AGIR Montréal (Action LGBTQIA+ avec les ImmigrantEs et RéfugiéEs)

Overall, AGIR’s mission is to protect and defend the legal, social, and economic rights of migrants (asylum seekers, refugees, immigrants, and those with undetermined status) from lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQIA+) communities through support services to support their settlement into communities and group and social activities to overcome social exclusion.

Specifically, our work aims to provide LGBTQIA+ migrants and refugees in need of:

1. Services to support their settlement into the community through:
   • Individual Support Services to assess and refer their needs in the areas of housing, interpretation, social services, employment, education, or to whatever appropriate services if necessary;
   • Group Support Services to help them overcome social exclusion and isolation through capacity building and community building
   • Social Activities to help them overcome social exclusion and isolation through capacity building and community development initiatives;
   • Receive donations and distribute basic necessities or amenities of life that most people take for granted (like food cards, clothing donation distributions, etc. according to our capacity)
2. Education and Public Awareness work that strives to change systemic practices that exclude, harm or even result in differential treatment towards LGBTQ+ migrant and refugees

Our By-and-for Approach

To accomplish our mission, AGIR works through a by-and-for approach, which means that people with lived experience as LGBTQIA+ migrants and refugees are not only at the center of our work, but also leading it. This model enables us to be uniquely responsive to evolving community needs across the diverse identities within the community.

Our Beliefs

• We believe everyone deserves to live a life free of violence, threat, fear and coercion.
• We believe that everyone is equal regardless of their migrant status.
• We believe in social, political and economic rights for all migrants.
• We believe all types of families have the right to stay together.
• We are aware of and working against systems of intersecting oppressions, including, but not limited to, patriarchy, misogyny, racism, colonialism, xenophobia, ableism, classism, heterosexism, cissexism, transphobia, homophobia, etc.

How We Work

We apply an anti-oppressive, non-judgmental and person-centered approach. We cultivate a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming environment where everyone feels safe(r) and secure. We build community with the participation of LGBTQ+ migrants. Our decision-making process is informed and guided by the experiences and needs of LGBTQ+ migrants. We apply the principles of consensus-based decision-making and community organizing. We respect and value all individuals’ journeys, skills, knowledge and contributions. We are committed to working in solidarity with organizations and groups that can help us achieve our vision. We are accountable to our members, collaborators and allies.

Support Services

AGIR serves LGBTQ+ migrants and refugees who live in the greater Montréal area within Québec, Canada.

Individual Support

Our individual support team members work one-on-one with folks to assess their needs and support them to receive the support they need.

This can be a variety of different needs including referring to legal aid, psychological support, housing support, food banks, francisation courses, addressing crisis issues, etc.

The team will then do follow-up calls and emails with additional referrals and support, as well as individual accompaniments (for example accompaniment to a meeting with legal aid, medical consultation or appointment (especially for trans migrants), etc.) according to our capacity and the level of need.

We can provide services in French, English, Arabic and Spanish and will do our best to support folks in other languages as well.

Community Building: Support Groups

Our support groups are spaces of peer support and discussion to help overcome social exclusion by sharing knowledge and experiences of issues they might be facing. We offer support groups monthly online. We have support groups for different members of our community depending on need and capacity for Arabic speakers, Spanish speakers, Trans folks, women, and others!

Community Building: Social Activities

Due to the increased social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, we heard a need for our members to have more spaces for building meaningful social connection and break isolation. As a result, since 2021, we have worked to meet this need and build community. Past events have included:

• A day-trip for hiking at Mont-Tremblant
• A trip to LaRonde
• Celebrations for Eid!
• Winter Party
• Latin Party
• Outdoor sledding events
• Summer picnics
• Halloween movie nights
• Board-game nights
• Workshops and specific info sessions
• And more!

Education and Public Awareness

AGIR offers trainings to 2SLGBTQIA+ organisations, immigrant-serving organisations, and any organisation or group working with inmigrants and refugees from the community. The purpose of all our Education and Public awareness work is to change the systemic practices that exclude, harm or result in the unjust treatment towards 2SLGBTQIA+ migrant and refugees.