A Sense of Belonging

Published on February 22, 2021

The Montreal Gazette, the largest English language daily in the province, recently published a series of commentary pieces from English-speaking Quebecers on the theme “My Quebec". The series featured the perspectives of Indigenous people, Black people and people who live in the regions, amongst others, all with a different story to tell that touched on the often complicated nature of being English-speaking in Quebec. For many in the English-speaking community Quebec is home but it can sometimes feel difficult to belong. This feeling is what COM-Unity partner organizations have been tackling with their initiatives that highlight and amplify a sense of belonging.

Sense of Belonging Forum

Art often works as a mirror, reflecting what exists in a society or group of people. In this way art can reveal or reinforce a sense of belonging, instilling pride, and human connection. Using culture as a pathway to belonging that can reflect the experience of people who call Quebec home is the focus of the upcoming event from Y4Y, part of their You Are Here: The Belonging Project. The Sense of Belonging Forum on March 11 at 6:30 pm will feature speakers, who are part of the heritage, culture and arts sectors from different regions across Québec who will discuss how their works have reflected their communities' sense of belonging. Anyone can attend by registering here.

Belonging through the eyes of students

As part of their I Belong! project LEARN is using the arts to empower students to explore their identity and a sense of belonging to Quebec society, as well as what it means to be part of a community. LEARN has shared four fascinating and heartwarming videos from the first phase of the project that was completed in Fall 2020. The four students sharing their stories come from different backgrounds and their videos explore the complexities of their cultural identities. One student can trace her roots in Quebec to early French settlers and pioneers who came over on the Mayflower, while another immigrated to the province from Greece just a few years ago. We find out what belonging means for each student and how they relate to life in Quebec. They are definitely worth watching! You can find Josephine, Logan, Katarina and Tharak’s videos here.

Building on the strength of phase 1, LEARN has launched phase 2 of their I Belong! project and the exciting outcomes of the comic zine, spoken word and digital storytelling options will be available later this spring.

Arrivals Belonging Project

It’s been an extraordinary two weeks for participants taking part in the Arrivals Belonging project a series of online workshops celebrating English black histories in Quebec. Led by Arrivals Legacy Project founder Diane Roberts and presented by BCRC, in collaboration with Black Theatre Workshop, project participants have explored their ancestral villages and how they impact their live. The outcome of the workshops will be presented digitally in March so stay tuned for details.

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