PANEL CONVERSATION

COVID-19: A Pandemic Of Inequality?

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ABOUT

Despite the seeming gloom surrounding COVID-19, there is at least one silver lining. It has explosed (and arguably even amplified) existing social fault lines. From the eruption of COVID-clusters in the migrant workers dormitories to the everyday struggles of individuals who are digitally-illiterate and those who do not have access to internet connectivity and digital devices, these have all made visible the previously hidden. Now that we have identified and made aware this inequality, what do we do about it?

Does the pandemic present an opportunity to address inequality? Or does it further deepen existing vulnerabilities? In this panel conversation, we will adopt a systemic approach to analysing the pandemic and its impact on different groups in society. We will also understand existing socio-cultural and political mechanisms that reinforce and reproduce inequality and how this impacts on mental well-being.

CALISTA ROCH

Calista collaborates with corporates, schools and other community agencies in enhancing mental health literacy. She engages the people through a myriad of platforms such as talks, workshops, panel discussions, and booth outreach.

Prior to joining SAMH, Calista has more than 6 years of corporate experience in Public Relations and Employee Communications. Added with her passion to connect, Calista sees herself as a ‘’bridge’’ in raising mental health awareness, especially at the workplace.

ATHEL HU

Athel is the founder and principal trainer at Mentidote, a social enterprise aiming to empower lives and strengthen relationships amongst members of the public through mental health education.

Besides Mentidote, Athel is also currently an Associate Faculty with the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and an Adjunct Lecturer with the Temasek Polytechnic. Be it her work at Mentidote or as an educator with higher institutions, bettering the lives of individuals and humanity has been and always will be her philosophy and motivation for teaching and mentoring. She hopes that the knowledge imparted instils a form of empathic understanding for society, the marginalized and the underprivileged, amongst those she has taught and trained.

She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling and a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences (Sociology). Athel has previously held teaching and research positions with the National University of Singapore, Temasek Polytechnic and Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School.

In her free-time, she enjoys “flying without wings” (cycling) on her road bike.

RANGANAYAKI THANGAVELU

Ranga is Deputy Executive Director at Beyond Social Services, which enables public rental housing neighbourhoods to be ‘villages’ that raise their children well. Her greatest inspiration is the inherent strengths of community members in the face of their struggles. Ranga’s formal education is in social sciences, mass communication and social work. She has also acquired skills in community building, restorative justice and stakeholder engagement. Ranga looks forward to engaging more people in peace building conversations to create a society that is a little kinder, fairer and more cooperative.

NADIA AHMAD SAMDIN

Nadia serves as one of the youngest Members of Parliament, looking after the Cheng San – Seletar division in Ang Mo Kio GRC, and speaks up on a variety issues including youth empowerment, vulnerable families, the environment, and mental wellness. On the ground, she is active in seeking interventions to families who have members in incarceration, and also seeking new ways of working with isolated seniors. She has experience in the legal, communications and media sectors, and most recently joined Tri-Sector Associates as Counsel and Project Leader.

With more than 15 years of community development work with various charities and committees such as a former Panel Adviser to the Youth Court and as a council member of Lembaga Biasiswa Kenangan Maulud (a registered IPC focused on bursaries and educational empowerment), Nadia cares deeply about Singapore, Singaporeans, and our place in the world.

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