In this episode, we had the chance to speak with Francisco Vidal, Executive Director of Sojourn House, a Toronto-based non-profit that provides emergency shelter, transitional housing and comprehensive support to newly arrived refugees.
Every year, the Ontario Coalition of Service Providers for Refugee Claimants organizes the Refugee Soccer Cup, and Sojourn House takes part. The 2026 edition came with a very special context: the FIFA World Cup was being held in Toronto!
Francisco explains why this event means so much to the community, the benefits he sees among participants, and takes us behind the scenes of the 2026 edition, including all the changes the World Cup brought.
Listen now, link in bio!

Dans cet épisode, nous avons le plaisir de recevoir Ophélie Lemieux, enseignante en francisation.

À travers son expérience, elle nous plonge au cœur de ses cours et nous parle des défis qu’elle rencontre, mais aussi des réussites qui marquent son quotidien. Elle nous partage sa façon d’enseigner, de créer des liens et d’accompagner les personnes nouvellement arrivées dans leur apprentissage du français.

In this episode, we had the chance to speak with Arzou, a student who is now a refugee, who came to Canada on her own to study at the age of 11.

She looks back on her academic journey and her life in Canada, but also discusses the difficulties of being separated from her family and the challenges of settling in, as well as her feelings of guilt for having access to education when women in Afghanistan are denied it.

She also shares her experience of the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, whilst she was visiting the country, and the impact such an experience can have on education.

We would like to thank Arzou for sharing her story with us!

In this new episode, we are delighted to welcome Basel Abu Hamra, Programme Facilitator for the ‘Rainbow Refugee’ programme at the Edmonton Newcomer Reception Centre and Vice-President of the Canadian Council for Refugees.

Starting as a simple community initiative with just seven members, the Rainbow Refugee programme has grown into a genuine support network for over 1,500 members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community who have recently arrived in Canada.

Through this programme, we discuss the systemic barriers faced by these individuals, as well as Bill C-12 and its disproportionate impact on 2SLGBTQIA+ people, and also explore people’s journeys towards coming out and finding safety.

Dans cet épisode, nous recevons Josu Otaegi Alcaide, responsable du plaidoyer et des partenariats au Centre Communautaire LGBTQ+ de Montréal.
À travers leur programme “La boussole LGBTQ+” qui accompagne les personnes immigrantes et demandeuses d’asile 2SLGBTQIA+, nous discutons des réalités vécues par les personnes et des nombreux obstacles qui jalonnent leur parcours vers la protection.
Nous abordons notamment la loi C-12 et ses conséquences ainsi que les répercussions des coupures dans le Programme fédéral de santé intérimaire (PFSI) sur les personnes.
Écoutez l’épisode dès maintenant, disponible sur toutes les plateformes d’écoute ! https://ccglm.org/la-boussole-lgbtq/

Découvrez notre nouvel épisode, avec notre invité Pascal Guay, ingénieur logiciel et expert en transformation par l'intelligence artificielle.
Il partage sa vision de la technologie non pas comme une barrière, mais comme un formidable outil de confiance et d'émancipation pour les personnes réfugiées et demandeuses d’asile.
Pascal revient sur son expérience d'accompagnement auprès de jeunes aux parcours atypiques et de personnes nouvellement arrivées, expliquant comment l'IA permet de briser les obstacles linguistiques ou éducatifs. Il nous montre comment ces outils permettent à chacun de passer du statut d'utilisateur passif à celui de créateur en transformant des idées en projets concrets
Écoutez notre épisode dès maintenant, disponible sur toutes les plateformes d’écoute !

In this episode, we welcome Yasmeen Leclerc, a video game producer best known for her work on South of Midnight. She reflects on her journey in an industry that is still largely dominated by white men and shares the challenges she has faced as a young Palestinian woman of color.
She also highlights the importance of inclusive workplaces and initiatives that help people from underrepresented communities build supportive networks.
Drawing on her experience working on South of Midnight, Yasmeen explains why diversity within development teams is a powerful driver of creativity, leading to games that are richer, more authentic, and more representative!

In this episode of Point of Entry into Screens and Realities, we welcome Syeda Bukhari Director of the South Asian Film Festival of Montreal. Together, we explore how independent cinema can serve as a powerful lens through which to reflect the complex realities of marginalized communities and challenge stereotypes.
From her role as a professor at Concordia University to her upcoming documentary on international students, Syeda shares why every story brought to the screen should have a purpose and leave a lasting impact.