“In terms of being close and supporting each other as Ecuadorians, we’re really proud of where we come from,” she adds. “If you talk to an Ecuadorian, they’re going to sell the country like they were working for a tourist or travel agency.”

The organization is currently planning their sixth annual Women’s Day celebration (March 23 at Burnaby Public Library, McGill Branch, 4595 Albert St).

Finding new friends

ECBC began in the 1990s when Ecuadorian Efrén Pilay started organizing cultural events for Vancouver’s Ecuadorian community, although it was officially only formed in 2008. The organization was then registered as a non-profit – with the name Ecuadorian Ethnic Association of BC– under the BC Societies Act in 2016. Serving older and newer waves of Ecuadorian immigrants, ECBC addresses the community’s cultural preservation and settlement support needs.

“We have people that have been here for 8, 15, 30 years, and we have newcomers,” the president adds. “The community is so tight and strong that they [will] help you with whatever you need.”

Gonzalez says Ecuadorian immigrants usually move as a couple or with their children – reflecting Latin culture’s value of family. She estimates that there are currently more than 300 Ecuadorian families registered with ECBC. These members can access free resources on filing taxes, navigating B.C.’s medical system, preparing for one’s first camping trip, and other popular topics for newcomers. Gonzalez, who moved to Vancouver on her own nearly four years ago, feels the association is a much-needed connection to home.

“It was important to find a place, so I can eat the typical food of Ecuador, and also a place that I can connect with fellow Ecuadorians and enjoy my traditions,” she adds.

The association also links B.C.’s Ecuadorian community– particularly those who are unable to travel to Ottawa – with the Embassy of Ecuador for consulate services. ECBC hosts a range of social and cultural events, highlighting important Ecuadorian celebrations including Quito (the founding of the capital). Having joined the organization three years ago, Gonzalez knows firsthand how ECBC functions like a “teammate” or a “friend” for newcomers.

“I met people that helped me look for new jobs, and I connected with Ecuadorians who were studying in the same college,” she says. “The community is really strong, and I think it’s really valuable.”

Part of ECBC’s work is sharing Ecuadorian culture with Vancouver’s broader community. While their events are held in Spanish, non-Ecuadorians are also welcomed to attend.

As its name suggests, Ecuador is located at the equator. Its geography of four distinct regions – the Amazon, the Andes, the coast, and the Galapagos Islands – and its people also reflects this diversity.

“The culture in Ecuador is a mix of Indigenous culture, Afro-descendent culture, and also [that] from Spain,” Gonzalez points out.

A powerful voice

ECBC’s upcoming Women’s Day event will feature 4 to 6 speakers from the community, each representing a different background and life stage. After the panel, participants will have a chance to network with the speakers and each other. For Gonzalez, Women’s Day marks the ongoing fight against inequitable societal norms and policies in Ecuador.

“We’re still fighting against the patriarchy, we’re still fighting against the norms that society puts on women,” she says, adding that many Latin American countries have seen significant increases in feminist movements.

She notes that women in Ecuador still face glass ceilings at work, inadequate healthcare and gender-based violence. She hopes that by showcasing speakers balancing multiple responsibilities, such as a mother working full-time while adapting to the Canadian environment, Ecuadorian women are empowered to recognize their roles as leaders in society.

“For us [who are] given the voice that sometimes we cannot give to women in Ecuador, we can amplify it and show our community the good work that women are doing,” she adds.

She thinks it is important to recognize women as multifaceted individuals who contribute to society in different ways, including supporting a country’s economic growth. Gonzalez hopes that ECBC will one day possess a physical location, a safe space for all Ecuadorians to preserve their culture and traditions.

“The spirit is there,” she adds. “If the association has been living for 11 years with no salary and no funds, that means people want to be together and want to belong.”

For more information, see www.facebook.com/ecuadorianassociationofbc/ and www.linkedin.com/company/ecuadorian-association-of-british-columbia