It wasn’t until I had worked overseas in Asia that I became increasingly self-aware of my experiences and lens as a Chinese-Canadian. My late grandfather was an active member for many years at the Wong’s Benevolent Association (as headmaster of Mon Keang School), but our language barrier made it difficult for me to understand his role or the organization’s cultural significance.
When I returned to Vancouver, it became a personal mission to get involved. After connecting with the newly formed “youth committee” at the Wong’s, we began discussing how we could enhance intergenerational interactions within the organization, while cultivating relationships with the surrounding neighbourhood.
In the fall of 2017, we held a panel at the Dr. Sun-Yat Sen Gardens and hosted special guest speakers from the W.O.W Project in New York. The evening brought together established and newer businesses to discuss collaborative opportunities in Vancouver.
