Panel | By and for: Different Ways to Serve Your Community

“By and For: Different Ways of Serving One's Community” highlights “by and for” as a strategy for survival, resistance, and collective transformation. Moderated by Christen Marlot, this panel will bring together Céleste Trianon, founder of Juritrans and trans rights activist; Silas James, co-director of TransmascMTL and community organizer; and Carla Thélusma, president of the OSCPDH and general coordinator of FestiFierté. Through their realities, experiences, and commitments, the panelists will highlight concrete ways to support, defend, and advance their communities, while reminding us that when systems fail to protect us, “by and for” becomes an essential political act.

Free event; no registration required.

Christen Marlot (host)
Christen Marlot is an actress, a performing artist, and the former host of the show “Queercorps” on CKUT 90.3 FM. Whether on stage, on the radio, or in front of a camera, give her a good topic and she’ll deliver something even better.

Céleste Trianon, Juritrans (panelist)
As the founder of the Juritrans Legal Clinic, a frequent event organizer, and a law graduate, Céleste Trianon is at the forefront of the fight for trans rights in Quebec and across Canada. She provides pro bono services to the trans, two-spirit, and non-binary communities she serves, having already helped over a thousand people across multiple jurisdictions obtain legal name and gender changes. A woman who is often seen in the media or at protests, she dreams of a world in which “justice” is not merely a dream or a theoretical concept, but rather something that everyone can experience.

Silas Dixon, Transmasc MTL (panelist)
With his unmistakable Ontario accent, Silas James (he/him) is a writer, graphic designer, and queer and transgender event organizer based in Tiohtià:ke/Montreal. Since 2020, he has been involved in community-based and autonomous cooperatives and collectives across the city, notably as vice-president of Rock Camp Montréal and co-director of TransmascMTL. With a background in cooperative and trans-led organizing, he excels at translating complex realities into language that people can actually use and rally around.

Carla Thélusma, OSCPDH (panelist)
Carla Thélusma is a 32-year-old transgender woman of Haitian descent, a dedicated activist, and president of the OSCBDH. She is also the general coordinator of the FestiFierté festival, as well as a professional actress and singer.