A Readfield Franco-American woman was one of 50 young adults to attend an international program hosted in Montreal which aims to help young people better understand the Franco-American culture and heritage.

“We discussed how to create a network of French-speaking young people from among those who attended the forum,” said Alyssa Marie Betts, 21.  “We learned how to promote, develop and encourage the integration of the Francophone culture into our communities.”

“Le Forum des Jeunes Ambassadeurs de la Francophonie des Ameriques” (Forum of Young Ambassadors of French Speakers of the Americas) was held June 17-27 in Montreal. The attendees were all under the age of 35, and the program is intended to bring together students from throughout the Americas where French is commonly spoken. They meet to discuss their common understandings about the Francophone culture.

Betts said the group discussed how the French language is marginalized even in places where it is often the first language. For example, in Northern Maine many citizens learned to speak French before they learned English, she says.

Betts noted that claiming a French heritage does not require a person to be able to speak French. There are many other aspects to the Francophone culture, such as sharing French traditions,
and having a special history in North America and counting family connections that stretch back to medieval France.

“I believe my generation wants to connect with the Francophone culture even if we don’t happen to speak French,” she said.

On her father’s side of the family, she knows the name of her great-great-great grandfather was Gilbert Fournier.

“My pepere, Marcel Poulin, was born in Lac-Frontière, Quebec. My mom, Mary (Poulin) Betts, grew up in Chisholm, Maine. She had to learn English when she went to Jay Community High School,” Betts said.

She recalled certain Franco-American traditions from her childhood: Eating toutiere (pork or meat pies) on holidays, and especially on Reveillon, and the celebration families observed after attending Midnight Mass at Christmas. She recalls helping her father and pepere (grandfather) to make crepes.

Betts is an undergraduate at the University of Maine at Augusta, majoring in interdisciplinary studies with a minor in French.

“I feel very fortunate to have grown up in Maine where about one-third of the population claims to have French heritage. I’m proud of being a Franco-American and I feel passionately about keeping my heritage for my family and for so many of my fellow Mainers,” she says.

Betts said the forum made her realize just how many people are connected to the French language and culture. As a result of attending the program, Betts is now a member of the young ambassadors’ Francophone group. Her message to other young adult Francophones is to help preserve the Franco culture.

 “I promised to be patient and persevere in my efforts to continue developing the French heritage in my community and in the Americas,” she says.

Betts was one of eight people from the United States at the forum; there were five people from Louisiana and two from New York. Other participants and forum speakers came from Cuba, Equator and Saskatchewan in Canada.

Information about the Francophone program is available by contacting Centre de la francophonie des Ameriques at the phone number (418) 646-3312 or email: line.gigault@francophoniedesameriques.com.