The end of the 17th season marks the end of a year focused on intersectionalities, coming together, and community. It also marks the end of Jordy Matheson’s tenure at Zee Zee, and the end of Alysha Collie’s year-long contract as our Indigenous Community Engagement Manager.
We are so grateful to both of these amazing humans for their hard work, creativity and passion while at Zee Zee. Please join us in wishing them the best on their next exciting steps.
Alysha first came to Zee Zee through our shared love and friendship with Deborah Williams. Alysha and her partner Dallas helped to curate our annual community-based, storytelling project in 2021, which focussed on Two Spirit & Indiqueer Futures. It was during that project that I first witnessed Alysha’s organizational skills in action, coupled with her deep care and thoughtfulness with community members.
With Alysha in mind, we created the Indigenous Community Engagement Manager role, which was generously supported by the BC Arts Impact Grant. Over this year with Zee Zee, she would plan, execute and oversee 3 ancillary events creating new, deep and authentic connections with Two-Spirit artists and theatre-goers.
We agreed to a slow start in May with the first event in September to kick off our season. Well, in true Alysha-fashion, she decided instead to get to work right away, and plan an event to honour National Indigenous History Month and kick-off Pride. With only a few week’s notice she planned a sold-out event, secured meaningful sponsorship to ensure it was free for all participants, and pulled off an incredible day.
Alysha filled our 2024/2025 season with meaningful events, community collaborations and new ways of working and connecting. From the performance of Qwalena at the The Cultch (produced alongside 3Crows & Touchstone Theatre) which included an Indigenous Arts Market, Music, and treats; to hosting a workshop for Black community members in which they could explore the tension of resistance and release. She co-curated RISE, a full community-day, alongside Monice Peter and Kyra Philbert.
This month she hosted a second annual beading workshop and expanded to include cedar weaving and regalia making, all led by Coast Salish Youth as a way to give back to the community and empower intergenerational traditional knowledge sharing.
All while writing grants, securing meaningful funding, and educating partner organizations and government entities. Yes, she truly does it ALL.
Alysha, Thank you. From your first day in the office bringing in medical tea that you harvested yourself, to your last day when you brought in delicious food; you have always approached all the work you do with care, compassion, kindness and thoughtfulness. It has been an honour to get to know you more, and on behalf of myself, Bronwyn and the whole board of Directors, THANK YOU.
Jordy started working with Zee Zee as a bright-eyed college student in 2014, volunteering at the PuSh Festival as a Young Ambassador with Dave Deveau on our co-presentation of the Human Library. He then returned to the project in 2016, and has been with Zee Zee ever since.
In 2019 he co-curated the project with Dave and then in 2020 took over as Producer, working with Cameron to steer the ship through the very “unprecedented” waters as Human Library pivoted to digital for two seasons as Virtual Humanity and then pivoted back to in person as The Rainbow Storytelling Project. Every year the feedback from the human “books” – the storytellers – was how incredible Jordy was, making people feel welcomed and seen. His attentiveness, his kindness and his charm allowed him to handle any situation with grace as he kept the project moving forward while keeping the participants safe.
Since early 2023, he has also been supporting Zee Zee in Communications land. First as the Interim Social Media Manager – while doing double duty as Producer on the 2023 edition of the storytelling project: The Queer Asian Stories. His talent and dedication were clear and we welcomed him to the team officially as the Digital Communications Manager in early 2024.
For the last year and a half he has honed Zee Zee’s digital voice across multiple platforms. His instincts and ability to analyze the data have helped us reach new audiences and exceed fundraising goals and campaigns. Jordy is a brilliant playwright, hilarious improvisational comedian, as well as a thoughtful and dedicated administrator. He delivered THE best roast at Zee Zee’s 15th Anniversary Roast of Cam & Dave all the while rocking grandma chic!
His work as producer and then communications manager have helped Zee Zee remain steady during so much change internally, and externally. We are so lucky he has supported Zee Zee all these years. And on behalf of Bronwyn, myself, the Board of Directors, all the other producers, curators, storytellers, and founding Associate Artistic Director Dave Deveau we thank you from the bottom of our hearts and wish you so so so much success in your next exciting venture.