doors that once felt out of reach.
STRENGTH THROUGH SUPPORT
Anita shares that becoming a parent sparked a powerful shift in how she sees herself and what she’s capable of. Motherhood pushed her to adapt, grow, and realize she could do hard things even while navigating frontline work, graduate studies, and raising three young children. She talks about how deeply she values her “village,” the people and workplaces that honour her roles as a parent, educator, researcher, and caregiver, and how rare it is to have spaces where bringing a baby to work or prioritizing well-being is truly supported. She also acknowledges that many people don’t have those networks, which is why organizations like Mamas for Mamas are so essential in creating community for families who might otherwise feel isolated. Her experience reminds us that we’re often more capable than we think. But – having people and systems around us that genuinely support our whole selves is what makes it possible to keep showing up with care and energy.
HOPE IN EVERYDAY MOMENTS
Anita shares that what keeps her hopeful, even in a world that can feel heavy, is witnessing small, everyday acts of joy. Whether it’s a moment of connection at Mamas for Mamas Calgary or time spent with families on the land, these glimpses of goodness remind her why the work matters. She believes hope is essential in education and community care, guiding us to keep moving forward and helping learners see themselves as part of a brighter future. From young activists to creative thinkers to children with big ideas, she sees so much possibility in the next generation. These moments fuel her commitment to research, advocacy, and supporting families, reminding her that even in challenging times, hope grows wherever people choose to care for one another.
A TEACHER’S LASTING IMPACT
Anita shares the story of the teacher who shaped her most deeply: her high school art teacher, Paul Zavos. She remembers him as someone who taught with extraordinary compassion, creativity, and care. These qualities made a far greater impact than any technical skill or polished lesson. His belief in his students and his gentle, nurturing approach opened a pathway for Anita into art education, arts integration, and creative learning. She’s watched many of his former students go on to pursue diverse careers, all carrying threads of the encouragement he offered in his classroom. Anita still keeps in touch with him today, a testament to how meaningful those connections can be long after graduation. It’s a beautiful reminder that one caring teacher can change the direction of a life and that reaching out to tell them often means more than we realize.
PROUD MOMENTS IN LEARNING
When Anita reflects on what she’s most proud of, it isn’t the impressive 88-page lesson plan she created early in her teaching journey. It’s watching her own children discover joy in learning. She talks about the quiet magic of seeing them enter new experiences with a little hesitation and then come alive as they make friends, explore ideas, and find fun in the process. For her, learning was always a safe and welcoming space, and seeing her children start to feel that same sense of belonging means more than any accomplishment on paper. It’s a reminder that the most meaningful wins often show up in small, everyday moments when someone we love begins to grow into themselves through curiosity, connection, and play.
CURIOSITY FOR WHAT’S NEXT
Anita shares that something she’s looking forward to learning is powerlifting. After returning to her yoga practice and completing her 80th class, she’s been building strength through yoga, Pilates, barre, and training. Seeing friends lift with confidence has sparked a desire to try it herself one day. When she thinks about who she’d love to learn from, she’s drawn to powerful educators and storytellers like bell hooks and Maya Angelou. These are women whose voices have shaped how so many people understand education, justice, and possibility. Her reflections offer a gentle reminder that learning doesn’t end with a degree or a job title. There is always something new to explore, and inspiration often comes from the people who show us what’s possible.
LEARNING EVERYWHERE AROUND US
Anita reflects on how much possibility exists in our everyday lives when it comes to learning. She talks about the wealth of accessible knowledge available online and how platforms like YouTube and Instagram have helped her try new things like picking up embroidery through a simple tutorial. For her, it’s a reminder that learning doesn’t have to be formal or structured to be meaningful. If there’s something you’ve been curious about, there’s likely a place to begin right where you are, and it’s worth giving yourself permission to try.
——————————-
Today’s episode is produced by VOLT Productions, a full-service podcast production agency helping creators and entrepreneurs launch, grow and monetize their shows. You can learn more about the agency’s founder Simona, their work and their team by going to www.voltproductions.co.
In this episode of The People Teaching People Podcast, I sit down with Anita Chowdhury – an educator, researcher, and community leader whose work invites a more relational and compassionate approach to teaching and learning. Anita brings together social justice, arts integration, land-based learning, and engaged pedagogy in ways that honour sustainability, relationality, and care.
Our conversation explores how early experiences and relationships shape the way we learn, how community can become a powerful teacher, and why compassion and belonging matter so deeply in the spaces where learning happens. Anita reflects on hope, land, identity, and the small everyday moments that remind us what it means to support one another as humans and learners. It also invites us to notice the learning already happening all around us.
Listen in as we talk about:
01:00 Anita’s story
03:02 Roots in land and learning
08:08 Community learning in practice
13:15 Education as liberation
16:12 Land-based learning
18:08 Compassion at the heart of learning
23:54 Empowerment through Mamas for Mamas
27:26 Strength through support
31:23 Hope in everyday moments
33:25 A teacher’s lasting impact
36:29 Proud moments in learning
37:37 Curiosity for what’s next
39:36 Learning everywhere around us
Connect with Anita:
LinkedIn: Anita Chowdhury
Websites:
Mamas for Mamas Calgary: https://www.mamasformamas.org/calgary/
Soil Camp: https://soilcamp.ca/
Instagram: @mamasformamas.calgary
Facebook: @mamasformamascalgary
Connect with Tiana:
Website: https://tianafech.com
LinkedIn: Tiana Fech
Instagram: @tianafech
Facebook: @tianafech
Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course
ROOTS IN LAND AND LEARNING
Anita shares that her story begins in British Columbia, where the eco-conscious culture and time spent in her family’s community garden became her first understanding of healing, connection, and caring for the land. These threads now run through her work in land-based learning and community food initiatives. As her life unfolded, she followed her curiosity and opportunities across the country, teaching art history at Mount Royal, training as an elementary educator in Toronto, and navigating the beautiful complexity of raising children while pursuing meaningful work. Through moves to Ottawa, Toronto, and back again, she discovered that each place offered something different, but Calgary kept calling her home with its strong sense of community and compassion. Her journey reflects how our earliest experiences often plant the seeds for the work we’re meant to do. And – that sometimes the place that feels like home is the one that helps us grow the most.
COMMUNITY LEARNING IN PRACTICE
Anita describes juggling many roles that unfolded during an unusual moment in history including completing her education degree entirely online during the pandemic. Craving connection and hands-on teaching, she joined an experiential land-based learning program that brought her to a 30-acre regenerative farm supporting refugee children and youth. What began as a volunteer opportunity quickly became a defining experience, blending community, soil, learning, and care in ways that shaped her path forward. This work eventually led her into her master’s research and opened the door to a leadership role with Mamas for Mamas, where she now supports hundreds of families while raising her own. Through all these roles, she’s learned that meaningful work often grows from saying yes to the places and people who need us most. This allows those experiences to reshape what we imagine for ourselves.
EDUCATION AS LIBERATION
“Education is a path to freedom.”
Anita shares how her master’s research is deeply influenced by educators like bell hooks and Paulo Freire, whose work introduced her to engaged pedagogy and the idea of education as liberation. With a background in the fine arts, she sees creativity and land-based learning as powerful tools for helping children expand their perspectives and understand complex social issues in ways that feel empowering rather than intimidating. She hopes young people learn that they can make a difference in their world, even through small steps, and that learning can be a space for freedom, expression, and critical consciousness. At its heart, her work reminds us that education becomes transformative when it helps people imagine new possibilities for themselves and their communities.
LAND-BASED LEARNING
Anita shares that reconnecting with the land can begin in simple, accessible ways. She talks about how even small acts such as stepping outside for a moment, tending a struggling houseplant, or feeling the grass under our feet can help us rebuild a relationship with the natural world. These everyday practices create space for grounding and reflection, especially during times that feel overwhelming. She also highlights the guidance offered through Indigenous pedagogy, reminding us that Indigenous communities have been teaching land stewardship for generations. Whether through tiny daily choices or community-based efforts, nurturing this connection helps us feel more rooted, present, and supported by the world around us.
COMPASSION AT THE HEART OF LEARNING
Anita reflects on how education shifts when we view it through a lens of compassion, maternal care, and nurturing. These are qualities that have shaped families and communities for generations. She shares that empathy isn’t just a soft skill but a transformative force across every subject and setting, especially as children and youth navigate mental health struggles, identity, and belonging. Meaningful learning lives at the intersection of science, art, and heart, and the way people feel in a learning space often matters more than the content itself. Anita connects this to the deep importance of belonging. Community, whether for new moms, newcomers, or children, creates support, identity, and trust. When people feel seen and understood, they are more open to learning, growing, and stepping into who they are becoming. At its core, this reminds us that education is most powerful when it helps people feel connected to themselves, to others, and to the communities that hold them.
EMPOWERMENT THROUGH MAMAS FOR MAMAS
Anita shares how her work with Mamas for Mamas has shown her just how deeply education, community, and social supports intertwine in helping families move through and beyond periods of poverty. She explains that many people simply don’t know what resources exist or how to access them, especially when institutional barriers feel overwhelming. By offering gentle, informed resource navigation, the organization helps families understand their options, build confidence, and gradually feel empowered to seek support on their own. Whether it’s connecting a new parent with breastfeeding clinics or guiding someone toward community programs, the right information at the right moment can shift someone’s whole trajectory. At its heart, this work shows how meaningful it is when people don’t have to figure things out alone and how community can open doors that once felt out of reach.
STRENGTH THROUGH SUPPORT
Anita shares that becoming a parent sparked a powerful shift in how she sees herself and what she’s capable of. Motherhood pushed her to adapt, grow, and realize she could do hard things even while navigating frontline work, graduate studies, and raising three young children. She talks about how deeply she values her “village,” the people and workplaces that honour her roles as a parent, educator, researcher, and caregiver, and how rare it is to have spaces where bringing a baby to work or prioritizing well-being is truly supported. She also acknowledges that many people don’t have those networks, which is why organizations like Mamas for Mamas are so essential in creating community for families who might otherwise feel isolated. Her experience reminds us that we’re often more capable than we think. But – having people and systems around us that genuinely support our whole selves is what makes it possible to keep showing up with care and energy.
HOPE IN EVERYDAY MOMENTS
Anita shares that what keeps her hopeful, even in a world that can feel heavy, is witnessing small, everyday acts of joy. Whether it’s a moment of connection at Mamas for Mamas Calgary or time spent with families on the land, these glimpses of goodness remind her why the work matters. She believes hope is essential in education and community care, guiding us to keep moving forward and helping learners see themselves as part of a brighter future. From young activists to creative thinkers to children with big ideas, she sees so much possibility in the next generation. These moments fuel her commitment to research, advocacy, and supporting families, reminding her that even in challenging times, hope grows wherever people choose to care for one another.
A TEACHER’S LASTING IMPACT
Anita shares the story of the teacher who shaped her most deeply: her high school art teacher, Paul Zavos. She remembers him as someone who taught with extraordinary compassion, creativity, and care. These qualities made a far greater impact than any technical skill or polished lesson. His belief in his students and his gentle, nurturing approach opened a pathway for Anita into art education, arts integration, and creative learning. She’s watched many of his former students go on to pursue diverse careers, all carrying threads of the encouragement he offered in his classroom. Anita still keeps in touch with him today, a testament to how meaningful those connections can be long after graduation. It’s a beautiful reminder that one caring teacher can change the direction of a life and that reaching out to tell them often means more than we realize.
PROUD MOMENTS IN LEARNING
When Anita reflects on what she’s most proud of, it isn’t the impressive 88-page lesson plan she created early in her teaching journey. It’s watching her own children discover joy in learning. She talks about the quiet magic of seeing them enter new experiences with a little hesitation and then come alive as they make friends, explore ideas, and find fun in the process. For her, learning was always a safe and welcoming space, and seeing her children start to feel that same sense of belonging means more than any accomplishment on paper. It’s a reminder that the most meaningful wins often show up in small, everyday moments when someone we love begins to grow into themselves through curiosity, connection, and play.
CURIOSITY FOR WHAT’S NEXT
Anita shares that something she’s looking forward to learning is powerlifting. After returning to her yoga practice and completing her 80th class, she’s been building strength through yoga, Pilates, barre, and training. Seeing friends lift with confidence has sparked a desire to try it herself one day. When she thinks about who she’d love to learn from, she’s drawn to powerful educators and storytellers like bell hooks and Maya Angelou. These are women whose voices have shaped how so many people understand education, justice, and possibility. Her reflections offer a gentle reminder that learning doesn’t end with a degree or a job title. There is always something new to explore, and inspiration often comes from the people who show us what’s possible.
LEARNING EVERYWHERE AROUND US
Anita reflects on how much possibility exists in our everyday lives when it comes to learning. She talks about the wealth of accessible knowledge available online and how platforms like YouTube and Instagram have helped her try new things like picking up embroidery through a simple tutorial. For her, it’s a reminder that learning doesn’t have to be formal or structured to be meaningful. If there’s something you’ve been curious about, there’s likely a place to begin right where you are, and it’s worth giving yourself permission to try.
——————————-
Today’s episode is produced by VOLT Productions, a full-service podcast production agency helping creators and entrepreneurs launch, grow and monetize their shows. You can learn more about the agency’s founder Simona, their work and their team by going to www.voltproductions.co.
In God we trust