Ottawa Shapers: United in Diversity for Asian Heritage Month
May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada and the theme for 2020 is “United In Diversity.” This month, and every month, our Hub aims to raise awareness on the complexity and diversity of Asian heritage and identity and tackle stereotypes, including the view that “Asians are all the same.”
Asian-Canadians have a long and rich history in Canada and have made indelible contributions to our infrastructure, culture, and economy. In the early days of confederation, the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway was made possible by Chinese-Canadians. Indian-Canadians significantly bolstered the early foresting industry in British Columbia.
Asian-Canadians have also experienced racial exclusion and discrimination throughout their time in Canada, most notably enshrined in policy with the Chinese Immigration Act (Chinese Exclusion Act) in 1923 and the internment of 90% of Japanese-Canadians during World War II. With COVID-19 has also come a rise in anti-Asian racism, discrimination, and violence in Canada and around the world.
Today, Asian-Canadians make up over 15% of the Canadian population, reflecting an extremely diverse group with origins or ancestry in East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, West Asia and Central Asia.
We asked members of our Hub who identify as being of Asian descent to share their thoughts on their identity and what message they would like to share with our community during Asian Heritage Month. Read on to hear their perspectives.
Kara Eusebio
Where were you born? Gwangju, South Korea
Where were your parents born? Maryland, USA
If you were born outside of Canada, when did you move to Canada? I moved to the U.S. as an infant and I moved to Canada in November 2016.
Please share a childhood memory that you associate with your Asian heritage and/or upbringing. I was adopted as a baby and raised in a white family, so I actually don’t have a lot of childhood memories I associate with being Asian. I suppose the thing I remember most about being Asian as a child was so desperately not wanting to be Asian — to be “normal” just like my classmates and friends. Normal, of course, meant being white.
How would you describe your cultural identity? I didn’t identify as Asian-American until I was in my early 20s. This seems insane because the world looks at me and sees nothing but an Asian woman — no one would ever mistake me for being white. But it took a long time for me to become comfortable with myself and to feel allowed to explore my Korean heritage, as an adoptee. Now, I’m incredibly proud to identify as Korean-American — and hopefully one day soon, as Korean-American-Canadian!
What are you most proud of when it comes to your heritage? One event that also takes place in May, but many people don’t know about, is the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, which took place in the city where I was born. The Uprising, a pro-democratic demonstration in which likely more than 600 people died (official statistics are hazy), was a turning point in Korean history and ultimately a significant factor in paving the way for South Korea’s current democratic system of government. As an adoptee, I didn’t grow up in the country of my birth or with people that shared my ethnic heritage and sometimes I have a hard time feeling connected to it. But knowing that the city of my birth is associated with this essential struggle for democracy and that the country of my birth is a pillar of freedom and hope in the region — is something I’m really proud of.
What would you like people to take away from Asian Heritage Month? The few times I’ve met another rare Asian-American or Asian-Canadian leader, I’ve sometimes found they weren’t comfortable talking about race, were quick to disregard their ethnicity, and were unable to have frank conversations about the very real barriers we still face in 2020. It broke my heart. And it would break my heart now for any Asian-American, any Asian-Canadian, or any person of color to see me as a person that they could not go to have these real discussions, to not have someone who could simply say, “I believe you.” So this is my challenge, to Asian-Canadians and Asian-Americans during this, our month, to be that champion, to not shy away from tough conversations and to say to our younger selves: be proud of your heritage. Know that we are important and valuable and that it is our contributions, too, that make our countries great.
Fred Ninh
Where were you born? Toronto, ON
Where were your parents born? Vietnam
Please share a childhood memory that you associate with your Asian heritage and/or upbringing. My earliest childhood memories were of my immigrant parents working extremely hard to make ends meet for my large family. When they first came to Canada, they worked labour-intensive jobs to save up enough money to own and operate businesses of their own in Toronto, including largely immigrant-dominated businesses such as a laundromat, a hair salon, a convenience store, and a restaurant before retiring just after I left home for university. These memories have truly had a lasting impact on the type of person I am and hope to become.
How would you describe your cultural identity? Asian Canadian, both — however, this didn’t happen overnight. Despite being raised in an immigrant household in a country known for celebrating its cultural diversity, I had a hard time fully embracing my Asian heritage growing up. For one, I rarely saw positive representations of my heritage reflected in popular culture nor did I see people who looked like me in positions of leadership and influence. My younger self tried my best to fit into the dominant culture — and many times, this came to the detriment of my pride for my Asian heritage and upbringing. I had thought that in order to be fully Canadian, I had to be less Asian. As I matured, I realized that having dual identities did not make me half of one and half of another, and that I did not have to choose. I could and should fully embrace both my Canadian identity and my Asian heritage. It’s what adds flavour to my own story, and I hope, also to the fabric of our community.
What are you most proud of when it comes to your heritage? I’m proud to come from a heritage of resiliency and survival. My immediate family had lived through the war in Vietnam — and came to Canada as refugees to rebuild their lives. Being born in Canada, I’m also proud of the important role our country has played around the world as a safe harbour, and a place that is welcoming to immigrants of all different backgrounds.
What is an underrated fact about your ethnocultural heritage that most people don’t know? One of my favourite things about my Asian heritage is our respect for elders. Growing up, my favourite part of Asian weddings was always the traditional tea ceremony, where the bride and groom pay their respects and show their gratitude to their parents in front of friends and family.
What would you like people to take away from Asian Heritage Month? I hope that we can use this opportunity to celebrate the uniqueness of individuals and their stories — especially for those of us that may come from a different background than the dominant culture. Your stories and contributions matter, and add to the richness of our community.
Eliza Ali
Where were you born? Ottawa, Canada
Where were your parents born? Bangladesh
Please share a childhood memory that you associate with your Asian heritage and/or upbringing. Throughout my childhood the Bangladeshi Community in Ottawa would host ‘Bangla New Year’ called Noboborsho every year. It coincides with spring time and we celebrate by wearing colourful clothing and eating delicious food. It was a beautiful way to see my friends and family members all dressed up and ready for the new year!
How would you describe your cultural identity? I am continually trying to figure out my cultural identity. As a Bangladeshi Canadian there is always the struggle of not seeming too brown or too white. It was most evident when I went to a predominantly white high school where I wanted to blend in but still wanted to showcase my culture, yet would be called out for not being Bengali enough within my Bangladeshi Community. Now that I am older, I am more confident in my identity as a Bangladeshi Canadian as how I define and express it, and I do not worry about others’ opinions. I love learning my language (though I still struggle to speak it), connecting with my family members from ‘back home,’ and listening to stories of the day-to-day yet fascinating life my parents once had when they lived in Bangladesh. Listening to their hopes, dreams, struggles, achievements and interesting opinions and how it was all influenced by the history of Bangladesh, makes me proud of my roots. Having been born in Canada, I have the opportunity to still identify as Canadian with Canadian values and still express my love for my cultural heritage.
What is an underrated fact about your ethnocultural heritage that most people don’t know? International Mother Language Day was created because of Bangladesh! The birth of our nation was rooted in preserving and protecting our language. It is so important to appreciate our languages because hidden in the way we speak is a history of a nation which is so amazing.
What would you like people to take away from Asian Heritage Month Asian Heritage Month is a celebration of how our different cultures can come together and create a beautiful present and future of innovation, acceptance and expression.
Cathy Chen
Where were you born? Taiwan
Where were your parents born? Taiwan
If you were born outside of Canada, when did you move to Canada? My family and I immigrated to Canada when I was six years old.
Please share a childhood memory that you associate with your Asian heritage and/or upbringing. How would you describe your cultural identity? Throughout my primary and secondary school years, my family and I would visit our relatives in Taiwan almost every year. The juxtaposition was exciting: the people, traditions, food, and lifestyle. Most of our time was spent meeting with relatives day in, day out. However, this cultural immersion felt superficial and transient. Whenever I started feeling attached to the culture, the trip would already be over and I would experience withdrawal as I resumed daily life in Canada. That’s when I started to question my identity and sense of belonging. How can one belong to both cultures yet neither at the same time?
As life got busier during university years, we started going back less. Nowadays, even less so. Reflecting back on those trips, I appreciate my parents for exposing me to my Taiwanese roots early on, which has shaped who I am and how I see the world today. Even though I will never be able to talk to my cousins about the latest trends in pop culture, I have learned to embrace my unique intercultural identity. I’m proud to belong to a diaspora bridging the East and the West.
What are you most proud of when it comes to your heritage? As countries with shared values of democracy and freedom, I am proud to be both Canadian and Taiwanese. When it comes to Taiwanese and Asian heritage in general, I am proud of how we pay homage to our elders through an unbreakable sense of filial piety.
What is an underrated fact about your ethnocultural heritage that most people don’t know? For such a small island, Taiwan has rich ethnolinguistic diversity, with over 20 languages spoken including Mandarin, Taiwanese, and Hakka. Oh and bubble tea originated from Taiwan!
What would you like people to take away from Asian Heritage Month? To young Asian-Canadians: Each of us has a unique story worth telling, no matter what we’re told by society or in the media (through lack of representation). Your identity is a journey, not a destination. It’s okay to feel insecure sometimes, especially since we have fewer signposts and role models to look up to. Your struggles are real albeit often overlooked due to the “model minority” stereotype. Identify your allies and raise each other up, such as helping other minorities who may be struggling in different ways. Know that your journey will not be in vain if you always remember to honour your roots.
Sabreen Sidhu
Where were you born? Punjab, India
Where were your parents born? Punjab, India as well!
If you were born outside of Canada, when did you move to Canada? We immigrated to Canada when I was 4 ½ years old. We arrived in late November so we saw our first snowfall early on!
Please share a childhood memory that you associate with your Asian heritage and/or upbringing. Growing up, my family celebrated as many Indian traditions and holidays as humanly possible. My favourite celebration amongst them remains Vaisakhi, a historical and religious festival that celebrates the arrival of Spring. Early on, my entire extended family, enlisted all of us cousins into a large Vaisakhi festival performance where we all learned Punjabi folk dances called Bhangra and Giddha. After the initial discomfort that comes with learning something new, we all started to truly enjoy it and each other’s company. We would get dressed up in colourful bright Punjabi attire, practice our dance routines each weekend and in early May each year we would perform in front of hundreds of people in the local Punjabi community. I performed for several years growing up and now I cheer on my younger brother and cousins each May!
How would you describe your cultural identity? Definitely as Indian Canadian! I’m a proud Indian Canadian, influences from both cultures have and continue to enrich my social, economic and political beliefs. My grandparents pushed hard for me to be fluent in Punjabi as well as English when I was younger and I’m very grateful that they did. It’s truly helped me stay connected with my extended family back in India as well as of course bargain in Indian bangle shops!
What is an underrated fact about your ethnocultural heritage that most people don’t know? In Punjab, there’s a Golden Temple that is coated in 750kg of real 24K gold! Skilled artisans from all across the country worked on it in the 1990’s. It’s one of the most visited places in all of India with thousands of people visiting each day!
What would you like people to take away from Asian Heritage Month Just a reminder that the most interesting and eye-opening conversations happen when people freely share their own unique traditions, experiences and perspectives associated with their heritage.
Born out of the World Economic Forum, the Global Shapers Community is a network of inspiring young people under the age of 30 working together to address local, regional and global challenges. With more than 7,000 members, the Global Shapers Community spans 369 city-based hubs in 171 countries.
Situated in the nation’s capital, the Ottawa Hub is comprised of young leaders in the public, private, non-profit sectors. We undertake local projects that empower young people in Ottawa to be agents of positive change, promote pluralism, and foster respect for the dignity of others.
