We are thrilled to present “Motherlands”, a new podcast created by Isaac You as part of CiTR 101.9 FM’s Asian Heritage Month programming. Motherlands is a series exploring what it means to be Asian. Produced by people from a variety of Asian backgrounds, the podcast is a celebration, as well as an investigation of the so-called “Asian Identity”. The project is not meant to be an all encompassing display of every singular Asian experience, but an opportunity for people to describe what their heritage means to them.

You can catch new episodes every Tuesday at 3pm this month live on CiTR 101.9 FM, or download each podcast at CiTR.ca

To celebrate Asian Heritage Month, Virtual explorASIAN is collaborating with the Vancouver Public Library to present a curated list of nearly 400 reads and downloadable audio books from Asian communities around the world.

Head over to the Vancouver Public Library website to browse this collection and start reading!

“I believe the values of a sustainable civil society can be international. I believe it is possible that, some day, we will be able to establish a global system of values to which all countries can adhere without fear of losing their identities. When and if that happens, we will be living in a civil society that is global. We will have understood how to accommodate one another so that people everywhere can optimize their potential as human beings.”

Milton K. Wong, brother of Bill Wong, from “A Global Civil Society”, published in The Vancouver Sun, April 2, 2008

National Canadian Film Day has arrived and the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society in partnership with Emily Carr University of Art and Design and REEL CANADA is pleased to present a virtual screening of From C to C: Chinese Canadian Stories of Migration ????——??????????.  

At the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries, many Asian immigrants came to Canada in search of a new home, eager to fulfill their dreams of a better life. Their hardships and struggles were many, but their resilient commitment to this dream laid the foundation for future generations to flourish. From C to C helps us reflect on the challenges faced by early Chinese Canadians and exemplifies the struggles and untold stories of other Asian communities who have also suffered discrimination, racism, and prejudice.

With this film, the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society celebrates National Canadian Film Day and reiterates its commitment to showcasing Pan-Asian cultures and the great work that is emerging from our Pan-Asian communities. 

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When we made From C to C over ten years ago we knew it would be a daunting task to address this profound and complex history in a way that would both benefit communities affected by the historical Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act (passed July 1st, 1923) as well as educate a new generation of Canadian youth on the subject. There were and are a diversity of perspectives around the issue of redress for Chinese Canadians that have been difficult to reconcile after such an unjust and painful history. Funded under the federal government’s Community Historical Recognition Program, the project scope included a documentary for CBC, Fairchild TV, and Guangdong TV China, an accompanying interactive website and an educational resource package for dissemination in Canadian high schools.

Through partnerships between Simon Fraser University, SUCCESS, and Professor Henry Yu’s Chinese Canadian Stories (CHRP) team at UBC, among others, we were able to make a good attempt in connecting communities through extensive consultation. After these discussions, it became  important to me that every interview in the film have a personal family connection to this history. And so the idea emerged to approach the documentary primarily as an oral history in the context of migration/immigration that would connect diverse community perspectives with a focus on the west coast of Canada.

We also piloted a social justice education program for youth at SUCCESS with a focus on intergenerational dialogue which was then filmed. From C to C would also confront our collective conceptions of what Canada is, Canadian citizenship, and how the country was built before the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms existed. Our main technical challenge was to tell the epic story of Chinese Canadian pioneers and their families in the limited broadcast hour allotted by CBC.

Several of the older interviewees are no longer with us but their memory and their stories live deep in my heart. Head Tax survivor and activist Charlie Quan, WWII veteran Frank Wong and Bill Wong of Vancouver’s Modernize Tailors (older brother of Milton Wong) were each incredible human beings and treasures to the documentary as you will see. I am so very grateful to have worked with them on this project and with others like public historian Larry Wong, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Howe Lee, WWII veteran George Chow (pictured above), and the veterans of the Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society as well as Sid Chow Tan and the Head Tax Families Society of Canada. The work for redress of these groups continued long after the documentary and CHRP projects across Canada concluded and continues to this day.

As we all reel from the impacts of COVID-19 we see fracture lines emerge again along issues of race in the racism experienced by Asians throughout North America in the wake of the pandemic. Sadly this is nothing new. In this regard From C to C is a call to action to each of us to address the racism in ourselves. We must be and do much better; we must never forget these profound injustices of our past; we must recognize the contributions of Chinese Canadians and other discriminated communities in the building of Canada; and we must reexamine what reconciliation means to each one of us personally if we are to move forward in creating a more just and morally resilient society. 

I am humbled and honoured to have worked on this most meaningful and important social justice project and gratified to see it being watched again at a time when it can remind us of what matters most. Our responsibility is to each other.

Jordan Paterson, Director, From C to C

On the evening of May 1st, 2020, Vancouver City Hall will be illuminating in red to signal the opening of Asian Heritage Month in Canada and the start of Virtual explorASIAN. To commemorate the occasion, VAHMS will be live-streaming the event on explorASIAN’s Facebook page from the north steps of city hall. We will be joined by local musicians Vince Mai, Noriko Kim Kobayashi, and Kage, who will perform the explorASIAN theme song.

Before the COVID-19 public health crisis emerged, VAHMS had been hard at work in partnership with Simon Fraser University planning our opening ceremony at the beautiful Fei & Milton Wong theatre, located at SFU’s Woodward’s campus. In addition to performances by Vince, Kage, and Noriko, VAHMS had planned to present performances by Bharatanatyam Artist Sujit Vaidya and the inter-cultural music of Tung/Hasselberg/Escamillan.

Our program also included a welcome and greeting from Wade Grant on behalf of the Musqueam Nation, remarks from Hon. Dr. Hedy Fry, Deputy Mayor Rebecca Bligh and Minister George Chow representing three levels of goverment, as well as an addresses from Dr. Laurie Anderson and Dr. Paul Crowe on behalf of Simon Fraser University. While we can no longer gather in-person hear these wonderful speakers, they have been kind enough to share a few words with us here.

Dear VAHMS friends,

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you this evening. Thank you for joining us to celebrate the beginning of our 24^th Asian Heritage Month through our Virtual ExplorASIAN Festival 2020.

As the world faces this unprecedented health crisis. The solidarity, strength, and compassion that our communities have shown to flatten the curve and help us recover is a constant proof of the resilience that has characterized all Canadians. Asian Heritage Month reminds us all of the many past and present contributions that Pan-Asian communities have made to build the society we live in today: From those who have faced discrimination and hardships to those who have brought their talents and knowledge to strengthen our culture and economy; they have all enhanced our diverse cultural spectrum. The Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society has centered its efforts in giving voice to all Pan-Asian communities and has continued its commitment to showcasing their rich culture, heritage, and valuable contributions. Whether a virtual cultural event, poetry, performance, or movie screening, the diversity and cultural richness that Pan-Asian cultural heritage brings to the community will be evident all this May through our Virtual explorASIAN Festival.

I want to thank all our partners, organizations, artists, performers, VAHMS Directors, Festival Coordinator, and especially you for actively supporting Asian Heritage Month celebrations.

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I would like to start by acknowledging that this statement is being made on the traditional, unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. We are fortunate to live, work, and play on their territories and I raise my hands to them.

In these challenging times, it is important that we can still come together as a community however we
can. I want to thank the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society for continuing its longstanding tradition of hosting celebrations that speak to our cultural diversity and our history.

In British Columbia we are fortunate to live in one of the most diverse provinces in Canada. We have much to celebrate as Asian Canadians who have contributed to every aspect of our society. Our elders have endured and triumphed in the face of adversity, hardship, and discrimination. Today and every day, we remain resolute in our commitment to not repeat the wrongs of the past and to build a better, more just and equitable future for everyone.

We are stronger, more diverse, and more resilient while embodying our cultural values of collaboration and care for our communities. I see this all over Vancouver as Asian Canadians step up to give back especially in these challenging times. To name a few examples of what I know are many, young adults are preparing and distributing care packages for Chinese seniors in Chinatown. The Khalsa Diwan Society donated gloves and safety masks to frontline workers and as we all know, there are many Asian Canadians working in our healthcare system to keep us safe and healthy.

As we take time over the month of May to celebrate those who have come before us and ponder our collective future, I wish all of you the best of health and happiness as we take care of our families, neighbours, and elders. In the words of Dr. Henry, “be kind, be calm, be safe”. We will see each other again soon!

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Thank you for inviting the City of Vancouver to participate in the opening of the virtual explorASIAN Festival for 2020.

The history of Asian immigration in Canada can be traced back to more than one hundred and fifty years ago when Chinese workers arrived in the west coast and joined the workers to build the Pacific Railway in the mid-nineteenth century. Asian Canadians not only physically helped to build Canada, but also culturally enriched its diversity, which has become an important characteristic of Canada. As a Vancouver City Councillor I’m delighted to mark the start of this important festival that celebrates the Asian Canadian community through arts and culture.

In the light of the current public health concerns surrounding COVID-19, we are faced with the difficult reality that many of the events planned in our communities during Asian Heritage Month will be postponed. While this will certainly have a tremendous impact on explorASIAN 2020, I am honored that we can continue celebrating Asian Heritage Month and supporting our Pan-Asian communities to the best of our ability and bring that celebration into our homes and stay connected.

Cultural events like explorASIAN Festival are a critical part of what makes Vancouver a vibrant, diverse and creative place to live, work and play, and we are thrilled to see that the community has come together to bring this incredible event to life for people to enjoy safely from their homes.

Each year, the City invests in events and organizations, like explorASIAN Festival, with more than $13 million in grant streams including operating, annual assistance, project, community arts, theatre rental grants, arts capacity, and the independent artists’ fund.

Now is a time where arts and culture are needed more than ever to maintain community and connection.

We’re thrilled that festivals like this exist in our City and look forward to a month of interesting and engaging virtual events. And next year we will celebrate the art, culture and heritage and greet each other in person.

A big thank you to the volunteers, artists, donors and board members who make explorASIAN festival possible.

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I’d like to extend a warm welcome to you on the virtual opening of Asian Heritage Month in Canada and the explorASIAN Festival 2020.

Over the month of May, let us celebrate the contributions of the Asian community. From literally ‘building Canada’ during the construction of the Pacific Railway to fighting in both WWI & WII, Asian Canadians have contributed to our country’s success for decades. Thank you to the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society for bringing attention to these important contributions of Asian Canadians over the past 24 years.

I wish all of you good health during these trying times. If you are able, look out at Vancouver City Hall from your window or live-stream the event online to see the light display in celebration of our Asian community. Let us also speak loudly against the rise of ignorance, discrimination, and hatred against Asian Canadians.

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I am pleased to congratulate to the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society to celebrate the beginning of the 24th Asian Heritage Month through Virtual Opening Ceremony ExplorASIAN Festival 2020.

In this current public health concerns surrounding COVID-19, we fully understand that we are facing this difficult time together. Many of the events planned in our communities during Asian Heritage Month are postponed.

While this will certainly have a tremendous impact on ExplorASIAN 2020, I am pleased that the celebration of the Asian Heritage Month can be continued virtually, to enhance friendships and cooperation.

The diversity of British Columbia brings to mind the diversity of Indonesia. We both celebrate this diversity which enriches our communities as we path the way forward.

Thank you to Leticia Sanchez and all of the VAHMS board members as well as the dedicated volunteers who have risen to the challenge of putting together a multicultural ASIAN Heritage Month Festival this year.

I extend best wishes for a successful virtual celebration.

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I am delighted to congratulate the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society for celebrating the 24^th Asian Heritage Month by Virtual Opening Ceremony for ExplorAsian Festival 2020.

We are in uncharted territory due to COVID-19 and it challenges us in many ways. But we always find a way to connect and celebrate our profound cultures.

Multiculturalism in British Columbia is thriving because of events like this, which brings us together and allows us to stand in solidarity.

Special thanks to Ms. Leticia Sanchez, board members and volunteers who made this Multicultural Festival possible. We are meeting virtually this year but may we gather face to face in the near future to share our stories.

Best wishes to everyone’s well-being and the Festival.

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Simon Fraser University (SFU) is proud to be a long time partner of the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society. The VAHMS and SFU share common values: we’re committed to celebrating the rich arts and cultural heritage of Asia, we value the diverse and inclusive contributions to Canada made by the Asian diaspora, and share the VAHMS’ pledge, as grateful settlers, to reconciliation with the First Peoples of the country.

While we will all miss the live perfomances of the festival this year, we commend the creativity of the performers and VAHMS for putting on a virtual celebration of Asian arts and culture. On behalf of SFU, I want to commend everyone involved for their resilience and their commitment to keeping the spirit of the VAHMS alive during these challenging times.  Best wishes for a wonderful virtual celebration!

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On behalf of the David Lam Centre and the Department of Humanities at Simon Fraser University I am very pleased to offer a note of congratulations to the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society. At SFU the David Lam Centre and the Department of Humanities share VAHMS’ commitment to fostering communication and understanding between people of varied cultural origins through our public programming and in the classroom.

Thank you to all of the VAHMS board members and dedicated volunteers who have risen to the challenge of putting together a rich Virtual ExplorASIAN Festival 2020. Every year VAHMS assembles a truly impressive array of visual and literary arts, music, and talks, opening spaces for mutual understanding that serve as the ground for building friendships and community cooperation. I look forward to being online on May 1st, to join the virtual opening ceremony of exploreASIAN 2020 at Vancouver City Hall.

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We celebrate Asian heritage month together as one community, a community that we know finds its true strength in diversity. I want to congratulate the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society on its continuously amazing work and impact made in our community.

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Our Opening Ceremony was also going to serve as a preview to VAHMS’s newest project Interconnected, which explores the concept of connectivity among artists while learning about the diverse Pan-Asian art and culture in Metro Vancouver. VAHMS is now presenting Interconnected virtually through our website, where you can find exhibitions from the following galleries and artists: Semiahmoo Arts, Lam Wong & Glenn Lewis, Capulet Art Gallery, and Alin’s Art Studio.

We hope you can join our livestream from the comfort and safety of your homes on May 1st to help us celebrate art, culture, and connectivity during these unprecedented times.

Our 2020 festival program has arrived! You can find your own physical copy in this week’s edition of Vancouver is Awesome in news boxes all over the city. And don’t forget to head over to our Virtual explorASIAN page to find the latest updates on all of our virtual events.

Since 1996, the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society has dedicated itself to promoting the inclusion and social integration of Pan-Asian Canadian communities through its explorASIAN festival and programming. Every year, VAHMS honours three individuals, community organizations, or educational institutions representing Pan-Asian communities that have made significant contributions to this vision.

And we need your help!

VAHMS will be accepting nominations for honourees from now until May 22nd. If you know of an individual, community organization, or education institution that deserves recognition, we want to hear from you.

Honourees for the Pan-Asian Recognition Awards will be selected for:

• Leadership or support for Pan-Asian arts, education, or culture
• Significant contribution towards social integration of Asian-Canadian communities through cross-cultural, or multicultural exchange
• Achievement or contributions to promote Pan-Asian cultural heritage
• Enhancement of multicultural identity, education, or experience through cultural or artistic expression
• Collaboration with individuals or institutions promoting the advancement of inclusive learning

Please note that you can nominate more than one individual or organization and that honourees will be selected by an independent selection committee appointed by VAHMS.

Submit your nomination now!

Historic Joy Kogawa House is the childhood home of Canadian author Joy Kogawa. Now used as a site for author residencies and literary events, the house stands as a historical reminder of the internment experience of Japanese Canadians during the Second World War, and by extension, to the experiences of diverse cultural and ethnic groups within Canadian society.

They have partnered with the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival and Winnipeg poet Sally Ito, who would have led this walk as part of her author residency at Historic Joy Kogawa House. Unable to travel west due to current restrictions, however, Sally has instead written haiku to accompany locations on a self-guided walk of the Marpole neighbourhood that begins and ends at the heritage house.

Here is a map of the whole route.

As it is a virtual walk, you needn’t worry about which cherry trees are in bloom when, but if you will be checking it out on foot, the map comments indicate roughly when the trees would be in bloom. Many of these cherry trees are in bloom now!

Find out more at kogawahouse.com.

YKLM Auctions and and Lipont Place are teaming up with local Vancouver artist Agent X (otherwise known as the Canadian Banksy) to host a charity auction benefiting the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation! Agent X has graciously donated ten Fine Art prints, including refined florals and colourful Pop Art works.

The online auction will be open from Thursday, April 2 at 12PM (PST) until Monday, April 6 at 12PM (PST).

For more info head over to: https://yklm.ca/auctions/

In the light of the current public health concerns surrounding COVID-19, we are faced with the difficult reality that many of the events planned in our communities during Asian Heritage Month will be postponed. While this will certainly have a tremendous impact on explorASIAN 2020, the team here at VAHMS is committed to doing everything we can to continue celebrating Asian Heritage Month and supporting our Pan-Asian communities to the best of our ability.

With that in mind, explorASIAN 2020 is going virtual. We’ll be celebrating all explorASIAN festival events through our social media accounts, blogs, and newsletters regardless of whether they have been postponed or not. We may not be able to gather, but we can still celebrate art, culture and heritage and stay connected through these difficult times. 

So stay safe, stay healthy, and stay tuned to our channels to keep connected.

All the best from the team here at VAHMS.

Dear Guests,

As the global events concerning COVID-19 (“coronavirus”) unfold, I wanted to let you know that the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC (CCHSBC) Board of Directors is actively monitoring updates from our provincial and public health authorities closely. 

Your ongoing support and care for others and our communities is greatly appreciated during this period. 

At this time, the Public Health Agency of Canada has assessed the risk associated with COVID-19 as low for the general population. While the risk level may be low, we have spoken to our guest of honour Paul Yee who lives in Toronto. After significant consideration, we have jointly made the decision to postpone our March 28th dinner to a future (undetermined) date. 

Given this fluid situation, we are offering guests the option to either:

• Have their dinner credit held to our next event; or
• Receive a refund for their dinner ticket(s).

If you plan to attend our next celebration, don’t feel obligated to email us. By not receiving an email from you, we will presume that you wish to have your dinner credit held. We encourage you to hold your credit in light of our volunteer capacity and processing fees. 

If you would like to receive a refund for your dinner ticket, please email us at info@cchsbc.ca. However, as we are all volunteers without staff support, we will require more processing time than usual. 

In order to help us communicate our message to all guests, if you have purchased tickets for others who may not receive emails from CCHSBC, please forward them a copy of this notice. 

Should you have any questions and/or concerns, please do not hestiate to contact us. 
I would personally like to send my sincere thanks the CCHSBC Board of Directors as well as all our volunteers and donors who have been working hard over the past several months.

Once again, we thank you for your support and attention to this important matter.
We look forward to celebrating the achievements of Paul Yee and the other prize winners with you in the future.  

For more information, please visit: http://www.cchsbc.ca/celebration-dinner.html