Event: Dialogue of the diaspora #1: Intersectionality
On August 10, we welcomed some 50 participants from the African diaspora, but not only, to the Factry to raise awareness and better understand the notion of intersectionality within Canadian society! Event objectives: – Create a better understanding of the themes addressed, both for an initiated audience and for a totally ignorant one. – Create reflection and dialogue among participants – Find a new approach to these themes – Succeed in capturing the interest of people outside our communities and making them feel concerned.
We offered the public a choice of :
A visual arts exhibition
In collaboration with Never Was Average, it will feature artist Kayla aka The Star The Artist, whose art deals with the subject and raises awareness or at least asks questions such as : – What is intersectionality? – Gender in the African diaspora – Social class and origin: double discrimination We conceived the concept of an immersive exhibition in which people could sit comfortably on sofas, as if in their own living room, and enjoy the works, consult books and watch the project’s video capsules.
2 workshops followed by 2 conversations
Led by Nayla Si Mahfoud and Elena Stoodley, two recognized experts in the field. This 2-hour activity was an opportunity for the various communities present to understand, through practical exercises, the issues involved in intersectionality. They were also able to understand the crossroads at which they stood. What followed was an extremely enriching conversation between the different communities present, which helped to deconstruct a number of existing clichés and contribute to building bridges between people who would usually never have crossed paths!
The Un livre à soi bookshop also offered a selection of books on the subject for sale, so that attendees could deepen their knowledge even after the event!