UTS Design graduate Hannah Seeto has turned her honours project into a series of mental health workshops.
When Visual Communication student Hannah Seeto experienced racism first-hand during the pandemic, she knew she had to channel her experience into her honours project.
“I decided to focus my research on cultural identity and racism toward Asian Australians,” she said.
“My research led me to design 'Conversations about our Culture', a participatory workshop that explores unconscious racism towards Asian Australians through shared group discussion, collectively making 'discursive' design objects and reflecting upon one's cultural identity.”
The workshops were run in partnership with the UTS Centre for Social Justice and Inclusion during Mental Health Week 2022. They were later adapted to focus more on how racism impacts mental health and expanded to include participants from Asian-Australians to People of Colour and non-People of Colour.
“The program, lecturers, and my peers created a space where we were encouraged to delve deeper into challenging topics and respond in creative ways.”
Hannah Seeto
Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication Bachelor of Design (Honours)
Support from UTS
Hannah is grateful for the support she received from her teachers in the Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building.
“The UTS Design Honours program allowed me to discover what I was passionate about and gave me time to navigate through my research and understanding of race and culture,” she says.
She appreciates the opportunity and support she received to present the workshops for Mental Health Week.
“Working with UTS Centre for Social justice & Inclusion, especially Dr Elaine Laforteza, has been empowering, as she strongly believed in the importance of these issues and providing a space for the workshop to run to its full potential.”
The workshops were held at UTS and acted as a reflection space for People of Colour, as well as an awareness and educational experience for those who do not identify as a Person of Colour. The workshops focused on cultural identity, unconscious racism, and how these issues affect mental health and well-being.
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