To provide accompaniment, to lend assistance with flight
Rewritten Article:
"We ain't about talk, we're about action, and we're reaping the rewards, right here, right now in life." That's how Carla Beauvais describes the operations of the Dynastie Foundation, which she co-founded in 2016. Ever since, this organization has been providing support and guidance to Black individuals excelling in culture, media, and arts – through events like the Dynastie Summit this week, the Dynastie Gala on Saturday, or their training and mentoring programs.
According to Beauvais, the discussion about diversity, inclusion, and representation has made progress in recent years. "Now we're seeing representation," she says.
More Afro-descendant artists are gaining access to more platforms, some of which may have seemed inaccessible a few years back – like Lakay Nou, the Radio-Canada TV series brought to life by Frédéric Pierre and Ricardo Trogi, narrating the story of a Haitian-origin Quebec family.
"There's been a wake-up call to the richness of diversity, and the conversation itself has become richer," adds Beauvais.
The Dynastie Foundation has evolved as well. As Garihanna Jean-Louis, the first Black woman to graduate from the National School of Humor in 2017, puts it, the Foundation now offers more resources, programs, and has become more visible. Jean-Louis hosted Saturday's gala and was a mentor in one of these programs last winter. Called Laugh on Stage, it provided 10 participants with weekly sessions to understand humor mechanics, develop their persona, and control their body in a performance space.
Columnist Vanessa Destiné called the training "phenomenal and fruitful." "I was writing humorous columns at The Day (is still young), and I felt I needed tools to pack a punch," she explains.
Destiné learned there tactics like the rule of three in humor – setting up a series with two predictable and logical elements, then breaking the coherence with a third and contrasting element to create comic effect. For Destiné, learning among Black people allows for affirmation and validation. "Whites might not find us funny. It's not because we're not, but because we're not for them."
Carla Beauvais believes that "accompanying intentionally, that's more powerful than corporate policies promoting diversity, inclusion, and representation. It's real, and it lasts."
The temporary amongst-ourselves allowed Destiné to learn about the alternation of communication and cultural codes. "Just like we don't express ourselves the same way if we're just with girls or around men, we express ourselves differently among Black people."
Mastering knowledge, consciousness, and navigation of these codes helps Destiné deliver messages more effectively, and she can recognize when she might trigger laughter or discomfort "if I make a joke about menstruations, for example."
Jean-Louis confirms: "Laughter might be universal, but humor is extremely cultural." She emphasizes the beauty in sharing, in democratizing humor and making it accessible for all.
And for her, transmission is important; crucial even. "If we don't prioritize transmission, we lose; our spirits lose. Nothing exists without transmission." In her view, mentorship acts as a fantastic springboard, "because it's tangible. With the Cohort Rire en scène, we've seen what participants gained. They no longer suffer from imposter syndrome, they dive in, in diverse environments."
"Several have created their own platforms – as the Dynastie Foundation doesn't offer stages. The arts are challenging for everyone practicing them, but we see that with support, we're capable of creating our own markets. Our stories are interesting, for everyone."
At the beginning of the Dynastie Foundation, "we hadn't anticipated all that was needed to support our mission," admits Carla Beauvais, for whom the current challenge is the expansion of the Foundation.
Like many organizations, the Dynastie Foundation is currently managing cuts while attempting to ensure its longevity. The Rire en scène program will not return this year for this reason. Finding funding is the priority.
The Dynastie Gala takes place this Saturday at the Maisonneuve Theatre.
Suggested Reading
A Powerful Winter Storm Hits Southern QuebecSouthern Quebec is bracing for its largest snowfall of the winter season, with 20 to 35 centimeters expected.
Testimony at Rozon Trial Reveals Widespread AssaultA woman recounted a consensual sexual relationship that soon turned terrifying at the trial of Jean Rozon.
Extended Family for a Quebec ChildThe Superior Court invalidated over 40 articles of the Civil Code, recognizing the possibility of a Quebec child having more than two parents.
Must-Watch Video
You can check out the video section for brief, interesting clips on topics from around the web.
- The culture and lifestyle of Black individuals in Quebec, particularly in the spheres of media, arts, fashion, beauty, education, and self-development, are increasingly being defined and empowered by organizations like the Dynastie Foundation.
- The Dynastie Foundation, co-founded by Carla Beauvais in 2016, offers a variety of resources, events such as the Dynastie Summit and Dynastie Gala, and training programs to support Black artists and professionals striving for excellence.
- As Afro-descendant artists gain more access to various platforms, including mainstream media like Radio-Canada, the representation of diverse voices and perspectives in Quebec's culture and media landscape is becoming richer and more inclusive.
- In addition to providing resources, the Dynastie Foundation fosters a supportive community where Black artists can learn, grow, and develop their skills, as exemplified by the Laugh on Stage program that offers weekly sessions to help participants understand humor mechanics and control their performance space.
