Background

Anecdotally, I'll just say that when I first brought up the idea of a poc-run festival, I faced a great deal of resistance. Long-time qpoc MTL organizers were against it. They felt that it was risky and wrong to organize without white allies.

 

The first year was completely started by outsiders and newcomers to MTL:

Elisha Lim from Toronto, Kama from Peterborough, Marseau from Philly.

Others joined after some momentum picked up.

I think this part of the story has been left out of the Qouleur origin tale.

 

Starting this festival was an uphill battle, but I'm very proud of our small group of outsiders.

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                                                                                                                -- Elisha Lim