Asian Heritage Month Resources
CBC Communications | Posted: May 14, 2021 5:36 PM | Last Updated: May 14, 2021
In May, celebrate and learn about Asian-Canadian experiences in Manitoba
This year's theme for Asian Heritage Month is "Recognition, Resilience, and Resolve."
The Government of Canada's theme highlights "the myriad of sentiments that peoples of Asian descent in Canada have experienced and honours their contributions and their diverse stories which are rooted in resilience and perseverance. It is also a call to action for all Canadians to come together to combat all forms of anti-Asian racism and discrimination."
Discover what Manitoba has to offer for Asian Heritage Month with the resources below.
Virtual Events
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is hosting a virtual panel discussion about the escalation of anti-Asian racism in the workplace during COVID-19.
The 75-minute ZOOM program, moderated by CBC Manitoba's Faith Fundal, includes a 45-minute panel discussion with guest speakers Dr. Muni Mysore, Tina Chen, Maysoun Darweesh, JR Alibin, and Alec Carlos followed by a 30-minute interactive Q&A session.
- Wednesday, May 19th, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. CDT
Register here.
The Asian Heritage Society of Manitoba is hosting virtual events throughout Asian Heritage Month, including:
- Asian Canadian Showcase Fridays
Friday, May 14th, and Friday, May 21st, at 7:00 p.m.
- Impact of COVID-19 Related Anti-Asian Racism in the Workplace
Wednesday, May 19th, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Asian Heritage Month Closing Ceremony
Monday, May 31st, Time TBA
See The Asian Heritage Society of Manitoba's latest event updates.
The Mood Disorder Association of Manitoba is organizing mental health related events for Asian Heritage Month, including:
An Asian Healing Circle for anyone that identifies as Asian to talk about their experiences and engage in creative prompts.
- Friday, May 21st, from 6:00 to 7:00 CST
See more information on their Instagram page @mooddisordersmb.
A mental health panel on how COVID-19 affects the Asian diaspora.
- Wednesday, May 26th, at 1:00 p.m.
Register here.
Learn
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights lists relevant Asian stories on their site:
- The Chinese head tax and the Chinese Exclusion Act, which describes the discrimination faced by Chinese immigrants in Canada;
- Japanese Canadian internment and the struggle for redress, which details the internment of Japanese Canadians during the Second World War and the efforts which led to a formal apology from the Government of Canada;
- The story of the Komagata Maru, which describes the 1914 journey of the Komagata Maru and its passengers, Indians seeking to immigrate to Canada, and the racism they faced while being denied entry into Canada;
- The chaotic story of the right to vote in Canada, which notes the denial of voting rights to Canadians of Asian descent.
Read
McNally Robinson Booksellers has provided a reading list for Asian Heritage Month.
Adult:
- Older Sister, Not Necessarily Related by Manitoba-based author Jenny Heijun Wills (9780771070914)
- The Shadow List by Jen Sookfong Lee (9781989496282)
- Satellite Love by Genki Ferguson (9780771049873)
- How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa (9780771094606)
- Super Important Filipina Thoughts by Alia Ceniza Rasul (9780987856760)
- Swimming Back to Trout River by Linda Rui Feng (9781982171520)
Teen:
- My Summer of Love and Misfortune by Lindsay Wong (9781534480704)
Intermediate:
- Peter Lee's Notes from the Field by Angela Ahn (9780735268241)
Children:
- Thao by Thao Lam (9781771474320)
- Eyes that Kiss at the Corners by Joanna Ho (9780062915627)
The Millennium Library highlights Asian history and heritage with these reading resources:
Watch
Explore CBC Gems' Asian Heritage Month media collection here.
The inaugural FascinAsian Film Festival takes place virtually from Friday, May 28th to Sunday, May 30th, 2021. The festival showcases a small but potent selection of feature films, shorts, live-streamed filmmaker talks and a webinar. The intent is to highlight North American stories from the Asian diaspora, rather than Asian cinema (movies from Asia), to shed light on some of the perspectives of Asian communities and promote local Asian filmmakers.
The University of Winnipeg recorded the 2021 Carol Shields Writer in Residence Lecture: What is a Writer? with the author of How to Pronounce Knife, Souvankham Thammavongsa.
Listen
Celebrate Asian music with CBC Listen's South Asian Mix.
The University of Winnipeg's Manitoba Food History Project created the Chinese-Canadian Cuisine podcast about rural Chinese-Canadian restaurants, where Lok Ki-Mak, owner and chef at Lee's Village Restaurant in Steinbach, Manitoba, details his experiences.