Arts event
May 4th
Creatively Expressing our 2SLGBTI+ Identities Through Intergenerational Daring Dialogue
Intergenerational 2SLGBTQI+ daring dialogue arts project
At this event, exchanges between generations continued, and, through guided-self reflection, participants responded to the prompt: “What do I wish you would know about my queer story?”
Teaching Artists (4 May, 2024)
Falcia Green
Falicia Decontie-Green (Any Pronouns) is an Anishinaabe with roots in Sault Ste Marie (Baawaating). Falicia is a sexual health and gender diversity educator and advocate, as well. Falicia has experience creating and facilitating workshops and curricula on the topics of sexual health and wellness, SSTBI’s, gender diversity and queer health and history for both youth and young adults.
Elizabeth Diane Labelle
Elizabeth Diane Labelle (no pronouns) is of mixed, non-status Mohawk heritage. Diane is a mother, grandmother, and life partner. Diane has over 40+ years of experience in the world of education as a teacher, consultant, administrator, and presenter. Presently, Diane holds the position of Regional Educational Advisor for the First Nations Adult Education School Council. In January of 2023, Diane co-created the first regional Two-Spirit group in Quebec – Cercle Indigiqueer Circle, a group making moves to create visibility of divergent Indigenous genders and sexualities and efforts to break isolation for those living in more remote communities. Diane works with Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples and organizations on the issue of “decolonization”, especially in education, by presenting a more complete history of Canada. This provides listeners with the opportunities to increase insights into the impacts of legislation and trauma on the Indigenous nations of Turtle Island – genocide, as well as changes brought to values and perceptions regarding gender and sexualities within Indigenous communities – gendercide. Diane can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected]
Jacky Lo
Jacky Lo (he/him) is a Chinese Canadian artist, researcher, and educator from Vancouver living in Tiohtià:ke/Mooniyang/Montréal. Lo is completing his Master’s of Art Education at Concordia University, and his research interest explores the materiality of silk in art creation, production, history, and interculturality and how it can inform the past, present, and a reimagined future. Lo has worked in education, exhibition, and collections management for galleries and museums in Vancouver and Hong Kong, as well as community engagement through les ateliers ArtEDU Workshops at Concordia University and Community Stitching projects. He advocates for accessibility and intercultural learning in the arts and education. Lo is a visual artist examining themes surrounding social connections, memories, and identities through textile and paper practices, and he is one of the teaching artists for the exChange project.
Andrea Palmer
Andrea Palmer (she/her) is a queer emerging writer of short prose and screenplays with a background in film production and facilitating participatory video projects. A runaway from the hollywood grind, she holds a bachelor’s of social work degree from McGill university, which helps inform her social-focused stories. Her approach to creative partnerships and support/education work is rooted in empathy, transparency and relationship building, and she shows up for the joy of supporting others to engage with their creative selves. Beyond her creative practice, Andrea has more than a decade of experience in social work intervention, advocacy, and research, all of which have helped inform her voice and politics of ethical and inclusive storytelling. Most recently, Andrea was the Project Lead for Gay & Grey Montréal’s project, Q11: Creating Links to Care for 2SLGBTQIA+ English-speaking Older Adults in Quebec and prior to that, co-led the campaign Vanier Vibrant, centering and celebrating 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, staff, and faculty at Vanier College and in the larger Montreal community. Engaging intergenerationally and with an ethic of care, is at the heart of our collective queer futures.
Melissa-Ann Pereira Ledo
Melissa-Ann Pereira Ledo (she/her/they) is of azorean settler background, is a proud queer mother, and is an educator/artist/researcher. She has held various roles including: Arts Consultant for the EMSB; co-founder of inPath; lecturer at Concordia University and McGill University; Consultant for Equitas’s LGBTI+ project in Haiti, and ED for Fabrique Familiale la Cabane. Ledo advocates for learner-centered education, emphasizing its ability to enrich students of all levels. Grounded in the belief that the arts are pivotal to education, she promotes authentic learning experiences fostering critical thinking, with a commitment to creating safer learning spaces. Ledo is a PhD Student at McGill University and her current SSHRC-funded PhD research explores the transformative power of Queer Teaching Artists, with a focus on how to support marginalized youth, and aiding schools to become Human Rights leaders. Beyond academia, Ledo is a visual artist exploring storytelling through various mediums, and the project manager for exChange, an initiative fostering dialogue and connection within Montreal’s English-speaking 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
