The Le Voyage d’Alex project originated through funding from the Students as Partners (SAP) initiative, administered by the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT) at the University of British Columbia. This program supports collaborations between students, faculty, and staff to enhance teaching and learning practices.

Through this funding, we developed a self-paced Canvas module for French 101 and 102 courses, integrating literature and grammar exercises with a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the francophone world. The project aimed to introduce more inclusive language practices within introductory French classrooms in an accessible and engaging format.

It was through this collaborative process that the idea for Voyage d’Alex emerged, laying the foundation for a creative and pedagogical resource that would continue to grow beyond UBC’s classroom.

Following the development of the project and the creation of Le Voyage d’Alex, we presented our work at the APFUCC Francophone Conference held at York University in May 2023. This presentation introduced both the pedagogical framework and the comic to an academic audience, highlighting its role in promoting inclusive language practices—particularly the use of the gender-neutral pronoun iel—within French language education.

The conference provided an opportunity to engage with scholars and educators and to situate the project within broader conversations on language, identity, and inclusion.

In June 2023, we presented Le Voyage d’Alex at the Students as Partners (SAP) UBC Forum, sharing our work with fellow student, faculty, and staff collaborators who had also received SAP funding. This presentation highlighted both the development of the self-paced learning module and the evolution of the comic as a creative extension of the project.

The forum provided a collaborative space to exchange ideas, reflect on student-led innovation, and explore how partnerships can meaningfully enhance learning. During these discussions, there was also interest in expanding the project through translation into additional languages for UBC teaching colleagues.

Le Voyage d’Alex was analyzed and published in the academic journal Arborescences, marking a significant milestone in the project’s transition from a student-led initiative to a peer-reviewed scholarly contribution. The article, titled “Students as Partners: une approche pédagogique innovante pour un curriculum queer”, was co-authored by Caroline Lebrec, Shreya Diwan, and Savindya Mudadeniya.

This publication reflects the project’s impact beyond the classroom and its contribution to ongoing academic discussions on inclusive, innovative, and student-centered approaches to language teaching.

In May 2024, Le Voyage d’Alex received funding from the Centre for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) at the University of British Columbia to support the expansion of its community-based educational initiatives. This funding enabled the development and delivery of workshops focused on the practical application of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in French language learning contexts. In partnership with Griotte Polyglottes, the project incorporated a kinetic and embodied dimension of learning through improvisation-based workshops, encouraging participants to engage with inclusive language in active and collaborative ways beyond the classroom.

Building on CCEL funding, Le Voyage d’Alex expanded into a series of interactive workshops facilitated and led by Ingrid from Griotte Polyglottes. These sessions engaged high school students, university students, and staff in both French and English contexts. The workshops focused on using gender-inclusive language and developing allyship practices. Through a combination of discussion and embodied learning activities, participants were introduced to accessible and practical ways of applying inclusive language across diverse educational environments.