Persians and Filipinos share their Asian heritage

Throughout May, the last month the cherry blossoms bloom, Vancouver will be the scene for the celebration of the 22nd Asian Heritage Month. The explorASIAN festival’s theme ”Pan-Asian Routes,” refers to the richness and diversity of Pan-Asian artists and communities, who will be showcasing more than 50 performances, shows and exhibits around Metro Vancouver. A…

DOXA films: beneath the surface

  The Documentary Media Society is bringing back the DOXA Documentary Film Festival to Vancouver audiences for its 17th year. Running May 3–13, this curated and juried festival is a combination of public screenings, panel discussions, public forums and educational programs. Over 30 genres will be celebrated this year, including the Latin American genre featuring…

Storytelling in the Digital Age

As society turns increasingly to online sources for news and entertainment, storytelling becomes more and more about creating digital content. Fortunately for local artists, Vancouver is a hub for digital creativity. From producers to social media specialists, here are some messages from the local talent. Pay attention to your audience and to social media “When…

Easter: religious rites blend with culture

Easter: a time of hopping bunnies and chocolate eggs? Not for the religious communities of Metro Vancouver, who are living it up towards the Holy Week at the end of March with a whole month of special religious services, culminating in the Easter celebration on the 1st of April. The Christian Easter period begins with…

Say “Bonjour” in Vancouver

The 2016 Census shows that just over 57,000 individuals in British Columbia, or roughly 1.25% of the population, speak French as their mother tongue. Yet, French language and culture is alive and well in B.C. According to data published last month by the B.C. government, students enrolled in French immersion programs increased by about 30%…

Room for diversity in a changing workplace

The 2018 Community Summit, Brave New Work, invites audiences to consider how society can be successful in a changing world (Feb. 26–Mar. 7). “This year’s Community Summit, Brave New Work, asks a critical question: ‘How can we thrive in the changing world of work?’” says Janet Webber, executive director at SFU Public Square, a community…

Empowering women and girls in science

Priscilla Shumba had an unfulfilled dream when she left her home in Zimbabwe for college life in Canada. “I wished I could be a biologist. I was really interested and did well in that,” says Shumba, now a business graduate from Columbia College. She is applying for further study, but the major will most likely…

World Radio Day promotes democracy and diversity

Five years ago, in 2013, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed February 13 World Radio Day. The UN hoped to raise greater awareness among the public and the media of the importance of radio; to encourage decision makers to establish and provide access to information through radio; and to enhance networking and international cooperation among…

Youth for a sustainable future

Youth empowerment and sustainability are two goals that Vancouver’s civic institutions often aim to improve. But how do the two interrelate? The Source talked to four motivated activists, each striving in different ways for the inclusion of Canadian indigenous and non-indigenous youth in policy making, to see how they envision youth engagement in 2018. Building…

A year in review – Tales of Canadians making a difference

As Canada celebrated its 150th birthday The Source Newspaper reported on Canadians making a constructive change to the country they call home. Movements and protests supporting vulnerable citizens and exhibits and performances giving voice to marginalized histories were covered, as well as progressive projects and inventions designed to improve our environment and social well-being. “The…

Building community connections through words and deeds

The 2016 census data released this year reveals that roughly one in five Canadians are immigrants and that more than 21% of Canadians identify a non-official language as their mother tongue. How can Canadians overcome linguistic and cultural differences to find common ground and a sense of community? “It is more important than ever for…

Solutions-based media for our communities – Media Democracy Day

Media Democracy Day 2017 will take a more solutions-based view on journalism. As part of the Media Democracy Project in partnership with SFU’s School of Communication, the free event will be held Nov. 18 at Vancouver Public Library’s Central Branch. Media Democracy Day (MDD) is an annual conference, bringing together several smaller media outlets that…

Social challenges of language diversity

When Andy Yan was born in Vancouver, his parents made the decision to teach him Cantonese, their heritage language, as well as English. Bilingualism, which wasn’t common at the time, turned out to be an asset for Yan. Now a senior city planner, Yan fills the gaps between Chinese and English-speaking communities. Few have the…