Born as a pandemic project from the staff at the Franco-American Collection based at the University of Southern Maine Lewiston-Auburn College, the Franco American Pathways Podcast explores the history of Canadians who relocated to Maine and established families who have remained in place for generations. Hosts Julia Rhinelander, Anna Faherty, and Maureen Perry invited me to share the history of Biddeford, my Franco-American roots, and how the rich Franco culture of the city is informing its renaissance.
You can listen to Episode 9 and Episode 10 below and be sure to check out the supplemental blogs for Part 1 and Part 2 to explore the maps and photos from our tour of downtown Biddeford.
Episode 12: Voices of Fort Kent – Lisa Lavoie – Franco-American Pathways
Bonjour, hello and welcome back to Franco-American Pathways, a podcast from the University of Southern Maine’s Franco-American Collection. Life at the university has had its twists and turns, but we are so grateful to be back to share with you our trip to Fort Kent last winter. Patrick LaCroix, who had then just taken up the post of Director of the Acadian Archives at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, graciously welcomed us to Madawaska last March and arranged for us to meet some folks who could help us deepen our understanding of this truly unique and fascinating region.
In the first installment of our Voices of Fort Kent series, you'll meet Lisa Lavoie. Lavoie is an assistant professor in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling at UMFK, and was born and raised in Fort Kent. In 2015 she received her masters degree in Maine Studies through the University of Maine and her thesis focused on the effects of 9/11 on the borderlands of Northern Maine. This thesis is what interested us in her perspective on this region, both as a scholar and as a Madawaska native.
Big gratitude to Robert Sylvain for offering music from his album Memere’s Notebook for our show.
Thanks as well to WMPG, USM’s community radio, for sharing their resources with us and making the production of our show possible.
Merci et très bonne écoute !
Emma Bouthillette 