Laughter as Resistance

Johnny El Hage

I am a Lebanese immigrant and Canadian citizen with a diversified background that connects business administration, communication, education studies, human resources, event management, and theater. I thrive in multidisciplinary environments where creativity and innovation flow.  Since moving to Canada in 2015, I've worked across many roles and industries. In 2024, I chose to leave the traditional 9-to-5 behind, dedicating my time to work as a strategist for change and as a stand-up comedian, performing in both Arabic and English with a blend of political, social, and cultural humor. My comedy explores everyday learning through life and culture. I co-founded the Abjad Howse Collective (2018-2020) and Kawalees, Montreal’s first Arabic cultural cabaret, creating safe spaces for marginalized voices. As an immigrant, witnessing the ongoing genocide in Palestine and the recent brutal war in Lebanon has solidified my commitment to activism over academia. I am inspired to use humor as a tool for dignity and defiance against oppression. 

Saad Fennich

Originally from Morocco, Saad moved to Quebec in 2015 and quickly fell in love with Quebecois culture. He first ventured into the electronic music scene by co-founding NoVibeCheck, an event planning collective through which he organized several dance events. Later, Saad discovered the comedy scene, where he saw great opportunities to showcase his art, blending humor, theater, and poetry.

Pursuing this goal, he enrolled in evening classes at the École nationale de l'humour in 2022 to refine his writing and stage persona. His exceptional wit, combined with his charisma and precise theatricality, quickly caught the attention of established comedian Charles Deschamps, who took him under his wing. After just one year of artistic activities in the province, Saad was named a "Rising Star" by Just for Laughs, in addition to hosting and performing at numerous iconic comedy nights across Quebec.

Sandy El Bitar

Sandy El Bitar is a Lebanese Canadian multidisciplinary artist, drama therapist, and producer based in Montreal. Born in Lebanon at the end of the civil war, she immigrated to Canada in 2010. Academically, Sandy holds degrees in theater, recreation and leisure studies, psychology, and drama therapy.

Sandy's professional journey with humor began in 2008 as a clown doctor in healthcare settings in Lebanon and later in Canada, where she witnessed firsthand the positive impact of humor on resilience. This experience led Sandy to develop her own therapeutic intervention, blending humor and play to improve resilience. Her work draws on expressive arts therapies and trauma-informed approaches to regulate emotions, build connections, nurture creativity, and foster resilience.

In recognition of her innovative approach, Sandy was awarded the Student Award in Preventive Health Research from Concordia's Perform Centre in 2019, which supported the development of her intervention and research on resilience through humor and play.

In 2019, she co-founded Abjad Howse in Montreal, a collective of Arab artists engaged in cultural and artistic events. Through Abjad Howse, Sandy ventured into Arabic stand-up comedy and made her English stand-up debut in 2022 at They Go Low, We Go Laugh.

Sandy produces Not for Laughs, an exploration of the intersection between mental health, life enrichment, and the transformative power of art, play, and humor. Through performances and interactive experiences, her productions address serious topics, challenge societal norms, and promote social impact, aiming to foster resilience, connection, and transformation in diverse communities.

Zeina Ismail Allouche (Ph.D.), Director of Partnerships and Program Development and Manager of CSLP

Zeina Ismail Allouche has a PHD in Social Sciences and Arts with over 25 years of experience in the field of child protection, gender-based violence, and child trafficking for illegal transracial/international adoption practices. She has assumed leadership positions within numerous international organizations.

Zeina has contributed to international initiatives promoting family strengthening to prevent separation and lead integrated reform initiatives to reform the child protection sector in many countries. She collaborated with Georgetown University to design and deliver a child protection specialist training program with a focus on interdisciplinary and comprehensive case management. She developed a policy on child protection for media (UNICEF Lebanon).

An oral history/autoethnography storyteller and performer, Zeina is grounded in Indigenous methodologies and decolonized research practice. She contributed to various publications advocating for child protection, with a specific focus on gender-based Violence, transracial/international adoption, child protection in the media, and the rights of children without parental care.