Roundtable
May 20 | 6 to 7 p.m.
Roundtable – Solidarity and Artistic Exchange Between Afro-Descendant and Indigenous Communities
Free Activity | Space is limited, Reservation required
The McCord Stewart Museum, in collaboration with the Festival Afropolitain Nomade, invites you to attend a roundtable discussion rooted in a shared commitment to strengthening ties, fostering dialogue and encouraging collaboration between Afro-descendant and Indigenous communities.
The speakers will highlight the historical and contemporary connections between these communities, explore artistic practices as pathways to healing, and open up perspectives for co-creation and alliance-building in the fields of live arts, performance and artistic creation.
During this discussion, the panelists will address key themes including memory, intergenerational transmission, the fight against systemic racism, and the fundamental role of art in building vibrant, lasting forms of solidarity.
Presented as part of the year-round programming for the exhibition Indigenous Voices of Today: Knowledge, Trauma, Resilience.
Speakers
- Lydol – Slam poet, author and engaged artist (Cameroon)
- Soleil Launière – Interdisciplinary artist, Innu and Québécoise
Hosted by Vanessa Kanga (Canada/Cameroon)
Information
- Free activity in French, on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, from 6 to 7 p.m.
- Duration: 60 minutes
- Location: J. Armand Bombardier Theatre at the Museum
Is the activity you’re interested in fully booked? Show up 15 minutes early to get on the waiting list. Places may become available before the start of the activity.
Meet the speakers
Lydol – Slam poet, author and engaged artist (Cameroon)
Lydol is a leading figure on Cameroon’s contemporary poetic scene. Her practice, combining slam, literature and social engagement, addresses questions of identity, African feminisms, memory and diasporic realities. She has performed internationally and leads educational and community projects centred on self-expression, knowledge-sharing and youth empowerment.
Soleil Launière – Artiste interdisciplinaire (Innue et Québécoise)
Soleil Launière is a multidisciplinary artist whose work brings together performance, voice, theatre and visual arts. Her creations explore hybrid identity, memory, land and contemporary ritual. She is known for deeply moving, powerful works that are firmly rooted in Indigenous realities and spiritualities.
Moderator: Vanessa Kanga
Vanessa Kanga – Director of the Festival Afropolitain Nomade, Head of the Culture and Libraries Department of the Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough, producer and artist. She will moderate the discussion, drawing on her expertise in cultural mediation, artistic diplomacy and Afro-diasporic collaborative creation.
Exhibition
Ongoing
Indigenous Voices of Today: Knowledge, Trauma, Resilience
The exhibition bears witness to the still unrecognized knowledge of Indigenous peoples in Quebec and Canada as well as the deep wounds they carry and their incredible resilience. About one hundred carefully selected cultural belongings from the Museum’s Indigenous Cultures collection are combined with more than eighty powerful inspiring stories (texts and videos) from members of the 11 Indigenous nations in Quebec, shedding light on their knowledge and philosophies.
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