About

In an effort to build public understanding of the unique realities youth refugees face,we brought together Montreal and Toronto based educators, filmmakers, policy advocates, service providers, and youth with refugee experiences. We were part of two research-based projects originating at Concordia University: Life Stories of Montrealers displaced by war, genocide and human rights and Mapping Memories. Our primary partner was the Canadian Council for Refugees and we collaborated with service groups including Project Refuge, YWCA, Cotes-des-Neiges Youth Centre, Express, and AGIR.

We led ten projects with women, youth, artists, and LGBTQ refugees. We worked at shelters, youth centres, and at the Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling (COHDS) at Concordia, offering individuals a chance to express themselves creatively, to learn new media skills, to develop networks and to share their experiences with others.

Mapping Memory Team: 

Principal Researcher and Director: Liz Miller

While hundreds of individuals helped us on each project our core team included:
Educational Coordinator and Curriculum Advisor: Michele Luchs
Canadian Council of Refugees Liaison: Colleen French
Production Coordinator: Gracia Dyer Jalea
Youth facilitators: Ayanda Dube, Stephanie Gasana, Leontine Uwababyeyi

Thanks for the support of:

Rania Arabi, Suhail AbualSameed, Janet Dench, Steve High, Ed Lee, Rebecca Lessard, Michele Smith, Martha Stiegman, Sylvain Thibault, Jeff Traynor, Kevin Stanley and all of the facilitators, students and volunteers who generously donated their expertise!

Funding provided by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Additional support generously provided by Concordia University, and the Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling.