Author Talk: Msenwa Oliver Mweneake

Presented in conjunction with Heather Haynes’ In Search of the Common Thread art exhibition, which is on display throughout the Hotel during March.

In 1996, when war broke out in eastern DR Congo, Msenwa was 15 years old and so began his journey where he witnessed merciless killings of friends, neighbours, and family. Through perseverance and determination, and after years as a refugee, Msenwa emerged as an inclusive leader who empowers individuals, and organizations to become inclusive.  Msenwa documented this journey in his book Still With Us: Msenwa’s Untold Story of War, Resilience and Hope – with the proceeds going towards supports for Orphaned children and widows in DR Congo through the Msenwa Foundation.

Msenwa Oliver Mweneake, a registered Social Worker, is a practitioner of change management and diversity, equity, and inclusion.  He holds a master’s degree in leadership from Kenya and a Master of Social Work from the University of Waterloo. He currently works as the equity and transformation lead at Family and Children’s Services of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington and also as a DEI consultant. He has over 15 years of experience as a community engagement advocate, an equity and inclusive leader. But it is his lived experience that brings texture to his work to seek change starting from within. Msenwa has practiced social work in Africa and Canada as a clinical social worker in mental health and child welfare. Msenwa is interested in how policies affect macro social work, migration, diversity, equity and inclusion.

https://msenwafoundation.com/
https://www.costronco.com/meet-msenwa
https://www.amazon.ca/Still-Us-Msenwas-Untold-Resilience/dp/192679852X/