Learn how to make beautiful floral crafts with local artist @shyegg this Sun, May 12 at Chinatown Matriarch’s Day! You’ll learn how to make different types of flowers using pipe cleaners for pretty (and allergy-free) gifts to the matriarchs in your life. Plus, this workshop is free!
But that’s not it, here are all the free activities during Chinatown Matriarch’s Day:
Palm reading and more elder-made crafts at the Chinatown Seniors Mini Market (Bring cash!)
Uyghur traditional dance demo and workshop by Adalat Dance Academy
Dance performance & tribute to late community poet and activist William Lim by Carnegie Dance Troupe of Karen Jamieson Dance
Snacks and beverages will be provided, courtesy of Chinatown Together throughout the event
WHEN: Sunday, May 12 2024, 1:00PM to 4:00PM
WHERE: Chinatown Plaza Mall - 106 Keefer Street
COST: All free!
To ensure inclusivity, interpretation for instructions will be available in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. All genders, ages and abilities welcome!
Chinatown Together hosts events to use arts and culture to push back against gentrification and cultural erasure in Chinatown. Learn more here.
Recap of Big Fight in Little Chinatown at VPL
We co-hosted a screening and panel for Big Fight in Little Chinatown with the Vancouver Public Library this past Monday, May 6 for their Uplift Asian series for Asian Heritage Month.
The event kicked off with a lion dance from Chau Luen Athletics and sticky buns from Zhao Mah Bakery in Chinatown. Along with Chinatown Together, there were also community booths from our friends at Yarrow Society, Chinatown Today, Unicome, and Chau Luen Athletics.
After everyone cried during Big Fight in Little Chinatown, we had a post event panel featuring Beverly Ho from Yarrow, Pearl Wong Chinatown Today and Queer Lunar New Year, and Chinatown elder Swallow Zhou, moderated by Chinatown Together’s Melody Ma.
We reflected on everything from being kicked out of the Chinatown Spring Festival parade, the notion of “safety and security” in Chinatown, why the historic neighbourhood is still important, and more. Swallow even read a “Big Fight in Little Chinatonw” poem she wrote to close off the evening!
There are more Uplift Asian events coming up at the VPL, check them out here.
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Help us continue the outreach work for Chinatown
Chinatown Together doesn’t just organize in Chinatown to build community and activate the neighbourhood’s public spaces. We also do outreach work outside of Chinatown to educate the wider public about gentrification and issues that face Chinatown today.
To date, we’ve held screenings and community panels in New West, UBC, and VPL. We hope to be able to continue to do this outreach work to reach even more people before the end of the year.
But we need you help.
Every event inside and outside of Chinatown take significant resources to host. We’re currently short funds to be able to keep organizing events until the rest of the year.
Please consider donating to the Chinatown Together Cultural Fund to help us continue this work: