April Labine
My name is April Labine. I am a proud Indigenous woman, born March 29, 1972. My childhood was surrounded with abuse, which developed into anger issues and addiction as I grew older. I supported my addiction through prostitution and crime and spent many years behind provincial jails and federal prisons. In 2004, I got involved with Harm Reduction, which began the process of healing.
Through PASAN, I met and signed up for Confluence Arts Collective’s theatre group, which completely changed my life forever. In our first theatre project The Countess and Me we were many strong and resilient women standing together as one, coming together to eventually perform at the Buddies in Bad Times Theatre here in Toronto. Today I have been sober for four years, and am happily married. I work at Consumption Treatment Services at Fred Victor – this job has become my passion, being able to help other addicts. I had to find my purpose through my journey. Only l could have walked in my shoes, with no regrets.
Projects & initiatives
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resource
Stages of Transformation
This expansive new digital resource brings together artists and creative communities from across so-called Canada to explore the imperatives of… This expansive new digital resource brings together artists… This expansive new digital resource brings together artists and creative communities from across so-called Canada to explore the imperatives of abolition movements and their applications to our work in the theatre sector.
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interview
Theatre as Healing for Formerly Incarcerated Women
A conversation on the roles art can play as healing for women with lived experience of incarceration. With Amina Mohamed, Charlene Chapman, April… A conversation on the roles art can play as healing for women… A conversation on the roles art can play as healing for women with lived experience of incarceration. With Amina Mohamed, Charlene Chapman, April Labine and Laverne Malcolm.