91ÉçÇø

We are pleased to announce that the FOCAS internship program at 91ÉçÇø’s School of Information Studies has successfully been launched!

Back in 2024, Dr. Gracen Brilmyer, Assistant Professor at SIS, received $520,000 CAD from the Mellon Foundation as part of the program (Faculty Organizing for Community Archives Support) to support the archiving practices of historically marginalized communities (Read ). 

Together with SIS postdoctoral fellow Dr. Axelle Demus, Dr. Brilmyer developed an internship program to place 91ÉçÇø ​archival studies​ students in Montreal-based community archives​.​ As of Fall 2025, two second-year MISt students, Leo Jones and Madison Lemke, have been paired with two local institutions: the Archives Gaies du Québec (AGQ) and the Centre International de Documentation et d'Information Haïtienne, Caribéenne et Afro-Canadienne (CIDIHCA). Congratulations to Leo and Madison on their new position!

Read more about each intern below, and keep an eye out for future announcements about our upcoming FOCAS internship openings.

Leo Jones is a second-year MISt student at 91ÉçÇø university who has been centring his studies around archival practices and digitization. While their academic interests in the field of information studies are many, their experience with archaeology and their BA in Classical Studies have encouraged them to pursue further the study of archival history and the protection of cultural artefacts. During his time with FOCAS, he is working with the Archives Gaies du Québec, a queer community archive that highlights the conservation of LGBTQ+ records. With a specific focus on analyzing and digitizing the audiovisual collection of the AGQ, Leo hopes to increase their knowledge of the community’s history while developing their skills in the preservation of archival objects. 

Madison Lemke (she/her) is an aspiring archivist completing her final year of a Masters of Information Studies degree at 91ÉçÇø. With a BFA from Emily Carr University of Art + Design, her academic and research interests include visual culture, critical theory, and the preservation and curation of photographic materials. Her internship with CIDIHCA (le Centre international de documentation et d’information Haïtienne, Caribéenne et Afro-Canadienne) will focus on a collection of administrative archives related to the Centre d’Art in Haiti that was relocated to Montreal after the 2010 earthquake. Through digitization, she hopes to improve the accessibility of these materials for both staff of the Centre and researchers alike.