Project Connect
Se rassembler, se rapprocher
Project Connect gave English-speaking youth in three regions of Québec (Gaspésie, the Laurentians, and the Eastern Townships) the opportunity to lead two in-person community events in French for both English- and French-speaking youth. The first, small-scale event invited young people to come together and take part in a creative activity while practising their French. The second, larger event, the Human Library, invited them to listen to the life stories of other young people in their community and engage in linguistic exchange.
Project Connect brought young people together to build confidence in speaking French and to strengthen their sense of belonging to their community. Reaching 50 youth (ages 14–30) per region, the events fostered connections between English- and French-speaking youth. Y4Y also envisioned for participants to develop closer ties with local organizations, inspiring them to create future bicultural exchange events.
This project was made possible thanks to the support of the Réseau dialogue through the VIF Program, with the financial support of the Government of Canada.
In Partnership with
The Human Library, adapted from the Human Library Project that first appeared in Denmark in 2000, marked Y4Y’s second time hosting such an event after the successful Meet Your Neighbour project in 2022–23.
The Human Library invited youth participants to choose and read a “Human Book”, a person who “opens up” and shares an important personal life experience or unique story about themselves to a “Reader”. It encouraged youth to connect with people in their community through intimate storytelling, active listening and open dialogue. Readers engaged with Human Books in small groups and were encouraged to listen and ask questions in order to understand the Human Books’ unique, personal life experiences.
Over the course of the event, Human Books told their story at least 3 times to different groups of Readers.
Our Human Library focused on sharing stories under the theme of identity, language and belonging.
What is a Human Library?
Take a look at the photos from our previous events!
Meet the Team
Project Coordinator
Freya Wilson
Project Coordinator
Growing up in London, Freya graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a honours degree in French and History, specifically centred around interdisciplinary research on gender, sex and sexuality. Outside of her studies, she loved getting involved in student societies, charity fundraising and volunteering, including working on projects that promoted learning French as a second language. As the former President of the University of Edinburgh’s French-language theatre society, Les Escogriffes, Freya is passionate about the importance of creativity and collaboration when learning and developing new skills. Excited about her next chapter in life here in Montréal, Freya hopes to continue to inspire English-speaking people in their French-learning journey.
Youth Project Ambassadors
Xavier F.
Youth Ambassador in Eastern Townships
Xavier has deep familial connections to the Townships and has lived there most of his life. He is currently studying liberal arts at the Lennoxville campus of Champlain Regional College. Outside of academics, he is heavily involved in the community, volunteering for Scouts Canada at the provincial level, and supporting local organisations such as the library. His work in scouting has taught him the importance of bilingualism and the spirit of cooperation, he has worked with people of all ages and from every province. Xavier is excited to have the opportunity to work with the anglophone community.
Èvelyne
Youth Ambassador in Eastern Townships
Hi my name is Evelyne, and I am an alumni from Bishop's University! As a native French speaker who studied in an anglophone institution, I love sharing my language with others and learning about Québec's rich cultural diversity! With a background in business, teaching, and the arts, I am really looking forward to taking part in the Project Connect, and contribute to a meaningful youth-centered project that foster learning and inclusion for the Eastern Townships region!
Mikayla Messercola
Youth Ambassador in the Laurentians
Mikayla is a student at Concordia University pursuing a degree in Education, with aspirations to become a speech therapist or teacher. Having worked in several schools across Québec, Mikayla has developed a deep understanding of the importance of accessible education and inclusive communication. Her experiences have inspired her to support initiatives that empower English-speaking youth and promote opportunities for connection and growth within their communities. She is passionate about Y4Y Québec’s mission to amplify young voices and create meaningful change across the province. Through her role as an ambassador, Mikayla hopes to help bridge communities and foster a sense of belonging among English-speaking youth in Québec.
Binal Taheem
Youth Ambassador in the Laurentians
Hi, I'm Binal, one of the ambassadors for Project Connect. I grew up in a French-speaking environment, and I want to help English speakers feel more comfortable with their French.
MaelSir
Youth Ambassador in Gaspésie
MaelSir is a bilingual slam poetry artist with close to 15 years of experience as a master of ceremonies, coach and performer, from Toronto to Moncton and even all the way to Paris and Dakar. Proud to participate twice in the CreateSpace Public Art Forum, he also recently realised his first movie: Slambahia, finalist for the pan-canadian contest “La Course des Régions”.
Youth Advisory Committee
Kari Valmestad
Youth Advisory Committee Member
Kari Valmestad is a public historian, digital archivist, and aspiring costume designer currently based in Tiohtià:ke/Mooniyang/Montréal. She holds an MA in Public History from Carleton University and a BFA in Art History from Concordia University. She is passionate about history and heritage, particularly as they relate to urban planning and community-led urban development, as well as fashion history and costume-making. Originally from Winnipeg, Treaty One Territory, Kari received her primary and secondary education in French. As an Anglophone French-speaking youth, she is excited to contribute to Project Connect and participate in this community-building initiative that supports English- and French-speaking youth across the province.
Emmi Chirgwin
Youth Advisory Committee Member
(they/them)
I am a 22-year-old university student. I am currently studying feminist studies. I want to use my experiences and knowledge to help others and introduce new perspectives and ways of thinking.
Albano Souhail
Youth Advisory Committee Member
My name is Albano Souhail, and I am a graduate student in Public Policy and Public Administration at Concordia University. Since 2022, I have been an active member of the Saint-Léonard Youth Council (CJSL), where I currently serve as president. I also work for ‘’Les Jeux de la Rue’' (RAP Jeunesse) and Projet Évasion (DOD-Basketball), two organizations that provide meaningful opportunities and activities for local youth. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to work with various organizations throughout Montréal. I look forward to serving as a youth consultant for Y4Y’s ‘’Projet Connect’’, helping to refine the promotion plan, offering recommendations to improve outreach all while supporting overall program implementation.
Paul Ye
Youth Advisory Committee Member
Paul Ye is a law student at McGill University who is proudly involved in his Montreal community. Paul places particular importance on bilingualism and building bridges between Quebec's linguistic communities. As vice-president of the LaSalle Youth Council, he actively participates in initiatives aimed at encouraging civic engagement and promoting dialogue among young people in his borough. Through his involvement, Paul seeks to promote greater mutual understanding and build lasting bridges between communities, convinced that dialogue and collaboration are essential to an inclusive and cohesive Quebec society.
Stéphanie Adrien
Youth Advisory Committee Member
Haitian by birth and a citizen of the world, Stéphanie stands out for her unwavering commitment to human rights, social justice, and intercultural dialogue. A 2022 graduate with a Master's degree in civil liberties law from the University of Strasbourg, she has a particular interest in the protection of fundamental rights, especially those of women and people from ethnocultural communities. Driven by a deep attachment to the French-speaking world and social inclusion, Stéphanie worked in Quebec City as an advisor for the organization Y4Y as part of their “human library” project. In this role, she helped encourage young English speakers to immerse themselves in the French language, thereby promoting intercultural understanding, harmonious coexistence, and more inclusive participation in Quebec society. As a woman of color, she is fully aware of the challenges related to identity, language, and representation. This awareness fuels her commitment to creating spaces for learning, exchange, and networking that value diversity, support youth, and strengthen the sense of belonging. Her involvement in community organizations—particularly in borough youth councils, boards of directors, and associations of young parliamentarians—demonstrates her desire to collaborate with other young people of her generation and actively contribute to community life. Through her professional and volunteer commitments, Stéphanie pursues a clear goal: to help build a more inclusive world, where social justice and the French language become concrete levers for emancipation and social cohesion.
Bianca Domond
Human Book in Deux-Montagnes
Story Title: Because it’s her first life
Through my story, I tell that of my mother, whose life seemed to have stopped at age 22, when she was in Haiti, trapped in a toxic relationship. Although they were not married, only death could separate her from my father. For a long time, I questioned her decisions without understanding the weight of the choices imposed by her circumstances, her country, and her era. Over time, I realized that, like many parents, it was her first time too.
At 22, I was in Canada, at CEGEP, surrounded by friends. At the same age, she had none of that. Her youth had been cut short too soon. At 30, she had learned to live again, alone, with three children and no father. At 40, she had turned to other countries in search of a new lease on life. Today, at 49, she is in Canada. She had known neither a real youth nor an ordinary adult life. Thirty years later, she is finally trying to live.
My mother often tells me, “I don't want children in my next life,” even though in this one she wanted ten. Very early on, she understood the predefined constraints of this life. It was simply her first life. In this story, readers will be led to question themselves, to discover that it is possible to find solutions even where there seemed to be none.
Readers will be able to appreciate the resilience and courage it took for my mother to cross the border—an act that, to some, may seem despicable, yet one that saved many lives. It is also our first life. Let us be forgiving toward our parents, toward ourselves, and toward others.
Lukas Vieira
Human Book in Lennoxville
Story Title: Life Gardening: walks of cultivation
At the age of 17 and with a strong interest for sciences, I moved to Canada after two years of social distancing in Brazil. Then immersed in a big-city pluricultural setting and in readaptation to post-pandemic times, I began to seed connections which bridged the realization of dreams and brought about teachings of resilience, balance and humanity.
From striving to pursue academic interests and navigating different educational systems to rebuilding inner strength after the passing of a central relative and mobilizing a move to live in another city, such adventures have shown me the importance of balancing individual goals and interests with family, work and community involvement, bringing the vision of life as a garden which we can cultivate.
Alberto Quero
Human Book in Lennoxville
Story Title: Resilience
Born in Maracaibo (Venezuela), Alberto’s mother tongue is Spanish. In Venezuela, he attended the University of Zulia, where he graduated with a degree in literature and linguistics. He also completed a master's degree in literature and a doctorate in humanities, publishing six collections of short stories and two poetry collections in Spanish. In Venezuela, he has won several literary awards and is mentioned in three dictionaries of Venezuelan writers and two directories of Ibero-American writers. In Venezuela, he has always worked as a teacher of English, French and Spanish for foreigners, and works as a volunteer journalist.
Kerwins
Human Book in Lennoxville
Story Title: The Cœur Wins
The Cœur Wins tells the story of a young man from a Haitian background who had to learn to navigate his way through Quebec culture, between family heritage, identity and a sense of belonging. Raised with strong values of solidarity, respect, and leadership, he understands early on that his greatest strength lies not only in his skills or visible achievements, but in his ability to lead with humanity.
Between the challenges of integration, silences, misunderstandings, and quiet victories, he learns to listen, bring people together, and move forward without ever denying who he is. Little by little, he discovers that you can find your place, influence and even win — not by crushing others, but by moving forward with your heart.
It is a story of resilience, identity and leadership rooted in empathy — a way of saying that sometimes the greatest courage is to remain true to yourself.
Anthony Di Primio
Human Book in Deux-Montagnes
Story Title: Don’t Let Others Determine Your Success
I have been running my events business for 5 years now, called MYCITY Events, and over this time I have had to deal with many different types of people and situations. As of now, my business operates all over Quebec and occasionally across Canada, although, to grow it to what it is today I have had to go through some interesting and tough setbacks. The moral of my story is, if you have a good vision, and one that can not only benefit you but many around you, then you should figure out ways to make it work and not give up, since things do end up working out with the appropriate work and effort. Never be pushed back by people who can't relate with you and who do not understand what you are striving for. Of course, you need to be smart and seek knowledge from those who know but never let others be the reason you stop achieving your dreams.
Phoebe Norman
Human Book in Deux-Montagnes
Story Title: The Language of Home
Even though English is my first language, I grew up in a small French-speaking village and went to school in French as well. For years, I always felt excluded or never really felt like I belonged to a group because of the language barrier. When I moved to Montreal, I finally felt like I belonged, with more English speakers around me. Now I can feel comfortable anywhere, whether in a French-speaking or English-speaking environment.
Zelia Norman
Human Book in Deux-Montagnes
Story Title: Between two languages
I believe that I have a good story to tell about my life and how being English in a French community was difficult. I love to talk to other people and help them understand how different people have different life stories. I believe that my story could help other young people that live in the same situation as me.
Ewen Poncy
Human Book in Deux-Montagnes
Story Title: A different voice in every city
As someone born in France, French was my first language. I moved to the US when I was young and had to quickly learn English to be able to pursue an education in English. A few years later I moved to Montreal and here English is very useful but I still had to readapt because for the first time in my life school was in French. Even though it’s my first language, I now used it outside of home and had to learn all the differences between France French and Quebec French.
Cyndelle Gagnon
Human Book in Gaspé
Story Title: Returning home: a brief history of migration
Born in Gaspé, exiled to Quebec City for six years to study, I am now back in my hometown. From this experience, shared by so many Gaspésians and neo-Gaspésians, we return transformed and carrying with us lessons that are worth sharing!