The Japanese-Canadian Internment – 75 Years After

Hosted by the Vancouver Historical Society, The Japanese-Canadian Internment – 75 Years After will take place on Sept. 28 at the Museum of Vancouver. The talk will feature Japanese-Canadian activists Mary Kitagawa and her partner Tosh. In 1896, Mary Kitagawa’s grandfather moved from the prefecture of Hiroshima to Canada. He would make up the first…

A bold vision of Reconciliation

Canada’s 150th birthday takes a solemn tone, juxtaposed against a festive atmosphere, as the country’s Indigenous people mourn the atrocities committed by the Canadian government. To reconcile, however, doesn’t mean to transform relationships with just the government. For Chief Robert Joseph, member of the Gwawaenuk First Nation and co-founder of Reconciliation Canada, reconciliation is a…

A community addresses issues of racism

“What do we do?” The need to answer that question is at the heart of an upcoming public forum where North Shore residents will have an opportunity to discuss their concerns relating to discrimination and racism. “Canada has often been touted as a successful experiment in multiculturalism. However, in light of recent events, such as…

Filling the gaps in World War I history

A local community historian wants to give people a more holistic perspective of World War One, particularly the Sikhs’ contribution. “My intent is to present the real inclusive history, not the one perpetuated in pop-culture and classrooms for that matter. It’s going to be a history lesson to fill in the blanks for the people…

An early education with an Italian twist

September is right around the corner and the very young are heading to preschool, likely their first classroom setting. Some local preschools use the Reggio Emilia approach, which focuses less on teaching broadly to a large group and more on facilitating the learning of each individual child. According to the Vancouver Reggio Consortium Society, the…

A SensaBus to make a difference to kids with autism

Trish Mandewo oozes sheer bliss when she recalls a conversation on her Facebook Messenger. A couple of years ago, the owner of the Vancouver Tumblebus got a message from the mother of an autistic girl.  “Mama, look at the Tumblebus,” Mandewo says of what she’s told by the mom. Over the years, the tender six-year-old…

An upward spiral to success

Every year for the past nine years, the RBC Royal Bank and the Canadian Immigrant magazine co-present the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants awards. The awards celebrate the achievements of Canadian newcomers and their contribution to Canadian society. For Dr. Muhammad Morshed, Program Head of Zoonotic Diseases & Emerging Pathogens at the BC Centre for Disease…

A home abroad: Latin American presence in B.C.

Roots and Ties: 150 Years of Canadian and Latin History will be held on June 30. The event takes place at the Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island in conjunction with Carnaval del Sol’s Latin American Week which runs from June 30–July 9. Admission to Roots and Ties is free. “We are a very young group…

Autism can include happiness, belonging and positive health

Jonathan Weiss, PhD., is an associate professor and chair in Autism Spectrum, Disorders Treatment and Care Research at York University. As a summer scholar for the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia, he looks forward to collaborating with researchers in his field, teaching graduate students, and sharing his learning through public outreach.…

Indigenous Two-Spirit artists rebuild identity through art

Vanessa Dion Fletcher offers a dialogue on menstruation, a formerly taboo subject in First Nations communities. Art installation by Alicia Everett. | Photo courtesy of Vanessa Dion Fletcher Every June, rainbow flags fly with pride as the sun shines on Vancouver. This June, however, the ceremony takes on a new look as Adrian Stimson, an Indigenous Two-Spirit…

Summer jobs light up career paths

For many youth, the transition from studying to beginning a professional career starts with summer employment. According to Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey of youth aged between 15 and 24, roughly 54% of the 2.8 million students in Canada were employed in the peak summer employment months of July and August last year. Working over…

Beware of hidden wishes

Psychoanalyst Hilda Fernandez Alvarez is giving a talk this fall about the dangers of falling into consensus when resisting oppression. The lecture, originally slated for June, will be given as part of the Spectre of Fascism Free School organized by professor Samir Gandhesha and poet Stephen Collis for the SFU Institute of Humanities. The purpose…

Indigenous and Japanese warriorship weigh in on leadership development

The concept of warriorship is brought up for the first time in a community feast at Test Kitchen, Theatre Playwrights Centre (June 8). Conversation will be held around the role warriorship plays in leadership development.  “We are at a time that calls on our best selves to lead with courage, compassion and fierce determination rooted…