Happy Asian Heritage Month! The Ubyssey has compiled a list of resources within UBC and Metro Vancouver that celebrate Asian Heritage Month through education and creativity, and provide support for people in cases of anti-Asian racism.
UBC courses
ACAM 300: Dis/Orienting Asian Canada
This course, restricted to students with second year standing or higher, examines the experiences of Asian communities in Canada through history, social dynamics and culture.
ENGL 371: Asian Canadian and/or Asian Transnational Studies
This course, restricted to students with third year standing or higher, engages students with literature within the context of Asian migration in Canada.
HIST 483: Asian Migrations to the Americas
This course takes students through migration from Asia to Canada and the Americas.
Campus community
UBC Equity and Inclusion Office (EIO)
According to its website, the EIO’s mission is “to advance equity and human rights at UBC by promoting diversity, eliminating discrimination, and engaging the community in dialogue and action.” It provides education on and community support regarding equity and inclusion.
AMS Peer Support provides free and confidential support for UBC students. It also provides workshops to UBC student groups and community members.
Located in the Life Building, the UBC Wellness Centre is a place where students can receive wellness advice from trained UBC students. It is home to the Wellness Mentors program, where students who identify as BIPOC can receive specific supports from fellow BIPOC students.
There are various student associations representing different countries in Asia. Visit CampusBase for more information and to browse clubs at UBC.
Vancouver
Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society
This non-profit organization has been operating in the Metro Vancouver area for over 25 years. According to its website, its mission is to “foster, promote and celebrate the arts and cultural diversity that Asian Canadian communities bring to Canadian society.”
Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF)
VAFF was founded in 1995. Its website states that it is “dedicated to promoting and celebrating the diversity and depth of Asian culture and identity in film and media.” Through VAFF’s annual four-day film festival, it strives to “amplify Asian presence in film and television.”
Vancouver-based organization, Elimin8Hate, was established by VAFF and works to use creative outlets to eliminate racism against Asian Canadians. Elimin8Hate hosts programs, allows community members to report an anti-Asian incident and offers education on anti-Asian racism.
Sher Vancouver is a Metro Vancouver-based charity that was founded in 2008 to work with Queer South Asians. It provides crisis counselling, peer support groups, outreach workshops and awards and mentorships.
According to project 1907’s website, it “provide[s] spaces for diasporic Asians to understand our histories, explore our identities, examine our privileges and reclaim our power.” project 1907 collects data on racism incidents in Vancouver and this data is used to “develop strategies, design interventions, raise awareness [and] advocate for policies and improve outcomes for our communities.”
This list is not exhaustive. If you have resource suggestions, send them to blog@ubyssey.ca.