Asian Heritage Month

Books, personal essay and memoir

15 books by Asian Canadian authors to read for Asian Heritage Month (2021, CBC)

Celebrate Asian Heritage Month by checking out one of these great books.

Biographies

Noteworthy Canadians of Asian descent— Asian Heritage Month (Government of Canada)

These short biographies highlight some of the many valuable contributions made by Canadians of Asian descent.

Film

Cedar and Bamboo (2010, Canada)

Produced by the Chinese Canadian Historical Society if BC and St. John's College, University of British Columbia, this film explores the experiences of four people of Chinese and Aboriginal roots.

My Farmland (CBC)

A look at the changing face of Canadian farms from the perspective of local farmers, Chinese immigrants, and investors.

COVID & Who I Am Now (CBC)

A young Chinese Canadian medical student struggles with her identity after a racist attack during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Window Horses (National Film Board of Canada, animated)

A young Canadian poet with Chinese and Persian parents travels to Iran to perform at a poetry festival.

Open Educational Resources

Bamboo Shoots: Chinese Canadian Legacies in BC (2015, Canada)

This educational resource for teachers of Grades 5 and 9 offers a rich gallery of historical photographs, and a wealth of archival documents and personal stories that accompany five lessons at each grade level. 

Anti-Asian racism resources

The University of British Columbia: National Forum on Anti-Asian Racism Events, Resources and Report (2021, Canada)

Watch videos, read the report and find resources to help continue the fight against anti-Asian and other forms of racism in Canada.

Stories of collective, civil and political rights

The Chinese head tax and the Chinese Exclusion Act (Canadian Museum for Human Rights)

Under what became known as the Chinese Exclusion Act, Chinese immigration to Canada was completely banned. This legislation was kept in place until 1947, and its effect on Canada’s Chinese community was devastating.

Japanese Canadian internment and the struggle for redress (Canadian Museum for Human Rights)

This story details the internment of Japanese Canadians during the Second World War and the efforts which led to a formal apology from the Government of Canada.

The story of the Komagata Maru (Canadian Museum for Human Rights)

This story describes the 1914 journey of the Komagata Maru and its passengers, Indians seeking to immigrate to Canada, and the racism they faced while being denied entry into Canada.

The chaotic story of the right to vote in Canada (Canadian Museum for Human Rights)

This story, which notes the denial of voting rights to Canadians of Asian descent, details the centuries‐long struggle to extend democratic rights to all citizens.

Children's lit

Children’s books for Asian Heritage Month (2021, Canada)

Decoda Literacy Solutions celebrates Asian Heritage Month with this list of children's books about the stories, culture and experiences of children of Asian descent.

Asian Heritage in the Media

Victoria’s popular blossoms are a tribute to efforts by the deep-rooted Japanese community (2022, Capital Daily)

"One of the earliest cherry blossom trees to grace the streets of downtown Victoria traveled around the city on a float in the Victoria Day Parade, a celebration of the 75th year since the city’s incorporation. Members of the local Japanese community spent weeks ahead of the 1937 parade day crafting the bows and blossoms from paper mâché. 

"The float won first place in the parade competition. With the prize money, the group bought 1,013 Japanese cherry trees to donate to the City of Victoria—a gift dispersed among the city’s many boulevards and parks."