Changing hearts and minds
Changing hearts and minds
Women’s studies grad Kelsey Adams finds her voice and empowers youth to use their own.
By Cassie Dowse
Kelsey Adams, BA’13, MA’14, has built a career focused on uplifting and supporting youth. Once a shy student who struggled to assert herself, Kelsey now leads conversations as a gender-based violence (GBSV) prevention education coordinator at Western.
“Education is a powerful opportunity to change hearts and minds,” Kelsey shares. “I’m driven by hope to make a difference in someone’s life.”
Kelsey is a passionate student advocate, helping them make informed decisions and healthy relationship choices. “Navigating safety, intimacy and new social situations away from home can be tough,” she says. “That’s why our team’s work is fundamental.”
Stepping into her power
Kelsey arrived at Western in 2009 as an undergrad in Scholar’s Electives, a program for high-achieving students with an intensive interdisciplinary focus. Although she didn’t plan to pursue women’s studies, everything clicked when Kelsey enrolled in a first-year introductory course.
“Women’s studies opened a new world for me,” Kelsey shares. “The history of feminism and women’s rights resonated and the faculty and students created such a welcoming environment.”
Before university, Kelsey struggled to raise her voice in group settings. Western changed that. “It was the first time I felt safe to ask questions, try new challenges and express myself. I was excited to feel a sense of belonging.”
Kelsey became a member of the Women’s Studies Student Collective and eventually served as the club’s president, expanding her public speaking and leadership capabilities in ways she never could have imagined.
Community impact
As a women’s studies master’s student, Kelsey’s research examined how privilege can influence lived experiences of GBSV and how marginalized women are often excluded from mainstream feminist movements.
“I’m driven by hope to make a difference in someone’s life.”
During her graduate studies, Kelsey volunteered at a 24-hour crisis line for individuals experiencing GBSV run by Anova (formerly Sexual Assault Centre London). She describes it as eye-opening. “I realized I wanted to continue the legacy of those who have been working in the GBSV sector and be a part of a community that supports the most vulnerable populations,” she emphasizes.
Kelsey began a full-time position with Anova following the completion of her master’s degree. She progressed in several roles and honed skills in group facilitation, delivered and evaluated training programs and collaborated with community partners.
Kelsey remembers many heart wrenching moments as she supported clients dealing with traumatic experiences.
“It was challenging to hear their stories, but it was also hopeful because they reached out. They walked through the door, which for some means they won’t spend a lifetime thinking they deserved what happened.”
Coming home
A full-circle moment, in 2019, Kelsey returned home to to coordinate a healthy relationship program for high school students before transitioning into her current role as a GBSV prevention education coordinator within Student Experience- Wellness & Well-being. Kelsey develops campus-wide training and facilitates educational groups around romantic and sexual relationships, making friends on campus and dealing with complicated family dynamics.
“I have flexibility to adapt content and meet students where they’re at,” she says. “It also provides the opportunity to connect individuals with require further support, including GBSV and mental health services.”
The goal is for students to receive foundational knowledge and skills to cope with challenging life experiences – setting them up for success beyond university.
From self-doubt to self-belief, Kelsey stands strong in the path she’s created. “It’s important for me to feel physical and emotional safety to be my authentic self, and I want those healthy relationships for others too. It’s life-affirming to show youth they deserve love and respect.”