Did you know May is Asian Heritage month? I’m so glad I finished this illustration of Fan Tan Alley in time! I visited the “First Steps: Chinese Canadian Journeys in Victoria” and “Gold Mountain Dream!” exhibition put on by the Chinese Canadian Museum @ccmuseumbc in Fan Tan Alley a few weeks ago and left feeling so inspired
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Aside from one walking tour, I’ve never had the opportunity to learn much about our Chinatown and the people that built it. I only know that we have Canada’s oldest Chinatown because an electrical box next to the Macpherson Theater says it. I’m so thankful that this exhibition shines a light on a part of Canadian history that is often forgotten. In school, we barely learned about the role early Chinese settlers played in building our railways, mining in the Gold Rush era, the extreme racism they faced and the sacrifices they had to make. I am so grateful that all of these people persevered to create a community where we could celebrate and preserve our culture. In the early stages of the pandemic, there was a huge increase in violent anti-asian hate crimes and I worried for the safety of my friends and family everywhere. It was a type of fear I had never experienced before. Educating people about our not too distant past and how Chinese people struggled to be seen as equals in Canada is important work that I am so happy to see @ccmuseumbc do. Not only does this exhibit highlight the obstacles Chinese Canadians overcame, but it also celebrates our resiliency, strength and community. This exhibit definitely inspires me to capture and celebrate more of our Chinatown!