ABOUT
THIS
PROGRAM
Lit Roots: Caribbean English Literature & Cultural Action Program is a transformative initiative by Playmas Montreal Cultural Association, dedicated to preserving, exploring, and celebrating Caribbean literature, oral history, and cultural expression within Quebec’s English-speaking Caribbean community.
Running from JUNE to DECEMBER, this 7-month program is designed to engage youth, adults, elders, writers, educators, artists, and cultural practitioners in a series of literature circles, cultural analysis sessions, oral history activities, creative writing workshops, and digital storytelling labs.
Through this program, participants will have the opportunity to read, analyze, create, and share meaningful work rooted in Caribbean stories, language, identity, and heritage. The program will culminate in a bilingual Digital Exhibition and a Documentary Short Film, ensuring that the voices, reflections, and cultural contributions of the community are preserved and shared widely.
Join us in honouring Caribbean literature, preserving our stories, and celebrating the cultural roots that continue to shape our community today.
This program is funded and supported by the Government of Canada.
MISSION
Our mission is to actively engage the English Black community in the Montreal region by providing educational and creative platforms that preserve and celebrate our rich cultural heritage. We aim to foster a sense of cultural continuity, ensuring that our traditions, stories, and customs are not lost but cherished and passed down through generations. By highlighting the achievements and contributions of Black individuals, we strive to create a more inclusive and historically aware community.
LIT ROOTS PROGRAM OVERVIEW
LITERARY CIRCLES & CULTURAL ANALYSIS
Read. Reflect. Connect.
The first phase of Lit Roots begins with Literary Circles and Cultural Analysis Sessions, creating a space where participants can come together to explore Caribbean literature, oral traditions, and cultural narratives through conversation, reflection, and shared learning.
Through guided discussions, participants will read and engage with Caribbean novels, poetry, short stories, oral texts, and cultural writings that reflect themes of identity, migration, resistance, language, belonging, heritage, and community life. These sessions encourage participants to think critically about the stories that have shaped Caribbean experiences while drawing meaningful connections to present-day realities.
The Literary Circles are designed to foster community engagement and open dialogue in an inclusive and welcoming environment. Participants are encouraged to share perspectives, personal reflections, and lived experiences while learning from one another across generations.
The Cultural Analysis Sessions take the discussions deeper by examining historical context, symbolism, language, cultural expression, and social themes found within Caribbean literature and storytelling traditions. These sessions help participants better understand the relationship between literature, culture, history, and identity.
Together, these experiences lay the foundation for the creative, heritage, and storytelling work that follows throughout the program.
Participants Will:
Read and discuss Caribbean literary works
Explore themes connected to culture, history, and identity
Engage in intergenerational conversations and reflection
Examine language, idioms, and storytelling traditions
Build community through shared dialogue and cultural exploration
Develop deeper connections to Caribbean heritage and lived experiences
Participants will complete the program with their own literary analysis, cultural reflections, commentary, or creative written work inspired by Caribbean literature and heritage.
Oral History Sessions
Listen. Preserve. Honour.
The Oral History Sessions create a meaningful space for elders and community members to share personal stories, cultural memories, traditions, and lived experiences that reflect the richness of Caribbean heritage and identity.
These sessions are designed to preserve the voices and histories that are often passed down through conversation, storytelling, music, family traditions, migration experiences, and community life. Through guided conversations and recorded storytelling sessions, participants will have the opportunity to reflect on the journeys, lessons, and cultural expressions that connect with literature that continue to shape our communities today.
The Oral History Sessions also strengthen intergenerational connection by bringing youth, adults, and elders together in a respectful and engaging environment where stories can be shared, documented, and celebrated. Participants will contribute to preserving cultural memory while helping future generations better understand the experiences, values, and traditions that form part of the Caribbean experience in Quebec.
Selected stories, reflections, and interviews may contribute to the program’s Digital Exhibition and Documentary Short Film, helping ensure these important voices remain visible and accessible for years to come.
Topics May Include:
Migration and settlement experiences
Caribbean traditions and celebrations
Language, idioms, and storytelling traditions
Community life and cultural identity
Music, arts, and creative expression
Family history and generational wisdom
Historical moments and lived experiences within Quebec’s English-speaking Caribbean community
Would You Like to Contribute?
Do you have a story, memory, or lived experience that deserves to be preserved and shared?
Would you like to contribute to conversations surrounding Caribbean identity, migration, culture, language, music, storytelling, or community life?
Would you like to be a part of these sessions and help preserve the voices, memories, and experiences that continue to shape our community?
Join us for the Oral History recording sessions and become part of a collective effort to honour our stories, preserve our heritage, and inspire future generations.
Creative Writing Workshops
Write. Express. Create.
The Creative Writing Workshops provide participants with a space to explore their voices, experiences, and cultural identity through writing and creative expression. Inspired by the literature, oral histories, and cultural discussions explored throughout the program, participants will be encouraged to transform reflection into creation through poetry, storytelling, literary commentary, spoken word, and personal narrative writing.
These workshops are designed to strengthen confidence, creativity, and cultural connection while introducing participants to different forms of literary and artistic expression rooted in Caribbean storytelling traditions. Through guided prompts, collaborative exercises, and facilitated discussions, participants will explore how writing can be used as a tool for self-expression, preservation, healing, education, and community building.
Participants will also learn how to critically respond to literature and cultural themes by producing their own reflections, analytical responses, and creative written works inspired by the texts and conversations explored in the program.
The workshops create opportunities for emerging writers, youth, adults, and community members to share perspectives, honour lived experiences, and contribute their own voices to the ongoing story of Caribbean culture and identity within Quebec’s English-speaking community.
Workshop Activities May Include:
Poetry and spoken word writing
Literary reflections and commentary
Storytelling and personal narratives
Cultural response writing
Journaling and reflective exercises
Group writing activities and peer sharing
Creative responses inspired by Caribbean literature and oral histories
Our workshops will begin in July and will consist of two sessions per month, for a total of 10 classes. Each month will include one in-person session and one virtual session to support accessibility and wider participation.
Each session will be 3 hours long and will begin with a guided literary analysis of selected Caribbean texts. Participants will explore themes, language, culture, identity, migration, heritage, and storytelling traditions. The second part of each session will focus on creative writing prompts, skill-building exercises, and reflective writing activities that help participants develop their own literary responses, cultural commentary, and original creative work.
By the end of the 10 sessions, participants will have strengthened their ability to read, analyze, reflect, and create while producing written pieces that may be included in the digital exhibition and final showcase.
READY TO START? CHOOSE YOUR PATHWAY!
Our Stories Continue With Us
Lit Roots is more than a program. It is a community of readers, writers, storytellers, elders, youth, and cultural ambassadors working together to preserve and celebrate our literary and cultural heritage.
The stories we read, write, share, and preserve today become the legacy we pass on tomorrow.
Are You Passionate About Literature, Storytelling & Culture?
Lit Roots is looking for:
– Readers
– Writers
– Storytellers
– Elders
– Youth Leaders
– Artists & Cultural Practitioners
Join us as we explore Caribbean literature, preserve oral histories, create original works, and strengthen community connections through storytelling and cultural expression.
Fill out the form below!
REGISTER NOW TO JOIN THE LIT ROOTS PROGRAM!
FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA
