What does Asian Heritage Month mean to you?

Photo Credit: Chinatown Storytelling Centre
​Left to right: Dr. Anson Cheung, Dr. Peter Kim, Dr. Christopher Nguan, Dr. John Yee

The answer is probably different depending on the person’s heritage, culture, personal experience, number of years in Canada and so on…

As an immigrant from Hong Kong, I certainly think that Canada is an inclusive country accepting everyone from around the world until I learned about the history of early immigrants at Chinatown Storytelling Centre. 

With the early Chinese immigrants arriving in Canada in 1880’s to build the Canadian Pacific Railway, there was much tension as to where Chinese people can reside or have the right to vote. During World War II, a group of people of Chinese descent decided to go to war despite they are not officially Canadians. 

Eventually in 1947, Chinese, Japanese, and South Asian Canadians were finally granted the right to vote in BC, thus also allowing them to practise as doctors, lawyers, and other regulated professionals.

We are standing on the shoulders of those who came before us. Their act of persistence and resilience allows us to enjoy the privilege we have today. For that, we should be thankful!

We don’t ask what Canada can do for us. More importantly, we should ask ourselves what we have done or can do for Canada.
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It’s been a privilege to be able to work with like-minded individuals in giving back to the community throughout the years. This is only a snapshot of how immigrants use their own way to be part of the country they call home by donating their time and money to various charities and worthy causes.

Asian Heritage Month has been celebrated since the 1990s. In May 2002, the Government of Canada signed an official declaration to announce May as Asian Heritage Month.
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It is time to reflect – not just in May but everyday!
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Reference: 
https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/asian-heritage-month/important-events.html
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/1.3594323
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