TW: suicide, eating disorders<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This portrait is part of a series produced each month, to celebrate the plurality and inclusion that Bota Bota wishes to continue promoting.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Born in Montreal to an Albanian family, Elira, reservation agent at Bota Bota, seems to come from another world. The rate at which she speaks is impressive and the book of her life contains a staggering list of chapters, at just 20 years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the first trans woman to work on board, she is happy to be able to communicate her pride through many forms of media. \u201cI have always been inspired by the idea of \u200b\u200binspiring others. Anyone can lead a successful life.\u201d The most important thing to her is to show that trans people are people who can be happy. \u201cI\u2019ll get messages from young trans people that\u2019ll tell me that I have had an impact on their lives\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00c9lira is no stranger to life\u2019s hardships. Her sister, also a trans woman, took her own life a year ago. \u201cIt is important that we recognize that our situation is difficult. We must create and find places that we can consider as safe spaces where we do not judge. Bota Bota is one of them, but there are unfortunately few like that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She often finds herself to be the first openly trans person, whether in private or public spaces. A weight that she carries with great humility, always keeping in mind the members of her community. \u201cI have always been part of this community. My girlfriend is also a trans person. We are like everyone else; we\u2019re no different!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She has learned to discover herself through many activities. For 5 years, she has been using humor to soften the outside world. As a graduate of the youth program at the National School of Humor in Montreal, she does stand up and improvisation in bars. “I love absurd humor, it’s very representative of who I am”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n