With the theme of connecting people through books, Vancouver Writers Fest returns for its 37th rendition from Oct. 21 to 27. Guest curated by Kim Thúy, the festival celebrates literature through 88 events exploring how books inspire readers in creating compassionate communities. Korean-Canadian writer Yeji Y. Ham will share her debut novel, The Invisible Hotel, during…

The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) will celebrate its 43rd edition this year, and is set to showcase around 150 feature-length films and 81 shorts from 72 countries and across 75 different languages. Amidst the breadth and diversity of it all, one of the emergent themes in this year’s film selection is the intersection of…

Learning isn’t just for kids or young adults. It’s important for people of all ages – notably older adults – to continue learning, even if it isn’t in school. Numerous studies emphasize the mental and physical health of lifelong learning and taking up new skills for older adults, which also improves their overall sense of…

“The productivity problem not only affects newcomers but also has broader implications for the local population and the future of Canadian society,” says Soudabeh Rafiei, a senior manager of the Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants (Career Paths) program, referring to the Bank of Canada’s concerns over the Canadian economy’s failure to grow. For Rafiei, this…

“I find it healing and cathartic to sing about the things that are hard and the feelings that are hard,” says local musician Kimiko Dorey (who performs professionally as Kimiko). “And in doing so, you let people see behind the curtain.” Kimiko will perform for the third time at the Powell Street Festival (PSF), an…

For Atkilt Asefa, owner of Gojo Cafe Ethiopia on Commercial Drive, the saying “Eat Together, Share with Each Other,” captures the uniqueness, warmth and diversity of Ethiopian cuisine. Gojo Cafe will celebrate its 12th anniversary this summer with a special event honouring what Asefa holds as the core of his work, his valued customers. “I…

June marks the start of Italian Heritage month, an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on Italian culture across the country. With Italian-Canadian communities and groups to be found in Vancouver, and throughout the province, individuals and cultural organizations – such as the Dante Alighieri Society of B.C. – encourage Italian-Canadians, and anyone interested in Italian…

“The communities preserve traditions much better than the homelands,” says Terry Costa, one of the founders of Canada’s Portuguese Heritage Month. “As the countries, the ‘homelands’ move forward in society, the communities try to preserve the little they knew about it.” In 2003, Costa and Manuel Azevedo, a lawyer and researcher, along with other members…

The Burnaby Village Museum is currently hosting two feature exhibits which look to showcase two different stories pertaining to B.C.’s South Asian community. Truths not Often Told, curated by Jane Lemke and Anushay Malik, and OVERCASTE, curated by Sharanjit Kaur Sandhra and Anita Lal, are aiming to bring attention to underrepresented and under-discussed stories in British Columbia.…

Renowned and upcoming Asian Canadian authors will come together to share their stories, inspirations and more at the 12th annual LiterASIAN writers festival next month. From May 4 to 5, six remarkable writers including Keiko Honda and Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio will offer their experiences and perspectives through three discussion panels, culminating in an afternoon of dimsum…

“Even before language, there was a language that we don’t speak, and after language, a new language will arise,” says the 7th Poet Laureate of Toronto, Lillian Allen, highlighting spoken word poets’ innate right to experiment with language. Just in time for National Poetry Month, Vancouver Poetry House’s Verses Festival of Words, a spoken word…

March 21 is the UN-designated International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. For Katie Crocker, CEO at the Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC (AMSSA), the work to make Vancouver’s institutions, particularly its workplaces, more inclusive requires inviting diversity to the table not just as guests, but as leaders. “Our systems,…

“A very visceral community experience of laughing together…just a communal human experience of sharing the witnessing of stories,” says Franco-Manitoban comedian Micheline Marchildon about her hopes for what the audience will take away from her set. Bringing hilarity, fun and culture, Marchildon, along with two other French-speaking comedians, Korine Côté and Mona de Grenoble, will…