About Habitat

The question I have been asked most since the beginning of this process is “why Habitat?” And the “why” questions are ones I have to answer a lot of at this juncture of my life, and, as I look back now, I find that this show has answered a lot of those questions for me.


So as for the question of “why Habitat,” it is quite simple. I have always been interested in the intersection of art and advocacy, and how to harness the power that art, particularly theater, has to help empower those who are marginalized in our society today. I chose Habitat because it tells the story of a group home that moves into an affluent neighborhood and the resistance with which the group home is met. Habitat so effectively encapsulates the dangers of what happens when we place our property values above the needs of our fellow humans. I believe this is a particularly important message for this community to hear, even though it will definitely be an uncomfortable message for some. What I also appreciate about Habitat is that it explores the gray area in the situation presented in the show. This means that neither sides of the conflict in the show are portrayed in such a way that there is not an obvious hero or villain. This conversation is also an important one to broach, because I feel that in our current socio-political climate, we have lost the ability to have complex conversations with one another. People treat issues as if they are black and white, and I hope that after seeing this show, you will be more comfortable talking about that gray area.


In addition to being very fulfilling artistically, this process has taught me so much about myself. I have been facing a lot of rejection lately. I made the unfortunate decision of subjecting myself to the toxicity which is the college admissions process, and it has not worked out how I had hoped. Out of the first eight programs of interest to which I applied, I was waitlisted at two and denied from the rest, meaning that I was not really given a whole lot of options, and as I write this, I still do not really have a semblance of what next year holds for me. And these rejections have forced me to take a hard look at myself and ask, “is this really what I want to do?” And this show has been what has made me say “yes.” I am so incredibly blessed to make art, to have that art mean something beyond itself, to work with the most talented group of people, and to have all the other blessings that have been afforded to me on top of those few. I have faced my lowest points throughout the process of doing this show, and it is this show and the people working on it that have unremittingly reminded me of why I do what I do. And I will keep doing what I am doing here for the rest of my life regardless of where I go next year, because it makes me feel a way nothing else does, and I am so incredibly grateful to this process for affirming that for me. My hope is that this show can teach you something too, whether that be through gaining perspective, making you more sure of your own, or simply more robust understanding of Canadian social services. Fierce and love, Quinn!

Mental Health Resources

MENTAL HEALTH IN HABITAT


Habitat deals with nuanced themes on a wide variety of issues, including mental health. On-stage portrayals of  mental health struggles including attempted self harm can be triggering, and we encourage...


Resources for Help


If you are feeling suicidal or otherwise struggling with your mental health, there are many resources that are designed specifically to help.


National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

“The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.”

1-800-273-8255

suicidepreventionlifeline.org


Crisis Text Line

“Crisis Text Line serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to free, 24/7 support and information via a medium people already use and trust: text.”

www.crisistextline.org

Text “HOME” to 741741


The Trevor Project

The Trevor Project provides a lifeline for youth in crisis, specifically those within the LGBTQ+ community.

www.thetrevorproject.org/#sm.0001co4nc01a2idigtg3yt0suvu3y

1-866-488-7386


If you are a Salesianum student, you are encouraged to reach out to the START team or Peer Counselors if you are in need of someone to talk to.