a life still giving

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Photo essay by Annick Maugile Flavien

“Window of time”
Mme Maugile sits by the window in her home gazing off into the distance. Facing her is a photo of her younger self on her wedding day who is also gazing out the window.

Mrs. Maugile’s mind has changed over the years. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2020 but as her caregiver and daughter, I’d seen the signs at least a decade earlier. Her life is now so different from her decades of public participation as a passionately outspoken thinker, fearless activist, dedicated educator, and community leader. This chapter is quieter, often confined to the private realm of our home, unseen and uncelebrated by others but just as political as her presence has always been. I guess experience was on our side as we’d seen her four older siblings move through dementia before her. In some ways being prepared for this stage has allowed us to lean into the unexpected beauties of her changing brain amidst the challenges. Non-linear narratives, blurry timelines, pops of tunes and hymns here and there, moments of crystal-clear clarity, friendly fibs, muddled memories and unfiltered commentary all weaving into a unique style of storytelling that is best understood through intimacy and context. A trail of seeds being planted as legacy for her dearest loved ones to nurture first before they share it with the world.

This photo essay is the first layer into the larger “A Life Still Giving” mixed media project, which I see as an ode to my mother, as she takes space and leaves her mark in our world despite her Alzheimer’s, while also a co-creation exploration with my mother as we map and weave our intimate experience into a larger conversation about Black Aging, Disability, identity, and sense of place in Canada.

“Mme Maugile”
A wood carving of Mme Maugile’s name is posed on an armoire in her home. It is placed in front of a flag of her native country Haiti.

traces of presence

“Bits of presence”
A small collection of items that speak to her work and presence in Quebec since 1962.

“Nelson Mandela award”
In 2015, shortly after her retirement the Fonds 1804 awarded Mme Maugile with the Nelson Mandela Award in recognition of dedication and contributions to the preserving youth in the Haitian community of Montreal.

“Ces Québecois venus d’Haïti part 1”
This book edited by Samuel Pierre with an introduction from former Premier Jacques Parizeau, highlights the contributions of Haitians in shaping the modern Quebec. Mme Maugile’s name and contributions show up in four chapters of this book.

“Ces Québecois venus d’Haïti part 2”
This book edited by Samuel Pierre with an introduction from former Premier Jacques Parizeau, highlights the contributions of Haitians in shaping the modern Quebec. Mme Maugile’s name and contributions show up in four chapters of this book. This is a close up of the index page where her name appears.

“Ces Québecois venus d’Haïti part 3”
This book edited by Samuel Pierre with an introduction from former Premier Jacques Parizeau, highlights the contributions of Haitians in shaping the modern Quebec. This excerpt highlights her role on the Conseil de la langue Française, a particularly honourable success for the Haitian community.

home as a site of resistance

“Out there”
Bernadette Maugile looks out the window and talks to her daughter. The outdoor represent a lot of unknowns and discomforts for her, especially in the winter. In this conversation she talked about how she wishes the cold would go away so she can see people walking by again. She also worries because she hasn't seen the neighbours in a while and wonders if they may have moved away because the don’t want to live next to a Black family. Photo taken on January 21, 2025 in Montreal, QC, Canada. (Photo by Annick Maugile Flavien/Concordia University Advanced PJ Class)

A sense of place and memory

“Bon jou Manman”
Mme Maugile blows a kiss to a photograph of her mother. Though she sometimes struggles to identify people in photographs, she never forgets her mother’s portrait and greet her every time she see it.

“Manman m te gen 5 pitit”
Mme Maugile counted down her siblings on her fingers. She is the youngest of 5 children and the last surviving sibling. She regularly counts her siblings on her fingers to remember who has passed and wonders who is left in her home village in Haiti.

“Who’s this beautiful lady”
Bernadette Maugile notices a photo by the window sill of a beautiful woman in a wedding dress. It sparks her interest and she picks it up.

“That’s you mom”
Bernadette Maugile notices a photo by the window sill of a beautiful woman in a wedding dress. It sparks her interest and she picks it up. When her daughter tells her that it’s a photo of her wedding she is surprised.

“Well, I look good!”
Bernadette Maugile notices a photo by the window sill of a beautiful woman in a wedding dress. It sparks her interest and she picks it up. When her daughter tells her that it’s a photo of her wedding she is surprised. She then recognizes herself, beams, and says “Well, I look good!”

capacity and independence

Joy and legacy

“Poto Mitan”
Mme Maugile sits on a rocking chair with her two grandchildren surrounding her. This is where they tend to congregate whenever she’s in the living room, she is what Haitians call the Poto mitan (the centre pole) of the family and the children are always drawn to her.

“Culture Keeper”
Mme Maugile dances a traditional Haitian dance and sings ‘Bel Congo’ in Haitian Creole for her granddaughter. This is one of the ways she keeps her granddaughter entertained while her daughter takes care of the home. There isn’t a day that she doesn’t sing for her grandchildren, she feels this is best way she can share her culture with them.

“Grandma let’s play”
Mme Maugile plays catch with her grandson. No matter how physical, silly, or difficult the game he proposes she is always so game to play with him.

“Still Giving”
Mme Maugile sits on a chair smiles for the camera. Despite carrying the labels of a Black aging disabled woman, in her home she is valued and appreciated, in her home is not just an elder in need she lives a giving life.

Behind the lens

Caregiving for me is not just about making sure that my mother’s tangible needs are met but rather to foster a space and context where she gets to be herself for as long as possible, I get to have the mother I knew for as long as possible, and for my children to know have the grandmother we didn’t even know she had inside of her. This relationship is a two-way street, and though there is a significant weight to caregiving and I cannot the deny the impact my mother’s Alzheimer’s has had on our lives, I also see the ways in which it has taught me a lot about my mother and who she is at core. Her ever-changing mind has us our toes but I’m grateful to be able to witness her daily and be behind the lens of this stage in her life. -Annick Maugile Flavien