At India Festival Tampa Bay 鈥� one of Florida鈥檚 largest celebrations of Indian heritage 鈥� on Nov. 1, members of the School of Social Work鈥檚 Social Work Interdisciplinary Research Lab (SWIRL) joined forces with the College of Public Health鈥檚 Harrell Center for the Study of Family Violence and Hindu Family Support Services (HFSS) to raise awareness about intimate partner violence in South Asian communities.
SWIRL members Sakshi Wagh and Sirinandini Amperayani
This year, over 12,000 attendees visited the festival. SWIRL student scholars, including United Nations Millennium Fellows and HFSS volunteers, used culturally grounded outreach efforts designed to help individuals recognize the signs of unhealthy relationships and connect with local domestic violence resources across the Tampa Bay area.
Visitors also had the opportunity to support survivors through donations and learn about volunteering with HFSS and SWIRL.
This collaboration highlighted a shared commitment to culturally responsive advocacy and social work practice. By the end of the festival, hundreds of community members had gained knowledge, resources, and meaningful connections with leaders dedicated to addressing family violence.
The core team of SWIRL members included:
- Guitele Rahill, PhD, LCSW, co-founder of SWIRL and associate professor emerita, School of Social Work
- Manisha Joshi, PhD, MPH, MSW, associate professor, School of Social Work; co-founder and director of SWIRL
- Sakshi Wagh, biomedical sciences major, Judy Genshaft Honors College; United Nations Millennium Fellow
- Sirinandini Amperayani, biomedical sciences major, Judy Genshaft Honors College
- Samridhi Bhardwaj, biomedical engineering major, Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada
Alongside HFSS and other volunteers, the team successfully educated the community and strengthened connections to culturally relevant support for survivors of intimate partner violence.