Salut les voisins /
Meet Your Neighbour
Empathy through Storytelling
Funded by Canadian Heritage, Meet Your Neighbour / Salut les voisins brought together English and French-speaking individuals from three Québec communities (Sherbrooke, Québec City, and Montréal) in a safe space for dialogue and exchange through personal conversations that challenged stigma and stereotypes. Adapted from the widely successful Human Library Project in Denmark, this project hosted a series of three (3) community wide events where participants (of all ages and backgrounds) were invited to “checkout” and read a “human book,” which is a person who volunteers to share their life story, by engaging with one another through open bilingual conversations.
The idea was to build a positive framework for conversations that can challenge stereotypes and prejudices through dialogue. Partners from both linguistic communities were invited to collaborate on a joint project that celebrated the diversity of people as well as our linguistic communities through storytelling of individual lived experiences. Equity seeking groups (e.g., women, racialised people, newcomers, LGBTQ2S+, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities) were prioritised for inclusion in the project.
Through meaningfully engaging with different lived experiences, the project aimed to foster a safe environment which promoted belonging, inclusivity, and social cohesion across official language communities, amongst equity seeking groups and youth more specifically.
Paying tribute to a year of honest and fearless storytelling, Y4Y produced a video showcasing the three living library events we hosted across Québec in Sherbrooke, Québec City, and Montréal, as well as highlighting the connections forged between local community members. This video also serves to celebrate the work of our coordinators, youth advisors and human books in strengthening our understanding of diversity and bilingualism through the magic of storytelling.
Meet the Team
Coordinators
Gabriel Steinbach
(He/Him)
Project Coordinator
Gabriel received a B.A. from Concordia University comprised of a major in Classical Archaeology and a minor in History. He plans to pursue a Master’s of Urban Planning in 2023 with research interests in architectural heritage preservation, pedestrian environments, and sustainable green infrastructure. Born in Ontario, he moved to Montréal as a youth and has struggled with the linguistic hurdles associated with being part of the English-speaking minority. Considering this background, he is dedicated to assisting Anglophone youth who face the same difficulties and advocates for the development of an inclusive Québec which celebrates its diversity in culture and language.
Adela Kwok
(She/Her)
Event Coordinator
Born in Ontario, Adela is a filmmaker who moved to Québec to receive her B.A. in International Development from McGill. After spending a year post-grad working within the creative spaces and communities back in Toronto, she became attracted to the community building that comes with presenting a piece of art or sharing a part of yourself. The act of gathering and curating such occurrences became an integral factor to how she conceives of a project, with emphasis on intention and participant experience. With that, Adela has generated a unique and well-versed repertoire of project coordination, traversing frequently between creative and professional spaces. She hopes to use this experience at Y4Y to assist in the creation of safe spaces of opportunity and meaningful exchange for her fellow youth in Québec.
Youth Advisory Committee
Adam Beaulac
(He/They)
Québec City
Originally from Saskatchewan, Adam recently made the move to Québec. He lived in Gaspé for one year, working with the Odyssey program to bring more resources and excitement to English lessons at the secondary school. This year, he is living in Québec City, working with the same program but at the primary level. He received his BSc in biological sciences and psychology in 2021, graduating with distinction. His interest in working with Y4Y is deeply rooted in his family history. Coming from a Fransaskois family in Saskatchewan, but never learning the language as a child, he experienced Canada’s linguistic division on a personal level. He desires to reinforce bilingualism in Canada by promoting social unity through positive shared experiences and is excited to take an active role with the Meet Your Neighbour program.
Sphynx Church
(She/They)
Born in Tkaronto/Toronto and raised in Scarborough, Sphynx currently resides in Tiohtiá:ke/Montréal studying contemporary dance at EDCM since Summer 2020. She’s into poetry, activism, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. She teaches self defense with a non-profit on weekends and is training martial arts whenever she’s not in school. Sphynx is excited to work with Meet Your Neighbor because they’re very interested in storytelling, as an artistic practice but also as an empathetic one. They’re passionate about expanding their understanding of humanity and sharing their own humanity with the world.
Valentina Gheorghe
(She/Elle)
Montréal
Born in Bucharest, Romania, Valentina was first immersed in the French-speaking community through “accueil” class when she moved to Montréal. Her creative nature and “butterfly” personality allowed to take part in the art groups of her schools and Romanian communities that her parents took her to, adopting art making as a means to process the confusing experience. Deciding to continue her studies in English for CÉGEP marked a shift in her creative approach, focusing on experience. She went to McGill to study Art History and Gender and Social Studies, critically expanding on her vision of integration. This transformed her artistic process from resorting to the digestion of lived experiences to now making art with the intention of creating spaces that are unreliable on repressive frameworks, integrating both inner and outer experiences. Valentina hopes to support this initiative in channelling the inspiration and hope that exist within trauma-informed spaces that encourage learning from storytelling.
Elizabeth Davis
(She/They)
Montréal
Elizabeth was born and raised in Montréal. She holds a B.A. from McGill University, where she studied Art History and Political Science. As a “historic anglophone,” she knows the necessity of being engaged in language politics in Québec. She went to school in French immersion until CEGEP. Elizabeth is a strong advocate of bilingualism while also recognizing the importance of protecting and supporting Indigenous languages. Elizabeth views the Meet Your Neighbour project as an opportunity to showcase the importance of storytelling. She hopes by sharing lived experiences we can better care for ourselves and others.
Laura Mota
(She/Her)
Montréal
Laura is a Brazilian writer, photographer, and shameless experimentalist in other mediums based in Tiohtiá:ke/Montréal since 2019. She completed her BA in Creative Writing at Concordia University. In parallel with the program, she worked as assistant at Writers Read, Concordia University reading series. Her writing can be found in places like PRISM International, Held Magazine and High Shelf. Some of her portraits can be found on PhotoVogue. And of course you can find her in Meet Your Neighbour's events. She is excited to work on Meet Your Neighbour because she is a firm believer that oral forms of storytelling should be valued as literature. Laura is also driven by initiatives that focus on nurturing empathy and understanding through safe spaces.
Sherbrooke Human Books
Mariam
(She, Her)
Nakato is an autistic author of theater and poetry. Nakato means "four" in the Soninke language and symbolizes harmony, protection and dignity. Being a "human book" allows her to share her passion for myths. Come and hear her poetic tale: Le monstre du Lac, and discover your own myth.
Alberto
Poet and narrator. He holds a BA in Literature and Linguistics, a Masters in Venezuelan Literature and a Doctorate in Humanities. He has published six books of short stories, two books of poems in Spanish, poems in French and English and several academic papers about literary semiotics and narratology.
Audrey
(She, Her)
Is leaving a situation of conjugal violence a way out? Healing the shame, the guilt, the isolation, the distress in a patriarchal society is a warrior's challenge that must be faced, in community and far from judgment.
Kristelle
(She, Her)
With an English, French and Spanish background, Kristelle landed in Sherbrooke in 2011 thanks to questionable decisions and an unexpected transatlantic trip. Since then she has worked as the Executive and Co-Artistic Director of the Théâtre des Petites Lanternes and can now genuinely say, in glorious Piaf-style, that she has no regrets (just about).
Pascal
(They, Them)
"They say that at 25, the body is at its peak. My peak, Lyme has usurped it from me. The waters rise like ticks and combining eco-anxiety and illness, I am learning to live with a monster in my backpack.
I see the Earth being as sick as me
we must heal together.
We will have to heal hand in hand, take care of each other."
Québec City Human Books
Alicia
(She, Her)
In 2017, it came as a surprise for many when Alicia Despins became the youngest elected member of Québec City’s history. The most surprised person was probably Alicia herself. Today, Alicia is 28 years old. She has a degree in Public Administration and has never been as confident of the path she is on.
Éthienne
Growing up in Montréal, I had the privilege of alternating between francophone and anglophone education. I was also suffering from crippling anxiety. Despite that, I finished my bachelor in city planning. Ten years ago, my life changed when I suffered a traumatic brain injury. It left me disabled and with more anxiety, but despite that, I chose to not let that word define me and I am still active in many layers of society.
Patricia
Set sail with me as I share tales of being onboard sailing vessels, Ernastina, White Heather, Haiku , Anna Kristina and Time Passage. What event will push your life forward? Where will you be when you are given a chance for change? How will those choices sustain you and give you life? Come, and share with me, a journey of self discovery and continued hope in the spirit of adventure…. ship ahoy!! Fairwinds!
Amanda
(She, Her)
Amanda Jeanne is an intuitive artist and neurodivergent human. She also has five kids, and depression. Hers is a story of trying and failing, and trying again. Of finding your sense of self, and of learning to live life even when your body and brain is fighting you on that.
Flora
(She, Her)
There is a certain pressure to belong somewhere that is isolating and invalidating. Is there ever an in-between space or do we just migrate from one to another? Flora’s story is about finding that space between the intersections of her identities and the journey that led her to discover that.
Paul
I attended primary school and got my Master’s in French; high school and university in-between in English. Two languages have allowed me to follow developments in my field, street design and traffic safety, in different countries, enriching my expertise. I have worked for the Québec Environment and Transportation Ministries before setting up my own firm.
Brendan
In the 2000s, when a child struggled in class, they had a ‘Learning Disability’, and were put in different classes than their peers. I was one of them. Instead of accepting it; accepting that I was different from my friends, I became determined to prove that I was the same.
Mael
(He, His)
Home-schooled in the forest in his childhood, slam poetry artist Mael’Sir’s life speaks of resilience and the capacity to marvel at everything. His mother’s death, his travels and his relationships have sculpted the kind of person he is today: radically alive.
Yesika
Yesika, une femme psychologue féministe, qui quitte le Mexique pour fuir la violence patriarcale vécue par les femmes mexicaines, vient au Québec s'installer en couple, pensant qu'elle est loin de la violence. C'est ici qu'elle subit la violence de son partenaire et que la lutte pour s'en sortir commence, femme immigrant, seule, sans travail et sans parler la langue. Difficile mais pas impossible.
Eric
(Il, Lui)
Résilient, combattant et preuve de courage, Eric n’était pas prédestiné à vivre cette vie. Apprendre à 22 ans (1992) qu’il est atteint du Sida, en pleine période où les préjugés sont à l’apogées, choisir de vivre, combattre ses démons et prendre la vie un jour à la fois avec le sourire, tout en étant séropositif. Venez entendre ce que 30 ans plus tard, Éric a à vous partager.
Oleksandra
As a person who was born and raised in a city that can now be considered hell on earth, I will share my story about how to survive the war experience but keep faith in the future and continue your life first in another European country, then move to another continent.
Montréal Human Books
Perla & Aviva
A mother and daughter’s guide to survival and growth despite the chaos of mental illness. A story does not always begin at the beginning. Sometime it begins at the end, sometimes it begins in- fits-starts… Addicted to perfection, we seek order in our lives. We, adults, have learnt to order our lives, to be on time, to prioritize our work–until a new baby, or until an accident, or an illness destabilises us.
Rahma
A chronicle of survivorship, Life Interrupted is the story of a girl's struggle with cancer, love and life. A story of healing, trusting the process and falling down, repeatedly, but always getting back up. Ultimately, it’s about learning to see the light, even on the darkest of days, and an exploration of what it means to begin again.
Nafija
Nafija Rahman est originaire du Bangladesh mais a grandi ici à Montréal dans la Petite Bourgogne. Elle est très locale avant tout. Elle porte bien tous ses identifiants. Elle est de la Petite Bourgogne, Montréalaise, Bangladaise, Musulmane, Canadienne, et bien sûr, Québécoise. Cela lui prit un moment pour prendre possession de l'identifiant Québécois, car on ne lui permettait pas de s'accepter comme Québécoise. On lui demande trop souvent : « Mais non, tu ne peux pas être Québécoise...Bien sûr une Québécoise ne se coiffe pas d'un hijab! » Mon histoire est simple. Je suis Nafija Rahman avec tous mes identifiants.Nafija milite pour les droits pour la justice sociale, pour les femmes et les immigrants. Elle est interprète culturelle pour le CIUSSS, immigration Canada et le ministère de la Justice. Entre autres, elle est passionnée de son quartier qu'elle a représenté aux élections municipales de 2012.
Anne
Diagnosis: bipolar disorder, depression, psychosis, possibly borderline. Prescribed: Lithium, Wellbutrin, Abilify. Therapy. From God complexes to feeling like the human embodiment of TV static, self-sabotaging to self-regulating. This is the my coming-of-age story, the one DSM-5 can’t tell you, through spiralling ups and downs. It is an ongoing story.
Lavina
As a woman and newcomer, I have experienced various stereotypes throughout my stay here in Montréal. Having worked in a predominantly male workspace where French is the primary medium of communication, it was equally challenging for me to take up space while having to address discriminatory and linguistic hurdles.
Samara
Samara is an Irish Studies scholar and her studies include folklore, mythology, and poetry. All of these subjects encourage curiosity and looking at the world through a ‘child lens’ as we all did when we were younger. Ireland and its people have a strong connection to the ‘otherworld’ and have unique ways of perceiving landscape and reality. Samara encourages her 'readers' to be open to the world of fairies and folklore in order to gain a more valuable outlook on the world around us, and enrich our adult lives.
Roxanna
I’m a female artist who has struggled with depression for many years. I was molested as a child by another child. For almost 20 years I had blocked this memory, I was only 6 when it happened. 8 years ago, I was meditating when I had a flashback of the event.
Farhanna
Born in Bangladesh, she moved to the West Coast of Canada at the age of 6. And then Farhana and her family made the move to Montréal at the start of her high school years. Once she graduated from University, she taught abroad for 6 years. Now she is back in Montréal and wonders what new adventure awaits her!
Natalie
My mental health struggles impacted my relationship with myself and others. The treatment I got when my disability was “visible” is different from now. My struggles and past trauma affected me, but don’t define me. I still don’t want to forget them either because maybe I could help people that are still “visible.”
Ajay
Are you listening, little Ajay? I made our dream come true. The world was so cruel. It said such awful things. It did everything it could to break us. But I never gave up. I never lost the indomitable spirit that you gave me. I made you proud, didn't I?
Jeremie
As a kid, the freedom I was granted felt restrictive. How to FEEL, TALK, ACT, DRESS or just simply BE. All had to be dissected and rearranged to perfect normality. But, I would scream & bang the card-board walls. I refuse to be boxed-up.
Farah
Farah Al Saed was born in Syria as a stateless Palestinian refugee. She received her education through the UNRWA schools and lived in Syria until 2013. She grew up between the city of Damascus and Yarmouk camp. After living in Lebanon as a refugee again, Farah received a scholarship to study in Canada, where she moved and became a permanent resident. She is currently a student at Concordia University where she studies Art Education.