The built environment: Designing out inequity

In challenging our use, accessibility and attachments to space and how to design equitably and with inclusivity, the Museum of Vancouver is inviting community members to participate in ResiStories: Building Community Futures on June 29. The panel brings together moderator and political geographer, Eugene McCann, along with three members of University of British Columbia’s (UBC)…

A day, or five, to celebrate Canada

As the month of June ends and the beginning of July approaches, there’s at least one cultural celebration on the horizon that most Canadians are familiar with, bringing along with it a host of parades, events, concerts and celebrations to mark the day. But what Canada Day celebrators might not realize is that there are…

Creating space in the games industry

Diversity in Games (DIG) is a Vancouver-based organization that’s looking to build spaces to promote talent diversity and the advancement of underrepresented people in the video game development industry. Dani Merrithew, co-organizer of DIG and a lead game designer at Blizzard Entertainment, says that the organization started in Vancouver 12 years ago out of the…

Supporting LGBTQI+ refugees in finding their new homes

“Being a trans refugee and working with other trans refugees is something not to be taken for granted,” says Norma Lize, the communications manager of Rainbow Refugee, a local organization providing support to those fleeing from persecution because of their LGBTQI+ identity. Since 2000, Rainbow Refugee has been helping LGBTQI+ refugee claimants with their applications…

The reverberating effects of racism – 110 years since the Komagata Maru incident

Systemic racism continues to affect Canadian society in many challenging ways, resulting in policies and outcomes which reaffirm social, economic, political and cultural inequality. So as Canadian people and institutions look to combat bigotry and encourage interconnectedness, decade-over-decade, it can be worth looking into and remembering the past in order to understand how Canada’s political…

Women of distinction: recognizing remarkable achievements

Presented by Scotiabank, YWCA Metro Vancouver celebrates extraordinary women in Metro Vancouver with its 41st annual Women of Distinction Awards. This fundraising event honours women from diverse fields for their contributions to the community, recognizing their achievements and empowering their initiatives. “The Women of Distinction Awards honour and celebrate the achievements of thousands of inspiring…

Reflecting on a legacy: Adrienne Clarkson

In the decades since she arrived in Canada in 1941 as a refugee from Japan-occupied Hong Kong, Adrienne Clakrson has led an extensively influential and important life. She is perhaps most known as a former Governor General of Canada, but within that role and outside of it, Clarkson has brought forth a number of influential…

Province addresses mounting hate crimes with education and assistance

The Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) and Statistics Canada co-developed a series of landmark workshops on hate to address hate crimes across the country, starting in British Columbia. “In British Columbia alone, hate crime rose 62% from 2019 to 2022. Communities disproportionately impacted by hate have flagged rising rates as cause for serious concern,” the…

Champions of Change: The Broadbent Institute’s 2024 Awards

Each year, in partnership with the Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor, and Mayor of Toronto Olivia Chow, the Broadbent Institute has the honour of awarding the Jack Layton Progress Prize and Charles Taylor Prize for Excellence in Policy Research at the annual Progress Summit. This year’s shortlist of Layton and Taylor Prize nominees represented an inspiring…

The Chinese Canadian History Society of B.C. celebrates 20 years of bridging the gaps in Canada’s history

The Chinese Canadian Historical Society of British Columbia (CCHSBC) celebrated its 20-year legacy last weekend. Since first being established in 2004, the society has aimed to be a national leader in research, preservation and education about the experiences of Chinese-Canadian immigrants. To that end, the non-profit organization has led numerous field trips, published several books…

Collaboration for inclusion: How the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria reaches thousands yearly in the capital region

“It takes a village to raise a child.” This adage has been appropriated countless times and in countless contexts to communicate the value of community-mobilizing efforts. Despite the cliché it has become, organizations such as Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA) aim to prove its veracity. Each year, the not-for-profit organization pursues its mission to…

New friends, old ties: Building a Sri Lankan community in B.C.

A huge influx over the last five years, in a younger generation of immigrants moving into Canada – most as students –has created a need for a support outreach system. May is Asian Heritage Month, and Renuka Amaradasa, president of the Sri Lankan Friendship Association of BC (SLFABC), reports that the organization has quickly become…