Farah Fancy co-founded Le Groupe Herencias. She is an artist, artist doula, manager, producer, community worker and consultant who, for over 25 years, has been using the arts as a mechanism to teach about equality, rights, personal histories, self actualization and community bridging through ethnographic creations and projects. She is rooted in working with cross cultural populations to engage in arts practices with a diversity of communities across class, ethnicity, ability, gender, and generation to overcome emotional and cultural barriers. As a consultant, Farah also works with organizations and institutions to show how art can be a tool to resolve structural problems within organizations, foster economic development, and facilitate cultural understanding.

Julio Hong was born in Havana where he absorbed the rich dance traditions of Cuba earning a Diploma in Classical Ballet from the National School of Arts (ENA) and in 1994, a Masters degree in Dramaturgy and Theatre from the Superior Institution of Art (ISA). In 1999, Julio joined Compagnie Marie Chouinard, where he danced for 6 years, followed by a year with RUBBERBANDance, 4 years with the popular television show Le Match des Étoiles, and performed in Joe Dassin, Sherazade, Motown and regularly with Cirque du Soleil. Julio then founded the Afro Cuban Association of Montreal and cofounded Le Groupe Herencias. His choreographic style is a fusion of contemporary dance, traditional dance, ballet technique, movements from daily life, and ritual. Yemayo, Orun Seko, The Aristocrat and Cervantes are only a few of his recent creations.

Lisa Ndejuru received her master’s degree in clinical counseling from Université de Sherbrooke, and is certified in Moreno psychodrama, community mediation and third party neutral conflict resolution facilitation. She is a transdisciplinary PhD candidate at Concordia University, and a skilled practitioner of playback theatre. Lisa co-founded the Montreal-based Living Histories Ensemble. Born in Rwanda, she has served the Rwandan diaspora in North America for more than 20 years as an organizer, researcher and activist. Her extensive experimentation with storytelling, play and improvised theatre aims for individual and collective meaning-making and empowerment in the aftermath of large-scale political violence.