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SD36 Recommended Books Featuring Asian Identities

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SD36 Recommended Books Featuring Asian Identities

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https://sway.cloud.microsoft/GCfM3YEW57742uHU?ref=Link&loc=play

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PBS Learning Media - Relish Collection - East Asia

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PBS Learning Media - Relish Collection - East Asia

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Kid-friendly videos featuring chefs creating cultural dishes

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Dishes Inspired by East Asian Heritage | Relish | Relish | PBS LearningMedia

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Relish shares stories of cultural heritage in Twin Cities communities through the universal language of food. This sub-collection includes episodes that feature dishes inspired by East Asian heritage, including Chinese, and Japanese recipes.

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"These experiences, coupled with the cultural turmoil of being Canadian, Vietnamese and Chinese, drove me to create the animated documentary My Name is 張麟發 Tommy Lan Phat Truong in an effort to explain where my name comes from, what it means and to help answer the question, "Where are you really from?"

The 10-minute film is a literal retelling of my life that I wrote, directed, animated and produced on my own. It examines the evolution, etymology and script of my name as a way of defining my mixed sense of cultural identity."

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My Name is 張麟發 Tommy Lan Phat Truong 1 | My Name is 張麟發 Tommy Lan Phat Truong | CBC Gem

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Tommy (a.k.a. 張麟發, Jason, Timmy, Tammy, Tim Tam, Lan Phat and T Truong) reveals the story of his many names.

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This guide offers advice to adults about how to respond to biased remarks and the use of stereotypes—and how to teach students to speak up as well.

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In this blog post Stella Kim, one of the co-writers of "Addressing Anti-Asian Racism: A Resource for Educators" and Toronto District School Board secondary science and physics teacher, shares about the process of creating this resource and how you and your colleagues can use this resource for professional learning.

Anti-Asian racism isn't new. It has deep, historic and political roots in Canada. The outbreak of COVID-19 has prompted a spike in racist aggressions and violence towards peoples of Asian descent, impacting the health and well being of students, educators and communities.

In the summer of 2020, during the post-first wave lull of a global pandemic, I and a team of writers from ETFO and TDSB connected to talk about anti-Asian racism. Our collaboration would become the document, " Addressing Anti-Asian Racism: A Resource for Educators ".

Our hope for this resource

From its inception, the resource was intended to be comprehensive, laying out background knowledge, issues and frameworks, and then leading into a tool kit of ideas and resources for leaders and educators. Along the way, we would discuss important ideas, such as the breadth and diversity of Asian identity, the necessity of centering Indigeneity and Black lives in discussions of racism, the myth of the model minority (pg. 19-21), white supremacy and privilege, intersectional identities and allyship, and lateral violence (intra-community and inter-community violence). Our focus would be on anti-Asian racism and xenophobia experienced by East Asian, South Asian and South East Asian identities. This is with the recognition that the racial discrimination and bigotry faced by communities from Central and Western Asia may be more uniquely and appropriately taken up in focused spaces of antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Middle Eastern racism and anti-Arab discrimination.

Identity & Self-Reflection as a Writing Tool

For the writers, all of whom identify as Asian, this project sparked deep self-reflection about who we are and how our families arrived to Canada. For me it was startling to re-examine my personal history in the context of the topics I was tasked to write - for example centering Indigeneity and Black lives, and white supremacy and privilege. Many of us ended up deciding to share a personal anecdote or weave in a narrative as we wrote. I think we hoped that, by sharing personal examples, we might authentically connect with the reader about an under-discussed, often unrecognized and unchecked form of racism. Racism is dehumanizing, while stories provide one of the most human ways we know to connect with and understand each other.

Engaging with the Resource

As a team, our goal was to create a document for educators and schools that expands awareness, invites deeper exploration, and promotes action. The ways in which groups and teams have chosen to engage have varied. One group approached the text book club style, reading a quarter each week for a month and meeting to discuss. Another paced through the document over an eight day e-module that ended with a personal reflection and action plan.

How to Engage with this Resource as a Professional Learning Tool

Below I've outlined a sequence of topics groups might use to engage with the issue, along with references from the resource to use as a starting point and guide. Each section of the resource includes "Questions to consider" which can be used to generate discussion and a list of references for additional information.

Before you begin, it is beneficial to reflect on your own identity and your relationship to the issue. You may also wish to reflect on students' or educators' responses. Asian peoples came to Canada in many waves over time, in many ways, as indentured labourers, refugees, undocumented, transnational adoptees, sponsored immigrants, by way of other nations, and more. The perspectives and experiences of Asian identity are as varied as their journeys.

Consider approaching the topic as three to four conversations, as outlined below.

*Please note that all page numbers below correspond to the page numbers on the document itself and not the PDF preview.

Current and historical contexts of anti-Asian racism

Asian people make up almost half of the immigrant population in Canada. Most live in large urban centers, such as Toronto. About half of students in the Toronto District School Board's population self-identify as Asian. Asian people have a long history in Canada, almost as long as European settlers, yet important events and aspects of historical or contemporary Canadian life often fail to include celebrations of Asian Canadians' success, or details about their struggle. Black and Indigenous scholars, and the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action underscore the importance of understanding contemporary issues by knowing history. Students understand this too . Understanding the current contexts of anti-Asian racism today is no different.

Related sections: Asian Canadian Identities and Historical Context , Pg. 8-18

Centering Black lives and Indigenous voices

Anti-Asian racism is better understood and challenged when Black lives and Indigenous voices are centered. Anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, and anti-Asian racism are connected, because all oppressions are connected. While distinct, with unique histories and significantly different impacts, all are products of the historic white colonial system that founded Canada. Touching on these broader contexts and histories helps to understand manifestations of anti-Asian racism including the myth of the model minority and lateral violence within and between communities.

Related sections: Centring Indigeneity and Black Lives, Pg. 22-29; White Supremacy and Privilege , Pg. 30-40; Intersectional Identities and Allyship , Pg. 49-52.

Issues within anti-Asian racism: A model minority, but forever a foreigner

Educators appreciate the opportunity to dig into a specific issue, and the notion of the "the model minority" offers a lot to discuss, especially when paired alongside the "forever foreigner" concept. When Asians aren't being portrayed as apolitical, uncomplaining, hardworking and successful, they are depicted as dangerous and threatening, taking away resources, and a spreading "yellow peril". Stereotypes blur and flatten the realities of Asian communities. Asian populations in Canada experience poverty at a rate two to three times higher than White populations . In Toronto schools, while Asian students perform as well or better academically on average, Asian students also report more challenges with mental health.

Related sections: Myth of the Model Minority , Pg. 19-21

Tools to interrupt anti-Asian racism, including building coalitions and solidarities in anti-racism movements

"Having a diverse school population alone does not shift fundamental power dynamics that enable racism to exist in society." (Pg. 4)

Ending on a note of planning for action is important, especially when closing this exploration of oppression. While discussions on how to challenge individual and systemic discrimination will look different from group to group, every group benefits from talking about ways to counter narratives as they arise. While awareness building is different from eliminating racism, there is still much value in sharing the long history of solidarities in anti-racism movements, such as between the Asian and Black communities as it interrupts stereotypes and challenges lateral violence. Teams of educators can engage with frameworks such as culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy and the anti-oppressive learning environment framework shared in Section Three and the community, political and education resources in Section Four.

Related sections: Anti-Oppressive Framework and Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy , Pg. 41-48.

See also: Section Three: School Leaders and Educators' Toolkit , Pg. 56-77; and Section Four: Where to Next? Resources , Pg. 78-86

It's been over a year and a half since we sat down to write as a team. The pandemic has continued to disproportionately impact communities of people of colour, and exacerbate inequities including experiences of anti-Asian racism. As you consider how you will move forward to engage with this resource and this issue, consider how identity and community are central to child and youth development. Identity and community are a source of strength. For communities disproportionately impacted by racism, violence and COVID-19, it is healing to hear others, especially those in positions of authority, acknowledge their experiences of oppression and call for collective action towards creating a more just and equitable world.

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Addressing Anti-Asian Racism: A Resource for Educators

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Learn about "Addressing Anti-Asian Racism: A Resource for Educators" and how you and your colleagues can use this resource for professional learning.

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Indigenous, Chinese, Japanese, Punjabi, Black, and European stories are woven together to present an astute look at the complicated histories that shaped BC as we know it today.

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How to Teach Kids to Talk About Taboo Topics

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How to Teach Kids to Talk About Taboo Topics

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Liz Kleinrock: How to teach kids to talk about taboo topics

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When one of Liz Kleinrock's fourth-grade students said the unthinkable at the start of a class on race, she knew it was far too important a teachable moment to miss. But where to start? Learn how Kleinrock teaches kids to discuss taboo topics without fear -- because the best way to start solving social problems is to talk about them.

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Overview of internment camp at Hastings Park, resources & lesson plans

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QUICK FACTS Why Hastings Park? The fairgrounds were used for military training in the First World War, 1914-1918. The grounds were expropriated again in 1942 by the Department of National Defense. …

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Unarchived opens the door to probe and introduce stories that make for a shared history of British Columbia and Canada. For the most part, the multiple stories told by the filmmakers are found in every community from coast to coast to coast-Indigenous, 2SLGBTQI+, South Asian Canadian and Chinese Canadian-yet have been overlooked.

A descendant of Cumberland's and Vancouver's Chinatowns, Dr. Imogene Lim is an anthropologist at Vancouver Island University. For the past two decades, her research interests have focused on Vancouver Island-primarily, ethnicity in Canada and Asian Canadian history, including food and culture.

Many museums and archives are having conversations about what and how stories are told, as well as who is doing the telling. In 2018, Heritage BC's annual conference opened with a plenary, "(Re)Interpretation: Challenging the Narrative of Cultural Heritage." Sharanjit Kaur Sandhra addressed colonial history in her 2020 BC Museums Association presentation, "#MuseumsAreNotNeutral: White Supremacy in Museums and Calls to Immediate Action." In my hometown, the Nanaimo Museum offered its own version of reviewing and interrogating its collection in 2021 to offer new perspectives on the city's history. Why were certain stories left out?

As a community's population ebbs and flows, its composition can change dramatically, especially if it's reliant on resource extraction. Consider Cumberland, located on Vancouver Island; incorporated in 1898 as a city, it reverted to village status in 1958. On initial arrival, a new resident or visitor today might be shocked to learn that the village had a substantial East Asian population, with a Chinatown and two Japanese Towns. In comparing the population from the Sixth Census of Canada, 1921 with the Census Profile, Census 2016, Cumberland has not grown much (see Table 1); however, what is notable is the decline in numbers of those identified as Chinese and Japanese. With such a dip in numbers, who will remember these early racialized immigrant populations?

Much can be learned from data available in the various census years. For example, within its six volumes, the 1921 Sixth Census of Canada considers topics including, though not limited to, racial origins, religions, birthplace, immigration, educational status, occupations and agriculture.

Government documents such as censuses can aid in the recovery of a general picture of a community. However, patience is needed for specifics. Perhaps you have a few clues: a name, a date, a location. Sizable early Chinese communities were often segregated from the larger town or city and enumerated as such in the census. This fact can aid in delimiting a search, as in Cumberland's or Nanaimo's Chinatown.

I have searched for my own family. In Figure 1 (below) are the names and ages of eight Lim siblings from the Sixth Census of Canada. These are my aunts and uncles, as well as my father, Kee Wong. A few facts can be useful to hone your quest. The challenge might be the actual name: perhaps the spelling is inconsistent, or you knew the family member by their English name. In my father's case, his English name was Wilbert; I grew up thinking that Wong was his middle name. To find an ancestor might require leafing through page upon page of handwritten census details. The Vancouver Public Library's guide to Chinese Canadian Genealogy offers excellent tips.

Census information can also serve as a myth-buster. While growing up, I always knew that my Canadian roots began in Cumberland. As well, I regularly heard from my elders that its Chinatown was the largest Chinese community north of San Francisco, with a population as high as 3,000. The iconic photograph of Cumberland's Chinatown, circa 1910, was once pointed out to me as "proof" of the Chinese community's size. Logic alone negates this possibility.

Cumberland was never sizable (see Table 1 above). According to my elders, the 1920s was the peak of Chinatown's existence. It was large, but not the largest on the Island, nor in British Columbia (see Table 2 below). The 1911 Census does not have the same specificity as the one from 1921, that is, "origins" in the earlier census were limited to principal cities. Nevertheless, even in combining the numbers from Comox and Cumberland City, the total is less than Victoria's Chinese population. Both are within the Comox-Atlin District, one of seven census districts. Chinese numbered 2,665 in the Comox-Atlin District, which is still no match for the city of Victoria (see Table 3 below).

However, Cumberland's distinction isthat its Chinese population was more than 25 percent of the city's total, while representation in other BC locations ranged from less than 1 percent (Cranbrook) to just under 9 percent (Victoria). By including Japanese, the Asian population is shy of 40 percent of Cumberland's total. Neither the Village nor Chinatown descendants need to maintain a fiction about Chinatown's size; Cumberland was unique regarding its "town within the city." This noteworthy fact (population ratio) likely affected personal relationships. To this day, since 1975, there continues to be an annual Cumberland Chinatown Reunion in Vancouver.

Additional resources in recovering lost stories include business directories and/or fire insurance maps. Unfortunately, these are incomplete. The records are only as good as the foresight of an individual or institution in preserving them. Search the Library and Archives Canada site for fire insurance maps; under "Source" is listed "Government" (3) and "Private" (899). In the British Columbia Directory for 1884-85, under the listings of Victoria, Nanaimo, Wellington and New Westminster, as well as the Cariboo District, is the heading "Chinese Directory." From this, a name, a business and a location can be salvaged from the past.

This is the reminder that communities need, besides government records, private collectors-a Ron Dutton or a Joan Mayo or a Catherine Clement-who capture the history of a place and time. Thanks to their dedication, ready access is available: BC Gay and Lesbian Archives, South Asian Canadian Digital Archive ( Joan Mayo Fonds) and the Yucho Chow Community Archive, respectively. These are some of BC's and Canada's lesser told stories.

Access to government records matter, especially for the earliest Asian populations, who were impacted by racist policies. The 1921 census was a significant marker for both sides of my family. Grandfather Lim died in 1924; the family left Cumberland's Chinatown in 1928, never to live there again. The Chan family (mother's side) left Vancouver in 1930. This one census firmly establishes my Canadian roots.

With the regular enumeration of individuals as part of the census, we are and were "noteworthy." The manner of interpretation and presentation can make a difference in perception and perspective; are the voices, especially of racialized and minority populations, being heard? As others have said, now is the time to be loud and proud.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Unarchived: In the Eyes of Canada, We Were "Noteworthy"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unarchived opens the door to probe and introduce stories that make for a shared history of British Columbia and Canada.

# data[].attributes.headline
Intersections of Race, Culture & Mental Health

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Intersections of Race, Culture & Mental Health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Unarchived opens the door to probe and introduce stories that make for a shared history of British Columbia and Canada. For the most part, the multiple stories told by the filmmakers are found in every community from coast to coast to coast-Indigenous, 2SLGBTQI+, South Asian Canadian and Chinese Canadian-yet have been overlooked.

A descendant of Cumberland's and Vancouver's Chinatowns, Dr. Imogene Lim is an anthropologist at Vancouver Island University. For the past two decades, her research interests have focused on Vancouver Island-primarily, ethnicity in Canada and Asian Canadian history, including food and culture.

Many museums and archives are having conversations about what and how stories are told, as well as who is doing the telling. In 2018, Heritage BC's annual conference opened with a plenary, "(Re)Interpretation: Challenging the Narrative of Cultural Heritage." Sharanjit Kaur Sandhra addressed colonial history in her 2020 BC Museums Association presentation, "#MuseumsAreNotNeutral: White Supremacy in Museums and Calls to Immediate Action." In my hometown, the Nanaimo Museum offered its own version of reviewing and interrogating its collection in 2021 to offer new perspectives on the city's history. Why were certain stories left out?

As a community's population ebbs and flows, its composition can change dramatically, especially if it's reliant on resource extraction. Consider Cumberland, located on Vancouver Island; incorporated in 1898 as a city, it reverted to village status in 1958. On initial arrival, a new resident or visitor today might be shocked to learn that the village had a substantial East Asian population, with a Chinatown and two Japanese Towns. In comparing the population from the Sixth Census of Canada, 1921 with the Census Profile, Census 2016, Cumberland has not grown much (see Table 1); however, what is notable is the decline in numbers of those identified as Chinese and Japanese. With such a dip in numbers, who will remember these early racialized immigrant populations?

Much can be learned from data available in the various census years. For example, within its six volumes, the 1921 Sixth Census of Canada considers topics including, though not limited to, racial origins, religions, birthplace, immigration, educational status, occupations and agriculture.

Government documents such as censuses can aid in the recovery of a general picture of a community. However, patience is needed for specifics. Perhaps you have a few clues: a name, a date, a location. Sizable early Chinese communities were often segregated from the larger town or city and enumerated as such in the census. This fact can aid in delimiting a search, as in Cumberland's or Nanaimo's Chinatown.

I have searched for my own family. In Figure 1 (below) are the names and ages of eight Lim siblings from the Sixth Census of Canada. These are my aunts and uncles, as well as my father, Kee Wong. A few facts can be useful to hone your quest. The challenge might be the actual name: perhaps the spelling is inconsistent, or you knew the family member by their English name. In my father's case, his English name was Wilbert; I grew up thinking that Wong was his middle name. To find an ancestor might require leafing through page upon page of handwritten census details. The Vancouver Public Library's guide to Chinese Canadian Genealogy offers excellent tips.

Census information can also serve as a myth-buster. While growing up, I always knew that my Canadian roots began in Cumberland. As well, I regularly heard from my elders that its Chinatown was the largest Chinese community north of San Francisco, with a population as high as 3,000. The iconic photograph of Cumberland's Chinatown, circa 1910, was once pointed out to me as "proof" of the Chinese community's size. Logic alone negates this possibility.

Cumberland was never sizable (see Table 1 above). According to my elders, the 1920s was the peak of Chinatown's existence. It was large, but not the largest on the Island, nor in British Columbia (see Table 2 below). The 1911 Census does not have the same specificity as the one from 1921, that is, "origins" in the earlier census were limited to principal cities. Nevertheless, even in combining the numbers from Comox and Cumberland City, the total is less than Victoria's Chinese population. Both are within the Comox-Atlin District, one of seven census districts. Chinese numbered 2,665 in the Comox-Atlin District, which is still no match for the city of Victoria (see Table 3 below).

However, Cumberland's distinction isthat its Chinese population was more than 25 percent of the city's total, while representation in other BC locations ranged from less than 1 percent (Cranbrook) to just under 9 percent (Victoria). By including Japanese, the Asian population is shy of 40 percent of Cumberland's total. Neither the Village nor Chinatown descendants need to maintain a fiction about Chinatown's size; Cumberland was unique regarding its "town within the city." This noteworthy fact (population ratio) likely affected personal relationships. To this day, since 1975, there continues to be an annual Cumberland Chinatown Reunion in Vancouver.

Additional resources in recovering lost stories include business directories and/or fire insurance maps. Unfortunately, these are incomplete. The records are only as good as the foresight of an individual or institution in preserving them. Search the Library and Archives Canada site for fire insurance maps; under "Source" is listed "Government" (3) and "Private" (899). In the British Columbia Directory for 1884-85, under the listings of Victoria, Nanaimo, Wellington and New Westminster, as well as the Cariboo District, is the heading "Chinese Directory." From this, a name, a business and a location can be salvaged from the past.

This is the reminder that communities need, besides government records, private collectors-a Ron Dutton or a Joan Mayo or a Catherine Clement-who capture the history of a place and time. Thanks to their dedication, ready access is available: BC Gay and Lesbian Archives, South Asian Canadian Digital Archive ( Joan Mayo Fonds) and the Yucho Chow Community Archive, respectively. These are some of BC's and Canada's lesser told stories.

Access to government records matter, especially for the earliest Asian populations, who were impacted by racist policies. The 1921 census was a significant marker for both sides of my family. Grandfather Lim died in 1924; the family left Cumberland's Chinatown in 1928, never to live there again. The Chan family (mother's side) left Vancouver in 1930. This one census firmly establishes my Canadian roots.

With the regular enumeration of individuals as part of the census, we are and were "noteworthy." The manner of interpretation and presentation can make a difference in perception and perspective; are the voices, especially of racialized and minority populations, being heard? As others have said, now is the time to be loud and proud.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Unarchived: In the Eyes of Canada, We Were "Noteworthy"

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Unarchived opens the door to probe and introduce stories that make for a shared history of British Columbia and Canada.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Importance of Asian Feminist Collectives

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Five women open up about racism, loneliness and the intimate power of community.

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PBS Learning Media - Relish - Southeast Asia

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PBS Learning Media - Relish - Southeast Asia

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Kid-friendly Videos featuring chefs creating cultural dishes

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Dishes Inspired by Southeast Asian Heritage | Relish | Relish | PBS LearningMedia

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Relish shares stories of cultural heritage in Twin Cities communities through the universal language of food. This sub-collection includes episodes that feature dishes inspired by Southeast Asian heritage, including Cambodian, Hmong, Lao, and Vietnamese recipes.

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Intersections of (Trans)gender, Race & Culture

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Intersections of (Trans)gender, Race & Culture

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SD36 student, Finn Lui, on being transgender and Chinese-Canadian

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Opening the Transgender Conversation in the Asian Community | Finn Liu | TEDxSurrey

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Intersections of Sexual Orientation, Race and Culture

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Intersections of Sexual Orientation, Race and Culture

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This First Person article is the experience of Tony Bui, a public servant in Ottawa. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see .
When I tried on my áo dài a few days before Tết, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, I felt a rush of joy and sense of relief. I'd never worn a piece like this before, and didn't expect the cultural pride it would bring when I put it on.

It fit like a glove.

Pronounced "ow-yai," it's our traditional garment, which we wear for special occasions and holidays while celebrating elegance, beauty and Vietnamese culture.

Wanting it to fit on the first try, I sent my measurements to a Vietnamese tailor in California.

I didn't know anyone in Ottawa who made them, because up until recently, I didn't have a strong connection to the Vietnamese community in the city I've called home for the last decade.

I'm the second child of Vietnamese refugees, born and raised in Hamilton. My mom fled to Canada after the Vietnam War. My dad, who is of Vietnamese and Chinese lineage, also immigrated. I don't know much about his past; he died suddenly while we were on a father-and-son trip to China to visit family. I was 10.

I lost my father, and with him, my connection to his history.

But in the years since, mom told me more about her story of how in the summer of 1984 she endured pirates and dangerous seas before landing at an Indonesian refugee camp. She spent months there before being accepted to Canada and then meeting my father in Hamilton.

My parents wanted to instill pride in our culture through family, language and food. I have fond memories of lì xì (red envelopes) during Tết.

I remember visits to Vietnam to see family and our homeland, particularly the coastal city of Quy Nhon where much of my extended family still lives. My parents wanted their sons to understand where we came from. But for me as a kid, that pride in being Vietnamese wasn't always there.

Growing up in a neighbourhood with few Asian families, I was mocked for my "weird" lunch, like mom's Đậu Sốt Cà Chua (fried tofu with tomato sauce).

Bullies joked about my "small eyes." I was the nerdy Asian kid pigeonholed into stereotypes like math geek or obsessed with anime. I rarely invited friends over.

Split between two worlds, I felt ashamed and frustrated with my heritage that was inherently me yet made me so different from others.

As a young man, I moved to Ottawa to pursue school and a career. Beyond the few times I spoke Vietnamese - at my hairdresser in Chinatown, at phở restaurants or calling my mom and brother- my heritage had faded into the background.

As I was finding my place in the world, I grappled with something new: reconciling being both Asian and gay.

Accepting my sexuality took years. When I first came out to my best friend, I couldn't even say it out loud. I literally wrote "I'm gay" on my phone and showed it to her.

Fearing the worst, and anticipating shame and outrage, I didn't come out to my family until years later. Thankfully, those fears weren't realized; they loved me as I am.

But I haven't always found that same acceptance in the gay community where Asian queer people can sometimes experience dehumanizing and extreme perceptions.

Being Asian and gay sometimes made me feel undesirable and invisible, unworthy of even being acknowledged. It hurts to see "No fats, fems, or Asians" on a gay dating profile. On the other hand, as a gay Asian man I've also been objectified, reduced to nothing more than fulfilling a racial fetish.

For me, that took a toll on my ability to accept and love all facets of who I am. I felt lost in both queer and Asian communities.

I decided I wanted to change that, to find my place and who I was. I started working to learn more about my history and roots, including attending the annual Journey to Freedom Day on April 30 that a Vietnamese friend invited me to.

But then, the pandemic hit, bringing stories of anti-Asian racism and brazen violence: from slurs like "Kung flu," to a rise in hate crimes and attacks on Asian women and seniors. After eight people were killed in the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings, I feared for mine and my family's safety. The Asian identity I'd begun to embrace again became a target of hate.

But it also helped me take action. I was determined to take pride in my Asian identity, to unlearn that once-felt shame.

I joined Facebook groups like Subtle Asian Traits, Subtle Viet Traits and Subtle Queer Asian Traits, where fellow Asian diaspora share collective experiences. Like others, I posted my photo and story of my áo dài in these groups in the days after Tết, sharing collective pride in our outfits and culture.

I've attended events for the Vietnamese diaspora to help me mend my cultural gap with my community.

I've also had long video chats with my mom to hear her stories about her journey to Canada and about our heritage. And it's meant sharing my story with my community here - friends who've made space for me to share, embrace my queerness and explore my full identity.

At a small party on the eve of Tết, I revealed my áo dài for the first time to friends, describing how important it was to me.

It's more than just an outfit; my áo dài is a symbol and milestone in my journey to reclaim my heritage. It's important to me, so I'm planning to buy another one - this time made in Ottawa, thanks to a local tailor my Vietnamese friend introduced me to.

My Asian and Vietnamese identities are me, and wholly me: it is my skin, my blood, my being. It is me from birth to when I die. My identity is something I'm learning over time to not only accept, but embrace and love.
Do you have a compelling personal story that can bring understanding or help others? We want to hear from you. Here's
When you see me in my áo dài, know that I'm proud to be Vietnamese and queer.

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FIRST PERSON | When you see me in my áo dài, know that I'm proud to be queer and Vietnamese | CBC News

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Tony Bui writes how a Vietnamese garment is part of his journey to explore his Vietnamese heritage, and what it means to reclaim his history and identity.

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With a photography studio in the heart of Vancouver’s Chinatown, between 1906-1949 Yucho Chow captured a unique aspect of this remarkable neighbourhood’s history.

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Trying to figure out oneself and one's purpose within the larger framework of adulthood is a frustrating task. Attempting to discover your identity within the context of globalism and decolonization is not only a lifelong process, but it can be a generational one as well - one that requires revisiting past national traumas to uncover hidden wounds to an individual's consciousness.

The University of Toronto is one of Canada's postsecondary institutional hotspots for student diversity. In the 2016-2017 academic year, U of T accepted international students from 168 countries, with the majority coming from China and India.

Yet, despite the school's diversity and the endless cultural student associations available to U of T students, some students still struggle to deal with past trauma and identity crises.

Since the introduction of transnational and postcolonial studies, scholars have dedicated a great deal of time and research to the ways in which contemporary society attempts to reconcile the effects of colonialism and national trauma on identity.

The scholar Chih-Yun Chiang defines identity as 'belongingness' to a fixed category, along with others who share interconnected cultural and historical contexts and subjective experiences. Chiang argues that having a fixed idea of one's identity does offer a level of comfort, but that very "reduction of identity to a simple sameness" is actually a product of European colonialism.

That quest for sameness has become adopted by racial minority groups living in western societies, where youth will often attempt to internalize western values and attitudes in order to belong. This process of assimilation creates a double consciousness that fractures one's understanding of one's own identity and can thus cause immense pain.

Benzi Zhang, professor at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, has argued that due to the effects of global diaspora, identifying a single location as 'home' means having to reimagine one's identity, having to "reverse home constantly in a 'ghostly' negotiation between fact and fantasy."

Many diasporans are acutely aware of having at least two cultures and two 'homes.' They are constantly grappling with the reality that they are strangers to both the country in which they reside as well as their 'motherland.'

Diasporic experiences at U of T

U of T students of Asian origin are not immune to the effects of the diaspora on personal identity.

Ben Tiangco, a fourth-year Filipino-Canadian student, says that though he was born in the Philippines, he experienced culture shock when visiting the country several years ago when he encountered significant differences between himself and his relatives.

Tiangco also says that the differences between traditional Filipino values and the values he had absorbed in Canada led to clashes with his parents. "My parents would [say], 'You and your Canadian culture, you're so disrespectful. You were never like this when you were children.'"

"Then we would pull the card saying, 'We were raised here and you grew us up here, so we have some sort of valid excuse that we're acting like this,'" says Tiangco. "And they're like, 'We never raised you like this.'"

"But... you brought us here, and we were raised like this," adds Tiangco.

Another common struggle among diasporans, especially those who immigrated to a foreign country at a young age, is the idea of not being 'ethnic enough.' This notion of authenticity often contributes to the double consciousness of many diasporans.

"I say [that] I accept being Filipino, I accept I'm Filipino-Canadian but then, when I'm placed in a setting with all Filipinos, I feel so insecure and so out of place... I end up speaking English even though I know I can speak the language," says Alexis Lubuguin, a third-year Filipino-Canadian student.

Lubuguin says that due to her appearance, people often don't believe she is Filipino. Her appearance has led her to be seen as not 'Filipino enough.' "I know that how I look has been something that they've thrown at me," she says. "That's something I've always internalized as not good, that I'm so different from them."

When Julia Kim, a second-year Korean-Canadian student, first arrived in Canada in the first grade, she immediately realized the ethnic difference between herself and her peers.

"I used to bring Asian snacks," explains Kim. "Sometimes the food or the snack I would bring would smell. [My peers would say,] 'That smells like trash.' I'd be offended because that's my national food."

"I'd go home and go to my mom and say, 'Mom, I don't want you to pack me Korean food... I want you to pack me white food.'"

Kim says that because her interaction with other Koreans had been limited to her family members, she was concerned that she wouldn't be able to integrate into the Korean community at U of T. "I was scared that I would overstep a boundary or not follow a certain rule and then have people judge me for it, for not being 'Korean enough,'" she says.

Yet despite these common experiences among diasporans, it would be wrong to assume that all diasporans share this narrative.

For Jasmine Choi, a fourth-year Korean-Canadian student, such an identity crisis has not been an issue. "If I go back to Korea, I feel like I don't really belong to Korean society. If I think about it, I don't think I belong to the culture here," says Choi.

Focusing on herself as an individual, rather than a member of the Korean community, helps Choi reconcile these cultural differences. "I like the term 'selective isolation' where I choose to be isolated from the group. That way, you can think about yourself. Living in a multicultural society like Canada, it's very important to know who you are," she says. "You don't need to belong to any group."

Choi says that her volunteer experience has helped her to understand her likes and dislikes, her strengths and weaknesses. She spent a lot of time thinking about defining herself and understanding what made her happy.

"Knowing those little things, they helped me know better about myself," she says. "By knowing that, I know how to control myself and not to be in a situation where I feel not comfortable."

In her 1966 postcolonial novel Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys provides a different narrative for Charlotte Brontë's character from Jane Eyre, Bertha Mason, who is called Antoinette Cosway in Rhys' work.

Antoinette marries Mr. Rochester and moves to Thornfield Hall in England, leaving the only home she has ever known in Jamaica. Aside from the broader themes of colonialism and proto-feminism, Rhys imagines a story about how and why Antoinette, a bright and relatively happy young woman, became the madwoman Bertha Mason, who lives in Mr. Rochester's attic.

Although the novel is told from Antoinette's perspective, by the end of the book, the reader is not entirely certain who the protagonist is. Antoinette is a fascinating and complex character, a woman whose home and Creole identity was stripped away by a handsome, charismatic colonial man.

Once her husband renames her Bertha Mason, Antoinette is literally stripped of her identity and held in captivity in the gloomy attic of Thornfield Hall. "The glass was between us-hard, cold and misted over with my breath. Now they have taken everything away. What am I doing in this place and who am I?" writes Rhys.

Antoinette's character encapsulates the experience of many diasporans whose identities cannot be compactly defined because of the effects of colonialism. Their identities become more fragmented as they are reduced to a fixed racial category, confined by colonial interpretations of sameness.

This theme of disconnection and loss is one of great significance to the diasporic identity. "Not to blame everything on other people," says Kim, "but the more people generalize me, the more I feel like I lose my identity."

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The double consciousness of Asian diaspora

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Arrival of the first Chinese settlers in 1788.

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Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC Canada

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Exploring South Asian Culture, History & Heritage in BC

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About Saffron Threads

Saffron Threads: Exploring South Asian Canadian Culture, History, and Heritage are a set of educational resources for teachers. The resources were designed using the BC curriculum for Kindergarten through Grade 12.

These resources were developed as part of the South Asian Canadian Legacy Project (SACLP), a project of the South Asian Studies Institute (SASI) at the University of the Fraser Valley. The Legacy Project's mission is to raise awareness and increase knowledge about the contributions of South Asian Canadians to British Columbia's diverse culture, history, economy and society. Since 2020, Open School BC has worked with SASI, project advisors, and community members to build the Saffron Threads resources.

Saffron Threads first launched in April 2022 and will continue to grow as more resources are developed. We hope you'll keep coming back to see what's new.

The Resources

Saffron Threads provides culturally-relevant activity plans focused on math, food studies, social studies, and other subjects. The activity plans are divided into four grade groups: Kindergarten to Grade 3, Grades 4 to 6, Grades 7 to 9, and Grades 10 to 12. They expand on the history of South Asian Canadians and add the present-day context needed to build deeper engagement, understanding, and interest in the topics covered.

Developed in collaboration with teachers from the South Asian Canadian community in BC, the resources in Saffron Threads provide a starting point for educators to integrate a culture that may be unfamiliar to them or their students.

In addition to activity plans, Saffron Threads includes a Time Shuffle card game. This interactive game is a fun way to learn about the significant events, people, and institutions that shaped South Asian Canadian communities in BC.

Using Saffron Threads resources in your classroom can be done in a variety of ways. For example:

Implement the activity plans as written

Pull elements from activity plans to use in conjunction with other lessons

Play the Time Shuffle card game with students

Take inspiration from the activity plans for an activity of your own

In addition to the Saffron Threads educational resources, the South Asian Canadian Legacy Project includes labour history research, a digital archive and other resources exploring the South Asian Canadian experience in BC.

If you're interested in being involved with future Saffron Threads development or providing feedback, please contact the South Asian Studies Institute, University of the Fraser Valley at sasi@ufv.ca or call us at 604-854-4547.

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the territories on which this work has primarily taken place. The team in Victoria, BC, has been working and learning on the unceded territory of the Lekwungen-speaking peoples, known today as the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations. The team in Abbotsford, BC, has been working and learning on the unceded territory of the Stó:lō peoples.

The Artwork

Created by Sandeep Johal, the custom artwork developed for Saffron Threads blends South Asian motifs with British Columbia's wild animals and landscapes. Saffron Threads' name, logo and distinct visual style take inspiration from the elusive saffron flower, which has been used in South Asia for hundreds of years. Saffron threads are prized for their contribution to cosmetics, natural medicine, dye, and as a culinary delicacy. In Johal's work, threads from the saffron flower tie together cultures from BC and South Asia. The artwork provides a visual representation of the complex South Asian Canadian diaspora and leaves a lasting impression of its beauty-transcending time, space and culture. View full-size artwork.

The Team

Project Management Team Dr. Satwinder Kaur Bains, South Asian Studies Institute, University of the Fraser Valley Dr. Sharanjit Kaur Sandhra, South Asian Studies Institute, University of the Fraser Valley Dr. Tzu-I Chung, Royal BC Museum Kim Gough, Royal BC Museum Janet MacDonald, Advisor Emeritus (Royal BC Museum)

Open School BC Christine Ramkeesoon Farrah Patterson Janet Bartz Jennifer Riddel Nori Sinclair Shayla Starcheski Sophia Barton-Bucknor

BCTF Teachers (Resource writers) Diljeet Kaur McDonough Gurpreet Kaur Bains Jasleen Kaur Sidhu Navnit Dosanjh Ranjit Gill Rapinder Rai Rovi Sandhu Serena Pattar

We would also like to extend our gratitude to the many teachers, administrators, and teacher educators that supported our work along the way by participating in our survey, attending engagement sessions, and testing activity plans.

SACLP Learning Resource Advisory Committee Dr. Awneet Sivia Harjinder Kaur Sandhu Dr. Kanwal Neel Palo Koorjee Rajvinder Kaur Samra

Consultants and Contractors Dr. Kanwal Singh Neel, Cultural Liaison and Facilitator Jesse Kaufman, Marketing and Communications Leanne Baugh, Substantive Editor and Content Writer Merrie-Ellen Wilcox, Copyeditor, West Coast Editorial Associates Sandeep Johal, Artist

Project Funding The Province of British Columbia provided funding to the South Asian Studies Institute (SASI) at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) to deliver the South Asian Canadian Legacy Project (SACLP). Visit the South Asian Canadian Legacy Project for more ways to explore South Asian history.

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educational resources exploring south asian canadian culture

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Saffron Threads: Exploring South Asian Canadian Culture, History, and Heritage in BC

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Shoko Kanazawa is a leading Japanese performance calligrapher who also has Down syndrome.

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Ms. Kanazawa was scheduled to come to Portland Japanese Garden on April 3 to demonstrate her remarkable calligraphy talents as part of " The Brush of Shoko Kanazawa," an exhibition of more than ten of her celebrated works of art. With circumstances surrounding the coronavirus, this exhibition will be postponed with the date still to be determined, as of April 3, 2020.
"Hello, everyone in Portland! NICE TO MEET YOU! As you may have heard, I cannot make it to Portland this month due to the outbreak of the Corona Virus, and I am very sad about that. Along with that, Tokyo Olympics 2020 has also been postponed. All I can do now is pray for you. And say I love you. I am still looking forward to coming to Portland to see all of you. We will hang in there together!"
Video: courtesy of the office of shoko kanazawa ©︎

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Renowned for her artistry with brush and ink, Shoko Kanazawa (b. 1985) is one of Japan's most acclaimed contemporary calligraphers. Born with Down syndrome, Kanazawa began studying calligraphy at the age of five. Her affinity for this artform that requires mastery of the most subtle variations in line, placement, and saturation flourished as she grew up. Her first exhibition of work, fifteen years after she began, was a breakout success that set her on the path toward international acclaim.

Today, she is a leading proponent of performance calligraphy, which is driving a resurgence in popularity of the artform with younger generations. Her use of oversized brushes and sumi ink require full-body expressions and movement to create dramatic, large-scale works. In honor of her artistic achievements, Kanazawa was named one of the official artists of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

To symbolize her hopes for the world in 2020, Kanazawa selected the kanji character 和 wa, meaning peace or harmony, as her personal statement. For a year which commemorates the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, as well as the beginning of the new Japanese era of Reiwa (令和, or beautiful harmony) with the accession of a new Emperor, Kanazawa's message is particularly timely. Kanazawa's way of viewing the world through her challenges, rather than despite them, imbues every calligraphic line with the open-heartedness, empathy, and compassion she hopes to communicate and inspire in viewers around the world. Kanazawa spreads an inspirational message of peace and harmony that transcends borders and limitations of all sorts.

COMMUNICATING THROUGH CALLIGRAPHY

With a gigantic brush in hand, Kanazawa creates much of her art by using the strength of her whole body. Moving with precision, she expressly reveals each written stroke across large, blank sheets of paper.

Shoko held her first exhibition at the age of 20, with her mother, Yasuko, as her mentor and supporter in both calligraphy and life. "It is difficult for Shoko to clearly express herself with speech. Calligraphy has offered an outlet where she can fully connect with people while showcasing her artistic talent," Yasuko Kanazawa said of her daughter. "She's helping to change the way people view Down syndrome through her art."

Production and copyright: Nippon.comDirection: Sugiyama Sachiko / Filming: Yoshida Hideo / Sound editing: Nakata Ryōhei / Film editing: Mochizuki Hirofumi / Special thanks to Katō Chiaki / (Director, Dewazakura Museum of Art)

MORE WORKS FROM THE EXHIBITION

月光 (Moonlight)

風従虎雲従龍 (Cloud, Dragon; Wind, Tiger)

梵我一如 (Thou Art That)

言霊 (Soul of Language)

不死鳥 (Phoenix)

Raijin Fujin

And finally, inspiration for Kanazawa's Raijin Fujin piece

Raijin Fujin (God of Wind and God of Thunder) by Tawaraya Sotatsu (ca. 1570-1640)

Japan's only official replica on loan through the courtesy of Kyoto Cultural Association and Kenninji Temple, Kyoto

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS OF THIS EXHIBITION

SANDRA CHANDLER & CHRIS SHAEFER

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The Brush of Shoko Kanazawa - Portland Japanese Garden

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Ms. Kanazawa was scheduled to come to Portland Japanese Garden on April 3 to demonstrate her remarkable calligraphy talents as part of "The Brush of Shoko Kanazawa," an exhibition of more than ten of her celebrated works of art. With circumstances surrounding the coronavirus, this exhibition will be postponed with the date still to be ...

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Welcome to the Chinese Canadian Museum - Canadian Chinese Museum 華裔博物館

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The Chinese Canadian Museum is an independent, non-profit which will lead development and operations of a museum that features the Chinese Canadian experience.