Social Media Collaborations

As Asian Heritage Month comes to a close, I wanted to remind and perhaps challenge you to seek out heritage stories that connect us and ultimately nurtures our similarities and differences as Edmontonians—not just this month, but year-round. 🙏🏻

Like this story titled Chinese Hand Laundries: A History of The First Chinese Entrepreneurs in Edmonton, researched and written by @Jessica.Szeto for the Edmonton Heritage Council’s Edmonton City As a Museum Project.

With discriminatory laws that prevented early Chinese pioneers from working in specific fields in the late 1800s, many turned to service and labour jobs including starting restaurants and laundries. Life as a laundry worker was extremely difficult. This was before washing machines, so workers’ hands would be blistered, burnt, or bleeding from all the long hours soaking and scrubbing in hot water and chemicals. It was dangerous work and truly an essential service.

The @yegcityasmuseum article is just one example of the many meaningful contributions that the Chinese community, and immigrants as a whole, have made to the city and this country. They’ve done so despite having all odds (laws, policies, public perceptions) stacked against them.

You can also learn more about early Chinese settlers, including the very interesting history and impact of the Mah family in Edmonton, at the @yegmahsociety Journey of the Horse exhibit. They have an upcoming free drop-in date June 14 and you can also coordinate private group tours. 🫶🏻

My own Vietnamese cultural non-profit @chungta.cungnhau is inviting Edmontonians to learn more about Vietnamese immigrants and their stories at our Asian Heritage Month exhibit on until June 6 at @artshabitatyeg ArtsHub Creative Studios.

Especially during a time when immigration, refugee policies and programs are being challenged and re-assessed around the world and here at home, I truly believe better understanding the lives, histories and contributions of newcomers, our neighbours and community members, has never been more important. Maybe what you discover are untold or unheard stories you commit to carrying forward. 💛

#YEGHeritage_Partner #yeg #yeghistory

Fort Edmonton and its role in the 1885 North West Resistance. While no battle was fought near the fort, it was a stage point for troops, and rumours swirled among locals of a coming attack that never happened.