Yesterday, a few of us walked passed the Chinatown BIA’s (Business Improvement Association) community notice board and noticed something unusual:
See it? No?
Look closer…
Despite other community organizations’ posters still being posted, including those from past events, Chinatown Together’s posters for the upcoming Chinatown Mahjong and Movie Night on September 7 were either torn down or mysteriously disappeared from both sides of the community bulletin board.
To get to the bottom of this, we have a fresh news report coming straight from the community bulletin board with a closer look at the situation (click through to watch):
Just as there were efforts to kick us out of the Chinatown Spring Festival Parade earlier this year, it seems we may now be facing attempts to censor Chinatown Together’s community events.
If this is true, we need your support more than ever.
Come join the final Chinatown Summer Outdoor Mahjong and Movie Night featuring “The Chinese Mayor” film on Sept 7:
🗓️ WHEN: Saturday, September 7 2024, 4:00PM to 9:00PM
📍WHERE: Chinatown Memorial Plaza - 135-137 Keefer St
What to expect:
Chinatown Unicorn Dance Performance and Dance Garden with @kirin.rising: Chinatown’s new youth team continuing the Hakka traditions of Chinatown unicorn dancing. They’ll also have dance garden at the event where you can try kirin dancing out yourself, so don’t be shy!
Mahjong: You asked for it, so we’re bringing out all the mahjong tables and will have a whole section dedicated to throwing those tiles down! If you’re new or rusty to mahjong, no worries! We’ve got three on-site instructors to get you familiar and confident with the rules of the game!
William’s Library (expanded edition): The community really came through! Not only has William’s Library become a staple initiative for the community to connect through books, vinyls, and music, but we’ve also received item donations from the community to expand William’s Library! If you’ve enjoyed learning about William and browsing William’s Library, you’ll want to check out the new additions from community donations. Everything is free or by donation - any and all donations will go towards @yarrowsociety, a non-profit that William cared deeply about.
Vintage Vinyls by DJ Harsh: Dance to vintage vinyl all night long!
Sticky buns: Complimentary coconut or pineapple buns from Chinatown. First come first served and prioritized for seniors.
Short Film Screening: Sid Chow Tan film archives presented by Byron Peters (7pm start): Watch a collection of archival footage about Chinatown and DTES activism from late community activist and filmmaker Sid Chow Tan.
Feature Film Screening: The Chinese Mayor (2015): A captivating biography of the Chinese Mayor Geng Yanbo of Da Tong who demolishes 140,000 homes for economic growth and tourism, and the public protests that follow.
As summer rolls to a close, let’s enjoy the summer sun once more, TOGETHER (even if there’s people who don’t want us to)! 🫶🏼🌞
This event was made possible with the support from the City of Vancouver and generous donors like you. Help us continue these events for the rest of the year by donating to our Chinatown Cultural Events Fund!