The Story of CommunauThé
- Michelle Kwok
- Aug 4
- 7 min read
Most of what I share here has to do with medical outreach in underserved areas. Creativity, however, has always been a central part of how I work. It may not always be emphasized in the field of healthcare, but it is necessary and makes room for both connection and thriving.
Humble beginnings | 2021-2022
Back in January 2021, when lockdowns and curfews were still in place, Danielle Klingelhofer and I started talking about writing a song together. It turned out we had both been holding onto the same dream, something we only realized during a long walk through the snow that day. We started hashing out ideas, such as unity in diversity, dancing, colour, and smoke sticks swirling in the air. As soon as we got home, Danielle began writing the first few lines.
During the spring, we pulled together a group called O.N.E Band and started having evening jam sessions. By summer, we began working things out together, one line and one chord at a time. After practice we had fun by setting up ridiculous challenges or heading to Boustan for late-night shawarma. Then, in early 2022, we started practicing at Hôtel Ambrose and recording with a young producer. I was struck by how consistently people kept showing up, even as we figured things out along the way.
I was a fellow in training in June 2022 when we started planning the shoots with Danielle and our videographer Steven Soldano. One of those Zoom calls happened during a lunch break, tucked in a corner of a shared space behind the outpatient clinic. At some point, my attending walked by, overheard the conversation, and gave me a look like, what exactly are you doing? Truthfully, I wasn’t sure either.
Filming the music video was one of the most memorable parts of Fall 2022. The first scene was a time-lapse of Danielle and me painting a large canvas outdoors. We hurled paint with a giant brush before writing "One Heart One Mind" across the top. In the dance portion, we had a small group of students dancing against backdrop of mural-covered walls. Finally, we shot the band together for a performance, and Danielle rapping a segment.
As part of the promo, we invited a group of students and friends to stand in front of our painting and say "One Heart One Mind" in their own languages. This was turned into a video and a limited-run poster that was sold within the community.
The official launch took place in November 2022 at Ambrose Café, just after a full-day academic retreat with the Allergy and Immunology division. Nearly two years had led up to that moment, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Stepping out | 2023-2024
Encouraged by our success, Danielle and I began thinking about organizing a coffeehouse where O.N.E Band could perform alongside other artists from the student and young adult community. It wasn’t a brand-new idea but one building on the momentum already stirring in this circle.
I remember how the Ambrose Art Residency show in June 2021 had sparked a wave of creative energy and conversations among my peers. It pushed many of us to think more seriously about experimenting with new projects. Then came the Re:Create "Art Night for a Better Tomorrow" in August 2022, which gave us a tangible model, and a sense that there were others out there eager to contribute and get involved.
One day in early 2023, George Fok, Danielle, and I met at 49th Parallel café in Old Montréal to flesh out the concept. We knew it would involve community, music, and… coffee? Tea? The name CommunauThé came up. It stuck. By the end of the meeting, I had sketched a mockup logo.
Our first CommunauThé took place on May 25, 2023, in the basement of MCAGC. We spread the word through our networks. In fact, we even had to turn some performers away. We made it a ticketed but free event to help gauge attendance, though we still weren’t sure what to expect. Behind the scenes, we handled all the logistics ourselves—food prep, volunteer coordination, equipment setup, and a bit of social media. O.N.E Band closed the night with our original song. Most importantly, everyone had fun, which made all the effort completely worth it. In the end, the event went better than we’d hoped, and it gave us a solid benchmark and model for future gatherings.
We hosted a second one on September 8, 2023, timed with the start of the school year. It had the same vibrant energy, and O.N.E Band closed the night with a set that got everyone up and dancing.
By 2024, we started exploring the idea of incorporating visual arts. The plan was to host an art showcase downstairs first, followed by live music. We set the date for June 22, 2024, with the theme "Rediscover Beauty." We chalked the sidewalk outside to invite people in, and we experienced a good turnout. The visual artists were proudly showcasing their work, and afterwards we enjoyed storytelling, spoken word, and of course, music to end the night. CommunauThé has inspired me as much as it brought joy to the participants and attendees. Even now, I sometimes run into someone who mentions they were at that show, without realizing I had co-organized it.
A new chapter | 2025
Although Danielle, George, and I had co-organized the show several times by then, the logistics were taxing, and we started looking into new venues and formats. In 2025, we began exploring a new pilot partnership with CCM that brought together ideas, resources, and vision from both sides.
Our first meeting took place on May 7, 2025, over a shared meal after I had wrapped up clinic. It was my first time meeting Janet, Shirley, Watson, and the rest of the team. I was struck by how open and generous they were, with their time, space, and willingness to involve volunteers. They shared that they had long carried a similar vision for artistic outreach to youth but weren’t sure how to bring it to life. The second meeting was a late-night Zoom on May 27, the only time that worked for all of us, just hours before I flew to the U.S. We used that time to draft an initial planning timeline. Our third meeting was in person on June 28, focused mainly on event logistics. From there, planning continued through back-and-forth messages leading up to the big day.
Everyone played a meaningful role in bringing this CommunauThé gathering together. Watson organized a team of youth volunteers who helped with setup and hospitality. Someone in Vancouver created the promotional poster and created the Eventbrite page. Danielle took the lead in curating the artist lineup, securing sound equipment and someone to operate it. I designed the stage layout and came in a day early to troubleshoot setup issues, while managing several other moving parts.
The food was a highlight. The 雞蛋仔 (gai dan zai or egg waffles) were especially nostalgic for diaspora Hong Kong Chinese like myself. Catherine, our food volunteer, brought a pot of batter and cooked egg waffles continuously on the hot iron for nearly five hours. Alongside fruit punch and a variety of familiar Asian snacks, everything was clearly labelled for allergy safety. For the green room, Watson ordered 揚州炒飯 (Yangzhou fried rice) and 星洲炒米 (Singapore noodles) from a Chinatown restaurant that generously sponsored the meal.
We arrived at 1:30 p.m. to begin setup. The team from CCM was incredibly helpful, assisting with last-minute errands and ensuring everything went smoothly. Additional volunteers helped manage guest flow and kept the space organized. All 50 tickets were registered in advance, bringing the event to capacity.
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