Designing for Belonging: Lessons from the IN/EX/CLUSIVE Panel

On September 27, 2026, IN/EX/CLUSIVE brought fashion, art, accessibility, and community together at Articule as part of the official Montreal Fashion Week lineup. Co-produced by Origami Customs and Elio Choquette, the event was built around a simple but important question: What do we do when we stop asking whether there’s room for our bodies in fashion and start making the room ourselves?

Throughout the afternoon and evening, that question came up again and again. Designers, artists, organizers, and community members gathered to talk about what inclusion actually looks like when we move beyond the buzzwords and start changing the systems, spaces, and practices that leave people out.

The “By Us, For Us, With Us: Fat Liberation & Community Organizing” Panel

In this panel, Indigenous artist, designer, curator, and educator Amanda Lickers, artist, performer, and community organizer Adania Reyes, and architect and inclusive design consultant Elio Choquette discuss what meaningful inclusion looks like in practice, from architecture and fashion to community organizing and cultural spaces.

Together, they explore Indigenous design sovereignty, disability, fat liberation, and queer and trans inclusion, asking who gets to shape the spaces we move through and whose expertise is taken seriously. They speak candidly about the challenges of advocating for change in systems that often treat accessibility and inclusion as afterthoughts, and the importance of creating spaces where people can show up, connect, and feel a sense of belonging.

At the heart of the conversation is a shared belief that inclusion means more than inviting people into spaces that were never designed with them in mind. It means questioning who those spaces serve, whose knowledge informs them, and who gets to make decisions. Because building something more inclusive requires more than representation, it requires listening, sharing power, and creating room for people to shape the world around them.

Watch the video or read the transcript below!

Panel Transcript

Presentation By Amanda Lickers About Her Art Practice

Amanda

Greetings, everyone. My name is Amanda Lickers. I’m Seneca of Six Nations of the Grand River, which is a sister Haudenosaunee community to Kahnawà:ke and Kanesatake, and Mohawks, the Kanien’kehá:ka, as you may know. Here we are in Montréal, unceded, unsurrendered Kanien’kehá:ka territory.

So I'm an artist, a designer, a curator, and an educator. And I'm gonna talk a little bit about my practice first. So this is just some of my art up here. It shows a motif of what we call the sky dome. So, like, that sort of domed image. And then the three inside represent the Three Sisters. And then this is also commonly found on our pottery, this hash mark pattern. So actually, these are porcupine quilts that I took photos of in the studio, and then I digitized them to overlay to create this piece. And it's also a photograph of some moose hair, some of the fur.

And so this is some photography. So a lot of my focus is land-body sovereignty. And so actually, Frantz Fanon talks about this: how the body is a site of experiencing colonial violence. But also, even in land-based practices, it is a site of connection with our environment. And so that's where our cultural transmission passes through our bodies and passes intergenerationally within our communities as we learn and grow together.

And so here we have a colleague working on some fire. And these are just some Polaroids as well. So this is from my short film Everlasting, that's at the Canadian Centre for Architecture. I'll talk a little bit more about that later. But here is a bunch of deer hides that we're working on. And the backdrop, actually, on the right is some fish skin leather that I produce. So I actually do hide tanning. So I do fish skin leather out of tea, like a tea tanning solution. And I do brain tanning of moose, deer, and all kinds of animals.

So my work also really focuses on this idea of design sovereignty, which is emerging in the Indigenous design world, and recognizing that we dismantle colonization by design and address the impacts of dispossession and state violence. And so this is sort of like design justice and our ability to self-determine our environments. So I work professionally as an Indigenous co-design facilitator and visitor experience designer. So visitor experience, the way to kind of put it, like Elio is an architect. So they build the building, like they build the restaurant, and then I build a menu.

And so the idea is, like, visitor experiences your way, finding your art activation, how you're relating to the space, what stories you're receiving from the space. And one of the biggest projects I guess I've worked on is this one here. It's a community centre that's opening in Toronto at Rouge National Urban Park, Canada's first national urban park, opening in 2027, with the First Nations Advisory Circle, over 10 communities, Two Row Architects, Mariama Tashima Architects, and so we actually did a collaborative design process.

So the concept was something that we worked on all together. So it wasn't just A and B, like architects and engineers on one side deciding what to do. The visitor experience, the concept, and cultural sensibilities were built into the design process, which is actually not usually how they do things. So it's pretty cool to see more collabs. Yeah.

So this is just a little overview of Rouge Park, but we'll just skip through it. And here you go. And look, this is exactly the rendering. This is the same stuff that Elio was talking about. It's all these, like, mostly white guys. We got a couple of men of colour in here. You know, they're all dudes too, and they're just kind of like, it's not. And even the chairs and stuff that they're sitting on, it's just an illustration of what Elio said. Yeah.

Okay, so here's me. Now we're getting to the good stuff. So hide tanning. So this actually was at Banff Centre for the Arts. I did a residency there in 2024, their inaugural hide tanning and fur flesh residency. And so this is me working on actually buffalo hides. And so we're with the Buffalo People's Art Institute, and they talk about how buffalo builds kinship.

And so this process of working on hides, we're really utilizing our body for the art practice. It's cultural transmission, you know, it's a land-based practice. And so there's a real intersection. You know, what happens to our lands happens to our bodies as Indigenous people. And this is us working on some bone tools, just to give you something. So every year now, we've been doing hide camps with a group called T.O.S., which means “It Grows” in [?]. And so this is some of the work that we're up to. This is not, this is not an easy-to-read slide, I realize, but it says Buckskin Babes.

So I'm part of an urban moose hide tanning collective here in Montreal called the Buckskin Babes. These are our elders. So this process wouldn't be possible without residential school survivors who actually kept these teachings alive, and they passed them along. So if it wasn't for Gracie Rat and Eleanor Hagland, we wouldn't be able to be part of reawakening this practice.

So we always like to acknowledge our knowledge keepers. And actually, Gracie, she's from Algonquin territory. Kitty Gannick, sort of near Barrier Lake. And her nickname is the Roadkill Queen. She's deadly. So this is what we're doing. We're bringing the bush to the city. Yeah. So this is the best CBC article ever. That's about us. I really recommend checking it out. And this is from our hide camps, Urban Native things. Anyone who lives in Montreal can recognize those.

So that's a moose hide. Raw, fleshed, like we got. It's heavy, you know. Anyways, that was the front porch. So where are we doing this hide tanning? I'm not going to go into Batimonset. It has lore. There's a whole backstory on B7. But where we're doing it is Batimonset in Pointe-Saint-Charles. So we had a feast to decide what we're going to name our site. And this is, like, so design world. This is, like, landscape architects, but so this is us. This is our humble lot for our 16-by-16 A-frame.

And we're opening up. Yes, Park Yongo inauguration, actually next Saturday at B. So basically, it used to be a CN Rail yard, and so they had to bioremediate the soil, and now it's been going on in process for a really long time. And they're like, “Hey, you guys keep doing this hide tanning. Like, do you want any infrastructure, maybe?” And we're like, “That's great. We'd love some running water, electricity, like, just the amenities.” And so we worked with the City of Montreal, the landscape architects, and me as an Indigenous co-design facilitator and visitor experience designer. I was like, “I can help to co-design this.”

And so we did, and now it's opening up. It's been like two years, and there's all kinds of tea; there's all kinds of drama. But we, you know, with the city, it's like up and down. You get a new mayor and suddenly the funding's gone, things like that. But we have amazing artist CB, who's the first one there. She's actually Cree from Eeyou Istchee up north, and she's actually a Juno-nominated artist.

So it's a free outdoor concert. So the municipal park area that was remediated, we got to name it Park in Guacha Terono, which means “we've gathered” in [?]. And we also have DJ Pop Tart. She's from the Mohawk Nation of Indigenous Makers Market. And then, so me, I'm an Indigenous Land Restitution Research Creation Fellow at the Canadian Centre for Architecture.

And so I got a research fellowship there, and I was working on a short film that's actually now on exhibition until November 8th, which is a 14-month run. So this is part of my research. This is just sort of like going into the archives, you know, just to give you guys a sense visually. And then, so this is a shot from the film, and it's a little... I'm not going to read this copy because I only have five minutes.

Yeah, so it's beautiful. It's like, it's called, it's like, it's called Everlasting: Unceded Landscapes, Unsurrendered Practices. So it looks at placekeeping through film and following urban land-based practices in the city. And that Indigenous people often, in land acknowledgments, are positioned in the past. But we're actually here, and we're continuing on into the future. So that short film is up at the CCA until November 8th. And then I have another art thing at the FOFA Gallery, which is up and it shows hide tanning too. It's really cool. And it's up until November 20th. Thank you.

Panel Discussion

Elio

Thank you, thank you so much for listening. I actually got the chance to see your film at that screening a couple of months ago, and so I highly encourage all of you to go to CCA and see it. Yeah, that's wonderful. And now, before we get into our topic, I just want to give the mic to Adania, who's coming all the way from Calgary just for this event.

Adania

Before I start, let me pull something out of my phone. Hi everyone. My name is Adania Reyes. I am a settler in Treaty 7, also known as Calgary. And I was born in Anáhuac, also known as Mexico. And I'm very happy to be here in this edition of IN/EX/CLUSIVE, the very first one. Thank you for inviting me. And Montreal has been a beautiful place that I am falling in love with. And I am currently a student in my second year for drama. I did drama before when I was a teenager, 20 years ago or more. And I decided to continue my education here and build connections with people because that's what I love to do. And last year I had an event named Fat Fashion Fair.

It was a fashion show and convention, very much like what we're doing today, but with a fashion show and musicians and a market as well. And we had a bit over 100 people attending, or so. And it was a great place where we had lots of fun and made a lot of new connections. I just want to share with you.

I don't have a strong curriculum like you, unfortunately, but I have a lot of love in my heart, and I... And I wrote this poem for you this morning. It's called Come Unity, and it says,

“I speak out loud. I raise my brows. I touch gently, gasp quietly. I can tell you how I feel, what's in my heart, what's on my mind. You listen attentively. We communicate. We come together not only when life allows. We strive to make plans; we tumble, yet here we are. Your fingers cross mine, hand in hand. You are a rock in my life. I see you, how hard you try; you see me, how much I admire. Feelings are mutual, never quiet down. Spoken softly through words, spoken loudly through acts. We are unity. And together we build community.”

And thank you so much for the self-organization and other accommodations as well.

Elio

Well, you're welcome. We think it's like one of the things that... Well, it's funny because I just realized I was like, I didn't really introduce myself and talk about my work. I was so, like, excited to hear about everyone's, so maybe I'll do, like, the CliffsNotes of my work.

So, as I mentioned, I'm an architect, and I also am a consultant for inclusive design. And so I've had, like, I'm a queer and trans and disabled person who is from not quite Montreal, but very close to. And, yeah, I've been an architect for almost 10 years now and practicing architecture for 14. So I had a lot of, like, questions about architecture, if I wanted to stay. Like, because it's a very intense world, and as a neurodivergent and disabled person, it's really not accessible.

Many times in my career, I had moments where, like, do I even want to do this? And the reason I stayed is I ended up learning a lot about accessibility and wanting to connect my own experience of disability with the built environment. And then I went and, like, started learning about universal design. And then that led me to inclusive design.

So universal design basically is looking at space and trying to make it accessible for all. For all this, like, no matter capacities, age, and body. But it mostly just looks at visibility. It doesn't have a lot of intersections with, you know, are you a parent who's carrying a child? Are you a person in a larger body? Are you queer or trans? And visibly so. And how, like, all of these things also impact the way you navigate a space. So I got into inclusive design.

I worked in many different firms. I was also in facilities management of Concordia, and now I'm teaching at Laurentian University in Sudbury. So it's pretty far, but definitely worth it. And anyway, so this was just, like, for me, inclusive design is, like, something that I'm really passionate about. And so that's why, like, I met Amanda actually at an event, an architecture event. And I'm so glad I did. I'm so glad I actually went and stayed because, like, I feel like these events can be so dreary. And, like, I see all my former colleagues, and they're like, “Hey, what are you up to?”

But, yeah, so it was a very great connection to make. And so, yeah, and then I met Adania last year when Rae and I went to the Fat Fashion Fair because Rae was doing the Runway. And then we both ended up participating in the convention. And, yeah, it was really great to also make other connections with people who are inclusive design consultants.

And so, yeah, so maybe my... Sorry, my notes are on this computer. So, yeah, so, like, my first question, like, hearing everything you've just said, and, like, I think it also connects with what I just said about my practice. But I know that both of you have worked as consultants for brands, firms, and designers to expand inclusion within their work, a specific project, like, you just saw with your projects.

So my question to you would be, like, what is the biggest challenge you face in terms of spaces, and do you find that despite being an expert, you're not always treated as such?

Adania

I feel that our voices are always an afterthought. And I feel like most of the people, when they're building their brand, they come into this place and they're like, “I want to be an inclusive brand.” Or they want to use all the buzzwords, but they don't really want to, one, pay for your time, and two, implement the advice that you give them a lot of the time.

And I'm a fit model as well. I work with fashion brands to help them increase their sizing in their clothing. And sometimes I feel like they don't see me, you know, and I feel like that's one of the biggest challenges while being a fit model and while consulting with other brands. Like, they want input and feedback, but they're not willing to implement those things in the end, which is very tragic.

Amanda

Okay, sorry, can you just rephrase the question again?

Elio

When you’re entering a space where you're asked to be a consultant and share your expertise, especially working with designers who don't share that experience and come from a background of something practical or, like, design. And so, what's, like, the challenges you face, like, entering those spaces or, you know, have you, like, do you feel that sometimes you're the expert and not treated like it?

Amanda

Right, right. Okay. So, so I just finished my master's at Concordia University, and my focus is Indigenous design pedagogy. So now I can throw those papers in their face. Be like, “I got the white man certificate now,” and, you know, then they increase my hourly rate. But one of the biggest challenges is just the level of invisibilization because they're all classically trained in, like, a mainstream sense. And everyone was talking about, what's the default for a body, what's the default for all these things?

And, like, it comes back to white supremacy, settler colonialism. You know, it deeply intersects, like, even, like, you know, going back to zoos, even, and Indigenous folks and Black folks being put into zoos as, like, this thing that was, like, an oddity for Western, like, people, right? So I think that all these histories are happening and kind of morphing in the present, and so there's so much sort of not- I don't like this word because of the connotation- but sort of re-education.

There's a lot of education. And then, okay, so even if they wanted to do it, a lot of the time, they don't even want to do it because, especially in design. So I thought, oh, design, what a cool job field. But it's just like art; you have to constantly apply to these things called bids. And it's like, just like you have to apply to residencies, and, you know, you're constantly applying, applying.

And so one of my mentors who's from Six Nations, from my home community, he's, he started Two Row Architect, Indigenous architecture firm, probably one of the biggest ones in Canada. And he said, you know, if they don't have to have us, they won't, you know. So I think that is very true. And there are so many layers, like, why are there not more Indigenous people in these roles?

And it comes back to systemic reasons, like even through the Indian Act, you know, if you were to get enfranchised, by which means you lose status, if you were to vote in the election or go to post-secondary and get an education, you would lose your Indian status. So these are the sort of structural racism that has positioned us into hyper-invisible spaces.

And so I will say, though, I am very charming, and getting the clients on board is so important because sometimes I'm working with something like Parks Canada. Okay. And I told them, you know, Indigenous people, we don't love your brand; you know, you've got a lot of work to do. And so I really encourage them to push the envelope.

And so, for example, we're going to talk about this in our postmortem from a project, but with the Rouge Park, I pushed them, and we submitted the most robust, what is called Indigenous participation project that PSPC has ever seen. And they're like, “We need to change our standards now.” You know, and so those kinds of incremental moves where, and that's something where there's actually, there's slowly a shift taking place.

So I was recently approached by another firm to apply on a bid, and they said all of the subconsultants- maybe Elio is the only one who understands what I'm talking about right now- but all the subconsultants had to have an Indigenous design consultant on the bid; otherwise they wouldn't qualify. So it's starting to shift in some of these spaces. But you have good intentions, and you have business intentions.

And so I think it's really hard to navigate when you're up against capitalism, but that's where, when you can get the client, at least in this kind of context, I think with people who are building their own brands and fashion, you have to have an ethos and a design ethos and, like, are people willing to align in values and just keep being loud, keep pushing. And also, when projects are successful, we can start to point to them.

So even with the Buckskin Babes, the City of Montreal has been pointing a lot to that project now and saying, like, we need to have more urban cultural spaces to be implemented. So I think it's like, use all the tools you have: social capital, charisma, you know, like, that's why we do makeup sometimes, right?

Like, people talk about that, like, how presentation, people were talking about that, how we can subvert some of these ideas through how we dress, how we present. But then, you know, it's also interesting. Anyways, that's a lot. Thank you.

Elio

I mean, I feel like what you said about, like, business and intentions, or, like, I feel like, you know, there's this thing about architecture that's often perceived as, like, oh, like, architecture with the capital A, or, like, design and, like, this art, the art of the sciences, basically. But it's also such a technical field that is, like, you know, and one reason why I was having such a hard time is, like, half of, like, 90% of, like, what you do is look up materials and, like, what the specs are and how big the expenses are.

Like, you know, it's, like, extremely technical, extremely rooted in money, and very little in actual design. And as someone who was, I started being really interested in accessibility and inclusion; like, in regular firms, I would bring it up, and then we would talk to the client.

That client would be like, “Oh yeah, that's cool.” And then, “Oh, but we don't have the budget.” So the first thing that gets cut is accessibility. And that's one reason why I was like, no, let me try to do my own things. And one of the things I enjoyed at working in facilities management at Concordia was, were the client, and I was hired as, like, an accessibility expert. And, like, being like, “No, no, we need more accessibility.” It was far from perfect. But, you know, it gave me, like, this moment of thinking, like, how do we make it non-negotiable? And I feel like it's great to hear a little change.

Like, it's, you know, like, I'm thrilled to hear that when you bid, you have to have an Indigenous consultant because this is the bare minimum it should be. And I wish that, like, accessibility and inclusion would get the same treatment as sustainability in the design world, and, like, in both fashion and design. I feel like, you know, there's so much about, like, fashion and fast fashion that does cater to people in larger bodies, and, like, it's hard to find sustainable brands that, like, will carry larger sizes. And I feel like it's not dissimilar in, like, design and how, yeah, like, accessibility is just seen as, is not seen as something that is part of sustainability and building for the future.

Which maybe segues into my next question. Which, what, like, lives at the, like, heart of inclusive practices, maybe? Or, like, what's the through line? And, like, how, what does inclusion mean, like, broadly?

Amanda

You know, I could start this one. So for me, I think it's like, this is where design sovereignty was a very interesting term for me to come across, and the idea to have actual self-determination in these spaces, because I think that, you know, with inclusion, it's sort of like there's already a framework, there's already a structure, and now we're incorporating you as an afterthought and starting to try to make space. But it was never really designed for you in the first place. So I feel like we're coming up against different systems. And also there's, like, I think it really differs. 

That's why I really like self-determination and sovereignty, because representation is important.

Like, I think we can all relate to that and how it's so important to see people that look like us, that belong to our communities, that have shared experiences, and to see ourselves, like, within, like, in a life-affirming way in our, in mainstream society and culture, to feel like we exist.

But there's also, like, we, you know, we call it assimilation too. Right. So I think that there's that balance between representation, inclusion, and assimilating now into the body politic of these structures that are actually designed to dispossess us.

So I think that's really why spaces like this are so important, because they are by and for, you know, they're rooted in self-determination and community. And, you know, these are the things that I think actually start to, when they gain momentum, really shift those structures and create alternatives.

Adania

Piggybacking off of what you said, I think the most important part about inclusion is advocacy. There was a saying my grandma used to tell me all the time, and it was, “You look prettier when you're quiet.” And that stuck with me for a long time. And it's only now in my adulthood that I've been learning how to break free from the shackles of silence. And not only silence on the things that I want, the things that I dream of, but also silence for those who do not yet have a voice or who are experiencing the same thing that I was experiencing when I was a kid.

So I think when we have empathy and when we put ourselves in a position where we actually actively listen to what other people are trying to say, it might be a whisper, it might be a loud voice, it might be a drawing or a photograph, it might be represented in different ways. But when we're truly paying attention and living with intention and living presently, then we can be the voices of those who cannot voice themselves. And I think that's the beginning of what inclusion can be.

Elio

Yeah, well, I mean, both of you, like, I feel like again, I feel like we could talk. I can't believe it's already been, like, 25 minutes almost as we've been talking, just because I feel like, yeah, both of you have so much to say. And so maybe, like, maybe I want to say, like, what does, like, as both of you work with community, and so maybe what brought you specifically to working with community and, like, organizing? And, like, as a community organizer myself, I know how hard it can be, but, like, there's also so much beauty in it and so much joy in it. So maybe I just want to hear you talk about, like, how liberation and inclusion go hand in hand with community, and how does it manifest in your work and inform, maybe, your expertise?

Adania

Can I go first? To me, organizing events like the Fat Fashion Fair and very soon a Spanish theatre, I say very soon, but it might take a few years, a Spanish theatre festival, to me is giving people the ability and the space to speak their mind and creating a space where I can feel safe, and therefore some other people may be able to feel safe as well.

Talking about childhood trauma, my grandma, who used to take care of me, she didn't allow us to be with family, and she didn't allow us to create connections with other people. And I feel like that's one of the main reasons why I crave connection so much, because it was something that was forbidden to me. And when I moved out of my parents' place and my grandma's place, I decided that I wanted to create my own community.

And I feel like it's through meeting people and just talking to them. And it doesn't have to be a long, deep talk about the universe. Maybe it can be small talk. And it could be just looking at them face to face, looking into their eyes and acknowledging them and really seeing them for who they are. That's how we build those connections.

And I know it's hard. Like, in my poem I said we tumble, or we stumble, and we try hard to connect. And yet here we are. Like, it might take an airplane, it might take a bus, it might take a message through WhatsApp to connect to those people. But I feel like if we do our best to stay connected, then we can build a roster of people who support us. And I feel like that's why events are so important, because they are the incubator for relationships.

Amanda

That was a good one. I echo that sentiment. I think it's very funny, like, what you're saying about how community organizing is hard sometimes, because I'm going through that right now because October 3rd is our opening. So it's like, oh, we gotta do all the things. And, you know, it's like so much work. I'm like, oh, I'm the graphic designer. And I'm the, like, you're doing, like, 50 jobs. And you're like, okay, this is not even my regular job that actually pays me. So it's definitely passion projects.

But there's something, like, very reciprocal, especially as, like, an Indigenous woman, a queer Indigenous woman. Like, community is survival, and community is literally the space for community organizing. Indians were always doing it. And it's actually- there are some bylaws, like the City of Peterborough, Ontario; I think it might even still be on the books.

But there's, like, all these old, like, sundown bylaws that by Friday, the end of the day, like, Natives had to get out of the city limits, and they couldn't be there for the whole weekend, or even three Indians gathering together was illegal. So there's, like, all these, there's all of these things because they didn't want us to organize as a community. They didn't want us to get together.

So this is through things like, you know, not just the Indian Act, which is federal legislation that helped to build- literally, it's a race-based law that is from the Canadian government- but these are also municipalities within the cities. So there's all of this, basically, you know, legislated apartheid that has forced us to be, like, even on reserve.

I can't remember when it ended, but it was like from the 50s to the 80s; there was this, it was called the pass system. And so you had to apply to the Indian agent in order to leave the territory because they didn't want us off hunting, fishing, harvesting, and having our alternative economies.

And so I think that we have to, especially in the urban space, we have to organize in order to, you know, take back our land and take back our identity and activate the space and decolonize, self-determine our spaces. And that was something that was really beautiful with Buckskin Babes in Batimonset, is we're using a derelict parking lot that was about to get, you know, torn up and remediated because of all of the CN Rail contamination in the soil. And, you know, using it for hide tanning, which is an inherently intergenerational practice.

Whenever we're doing our cultural practices, land-based practices, we have to have our elders and knowledge keepers involved. And we always have youth people from every generation. And traditionally, hide tanning a lot of the time would be done by, like, women and Two-Spirit people. And so it's something. And even Buckskin Babes is an Indigenous woman- and Two-Spirit-led collective. And so it was all about ad hoc, do-it-yourself, grassroots. And sometimes that is so much more efficient than working in big institutional structures because they have all the barriers for you to overcome. So passion project, but, you know, we get it done.

Elio

That's, I think, all the time we have. I mean, I could listen to both of you talk all night. And I'm so grateful for you, for both of you agreeing to come, like, from Calgary and just, like, participate in this and believe in this project. As we said at the beginning, it's been in the back of, like, Rae and Elio's brains for, like, so long.

And to make it happen, to finally have it and create this space, and hopefully the first of many events where we keep these conversations going, we keep uplifting voices that, like, I mean, we did this event specifically during Fashion Week because they're never gonna put on an event like this. They're not gonna talk about inclusive design without being prompted. Like, hey, maybe you should talk about it.

So when we don't see a space for us to fit in, we just decide, well, no one's gonna do it for us. And that's what, like, yeah, by us, with us, for us, you know, and it's a labor of love, but it's just like thinking about today and all the connections, all the wonderful conversations that happen. I'm just excited to see the future. And so I would just want to really thank you and be really grateful for both of you and grateful for our participants and the people who stayed with us through, like, we're running a bit late, but, yeah. And if you have a last word or something you want to say.

Amanda

Yeah, well, I did want to say, like, I think it's so important for this to happen, especially I think one of the sort of pre-conversations that we had too is, like, a lot of the time, like, even intersectional social justice spaces, fat liberation is still an afterthought, and it's still something. I think there's still so much stigma that people face and the level of, like, body fascism with social media and everything that.

And especially now it's getting more extreme. The pendulum is always swinging, but it's getting increasingly more difficult, you know, in the age of Ozempic and things like that. And also the normalization of literally... What do you call that? Not malnourished, but, like, emaciated? Like, yeah, like, so, you know, people who are showing medical signs of, you know, emaciation as being, like, heralded as a new beauty standard.

So it's so cultural, and it's like, kill a cop in your head, you know. It's an ongoing process. I wonder how they're going to sign that one. And it's just so important, especially in Quebec, especially, I feel, in Montreal, being a fashion art city. And it is. There's, like, I don't like, I mean, obviously we have malls in Montreal, but we don't have a... Like, if I want to go buy clothing, I have to go to Ontario, order online, period. And I'm a small fat. So it's like these are... How are you supposed to feel about yourself in a society where you can't even get clothes for, or even what kind of clothes can I get? Like, where's my tailored suit? You know, and, like, I need these architects to listen to me.

And how you dress can matter in some of those spaces. And we have the, we should have the right, you know, to self-determine, like, and express ourselves. So anyways, thank you, guys, so much for putting so much time and energy and care, and I love the intersectional approach from, you know, design, fashion, and all of these things are interconnected. So it's really powerful. It's awesome to meet everybody here, like the other panelists and stuff. So thank you.

Elio

Well, thank you.

Amanda

Thank you so much.

Thanks for Being Here

Thank you to Amanda Lickers, Adania Reyes, and Elio Choquette for sharing your knowledge, experiences, and perspectives with us, and for making space for a conversation that goes far beyond the usual language of “inclusion.”

The conversation reminded us that inclusion is not just about making room for people within systems that were never designed with them in mind. It is about questioning those systems, sharing power, listening to lived expertise, and creating spaces where communities can shape the world around them.

From Indigenous design sovereignty and fat liberation to accessibility, queer and trans inclusion, and the power of community organizing, the panel showed just how connected these conversations really are. It also reminded us that change does not always begin with a large institution or a perfect plan. Sometimes it begins with people coming together, sharing knowledge, making something happen, and deciding that if the space does not exist yet, they will build it themselves.

Thank you to everyone who joined us, listened, asked questions, shared their experiences, and stayed in the conversation. We’re grateful to have started this dialogue, and even more excited to keep it going.