Give the Mic Back to Chinatown: Comedy + Open Mic + Karaoke with UniCome on Sun, Sept 17
Find out what various Chinatown diaspora really think about Chinatown
Have you ever wondered what various Chinese diaspora really think about Chinatown? Well now you get to know with comedy!
We’re excited to partner with UniCome, a grassroots Chinese Queer Feminist collective, on the first comedy event at the Chinatown Memorial Plaza to Give the Mic Back to Chinatown.
Join us on September 17th from 2 to 5 PM at the Chinatown Memorial Plaza for an engaging program that features stand-up comedy performances in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English, an open mic session, and karaoke.
We encourage you to sign up for the open mic session on the day of the event. Share your unique stories, whether they are about immigration experiences, reflections on racism, gentrification, or delve into topics related to the meaning of "home," cultural appropriation, language justice, and beyond. We welcome all forms of expression: poem, storytelling, singing, jokes, or sharing of ongoing thoughts…
Regardless of your familiarity with Vancouver's Chinatown, let's dismantle the stereotypes, connect with real individuals and their experiences, and reflect on the relationships between international students, new immigrants, different generations of the Chinese diaspora, and Chinatown itself. Join us in supporting communities affected by gentrification in Chinatown!
Chinatown Thank You Dance Party (Sat, Sept 16 6:30pm)
Let's take a moment to celebrate our 10 years of relentless resistance against Beedie's 105 Keefer gentrifier condo by dancing the gentrifiers away!
Through all the battles we've fought, some won and some lost, one thing remains clear: gentrifiers might have money, but we have community. As a finale to the series of summer protest cultural events to occupy 105 Keefer, let's celebrate community and our collective work with some witty fun, cake, dim sum dancing, games, and film!
What to expect:
Music by DJs WHICHNANCY 李南屏, TRAXXSTAR 梁家傑, and FAGOFCOLOUR 牛奶哥
Cheeky anti-gentry carnival games like smash 105 Keefer piñata, pin the clown nose, slipper smack bad vibes, and other hilarious games you need to show up to see for yourself
Film screening of late community activist Sid Chow Tan's films of Chinatown activism (start time ~8:30 or 9pm)
"Eat 105 Keefer" cake (actual delicious Chinatown-sourced cake)
Dim sum dinner
Nostalgic childhood snacks and drinks from Chinatown (think Yakult and VITA)
More Community Events
Big Fight in Little Chinatown Film Screening at Patagonia Vancouver (Thurs, Sept 14)
Accessible Lion Dance Workshop for Seniors and Disabled Community Members with Yarrow (Sat, Sept 16)
3rd Annual Fire Dragon Festival (Sat, Sept 23 to Sun, Sept 24)
Help us expand the events series to reclaim space in Chinatown!
This event series has proven that regular cultural events in Chinatown helps bring people to the neighbourhood while enhancing our connection to Chinatown’s living culture, so we’re planning to keep them going beyond September! To help us with the costs of expanding the event series, consider making a donation to the community events fund to make the events free and accessible to as many people as possible.