Posts in Personal Stories
Acting Like it’s the 1970s 演藝夢想: Eugene Tang 飾演70年代的 譚詠麟
Acting Like it’s the 1970s 演藝夢想: Eugene Tang 飾演70年代的 譚詠麟

Acting in a movie — that was the dream. In particular, to be able to act in a Chinese film. Being Canadian-born with Chinese ethnicity, that was what I dreamed about as a kid. I wanted to be in the movies that my immigrant parents loved to watch, the ones they made me watch while growing up in Calgary. It was a family weekend ritual that my parents could enjoy to remind them of a home that they missed and that I never really knew. My parents were from Hong Kong and Guangzhou, and decided to move to Canada in hopes my sister and I would be able to go to university here. To be in a movie with actors in those very films we watched at home is still surreal and is something I'm very grateful for.

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Personal Stories, Film & BooksRuizhou Liasian heritage month, #FaceRace #StopAsianHate #AsianHeritageMonth, Asian Representation, Asian American Movement, Paula Yoo, Reel Asian, asian american movement, asian american, chinese american, asian heritage, racism, Anti-RacismComment
Grace Chan 陳凱琳: Time Changes Pace As a Young Mother 新手媽媽重編時間步伐
Grace Chan 陳凱琳: Time Changes Pace As a Young Mother 新手媽媽重編時間步伐

We sat down with Hong Kong-born and Vancouver-raised actress, entrepreneur and stylish mom, Grace Chan, to learn more about how this turbulent year has led her to reflect on time as a young mother of two. Grace and celebrity husband Kevin Cheng gave birth to a second son during the pandemic in 2020. Read here for Grace Chan's personal story of learning her new identity as a mother.

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Personal StoriesFête ChinoiseCelebrityComment
"Double Happiness": How the Discovery of a Head Tax Certificate Unlocked Two Families’ Stories
"Double Happiness": How the Discovery of a Head Tax Certificate Unlocked Two Families’ Stories

Chinatowns across North America are fighting for their survival. Long before the pandemic hit, Vancouver’s Chinatown was desperately trying to stave off gentrification. It seemed like there was no end to the condo developments and hipster bars that were slowly pushing longtime residents out, and erasing the rich cultural history of the area. When singer songwriters Robyn Jacob and Nancy Tam created Double Happiness: Detour This Way, a live music and theatre show that retraces the legacy of the Chinese diaspora in Vancouver, it only made sense to premiere it in the heart of Chinatown. But too quickly, the pandemic ordered the show to close early, and along with it, all of Chinatown’s businesses. It was a devastating blow.

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Personal Stories, Community & PeopleFête ChinoiseEntertainment, ArtComment
Identity in Uncertain Times
Identity in Uncertain Times

I think at some point, every 2nd Generation immigrant is questioned about their identity. No better example comes from the cliché, “Where do you come from?”. We are asked this from childhood and are often confused by the follow-up question, “No, where are you REALLY from?”. As we grew older, it became a complex emotional response that I, at least, almost never vocalized. This year, by some unintentional force of nature, is our moment where we embrace who we are.

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Personal Stories, Current Affairs, Community & People, Food and LifestyleFête ChinoiseCulture, Personal Stories, CommunityComment
Wellness Tips to Feel Good & Manage the ‘New Normal’
Wellness Tips to Feel Good & Manage the ‘New Normal’

Bonnie Chan entered Miss Chinese Toronto Pageant and won first runner-up. She later moved to Hong Kong and competed in the Miss Hong Kong, winning second runner-up in 2016. Soon after earning her title, she became a television host in the fast-paced television industry. With everything that is happening today, she created a platform, MindBonnieSoul, to spread encouragement and support for others to be well, especially during these challenging times. We have invited her to share her expert tips on health and wellness for readers to pursue a healthier lifestyle.

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Personal Stories, Food and LifestyleFête ChinoiseFashion, beauty, GiftsComment
A Cultural Children’s Book Becomes New York Times Best Seller: Joanna Ho’s “Eyes that Kiss in the Corners”
A Cultural Children’s Book Becomes New York Times Best Seller: Joanna Ho’s “Eyes that Kiss in the Corners”

In this pivotal moment for change in the North American Asian community, it is a children's picture book written by Joanna Ho, Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, that has been an exceptional source for hope and positivity for readers of all ages. After reading the book meant for children, an Asian adult might share the collective revelation that the lack of self-love and quiet self-doubt linked to our physical features has been the result of racism. But these features should be recast as precious traits our ancestors gifted us, not to be ashamed of, and something to be proud of and to embrace like the little girl in the book.

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Long Reads, Personal StoriesFête ChinoiseEntertainment, Book ReviewComment