Author: Eric

Before we take a summer break, the East and West Learning Connections will have a panel discussion on Youth Mental Health among an experienced psychiatrist and a group of young people with their unique perspectives, ideas, stories, and experiences on June 24, 2021!

As a youth, have you experienced uncertain and risky moments of vulnerability at school or in life? 

Do you crave for belonging at school?

Do you want to keep away from constant anxiety in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic as job prospects are uncertain?

Come and listen to what young people like yourself speak about self-identity, self-worth, and self-awareness. Get inspiration from their experience, share your own, and walk away with some advice from a caring psychiatrist, and youth mental health educator Who helps you explore Who You Are!

Continue reading “East&West Dialogue with Psychiatrist and Youth Panelists”

A poet, journalist, editor, and comparative religion scholar, Chime came to the East and West Learning Connections in 2018 and 2019, giving two lectures, respectively, one on Tibetan culture, the other on how to appreciate Chinese modern poetry.  His poems have won many awards across China, Canada and the US, including the second place award in the Flushing Poetry Festival in New York City, 2018.  Before he came to Canada, he was a senior journalist at Xinhua News Agency in China, known for his series reports of Tibetan antelopes in the Hoh Xil region to advocate for the protection of the endangered species.  In Toronto, he first worked as the editor of a Buddhist magazine.  He is now the founder of the Lakeside (Hu Pan) Academy of Canada, teaching Chinese language and literature, and organizing poetry workshops and salons for the public.

Continue reading “EAWLC Lecture on Tibetan / Han Family Life & Cultures”

In this Asian Heritage Month of May, the East&West Dialogue will have two distinguished guest speakers, from East and West Asia, respectively, come and share their life stories, cultural experience and  have a dialogue with our audience.

How have they come this far to today’s achievements?  As first-generation immigrants, what barriers and opportunities have they witnessed in Canada?  How do they maintain and evolve their traditions?  What observations and suggestions do they have for fellow immigrants to cope with everyday life here?

Continue reading “East&West Dialogue with City Councillor and Civil Liberty Advocate”

In a two part series, Ontario award-winning legal expert Harry Fine will illustrate the rights and obligations of tenants and landlords with real stories.  He will share also his observation and suggestions on how cultural difference plays a role in understanding, or misunderstanding, of the rights, obligations, and how to deal with conflicts.  Everyone is welcome to bring their own questions, and have a dialogue with Harry at the East and West Learning Connections! Continue reading “EAWLC Lecture: Understanding Tenant and Landlord Rights, and How Cultural Difference Plays a Role”

Ready for a moment floating in poetry, live music and songs?

With the courtesy of our old friend, national poet laureate George Elliott Clarke, the East and West Learning Connections proudly co-hosts this exciting festival for you.

Five poets will each recite poetry for approximately 10 minutes. Then each poet’s reading will conclude with the singing–by a professional singer–of a poem of theirs that has been set to music. Continue reading “5 Poets Breaking Into Song at EAWLC”

Asian settlers arrived in Canada three centuries ago.  They came as builters, building trading posts, railroads and all sort of things this country has needed.  However, anti-Asian racism, manifested in early governments’ legistlations or hidden on some people’s minds till today,  has never stopped.  According to a joint-research by the University of Toronto and Ryerson University published in 2017, compared to applicants with Anglo names, Asian-named applicants with all-Canadian qualifications had 20% fewer calls from big companies for an interview, and almost 40% less calls from mid and small sized employers.  In the COVID-19 pandemic, hate crimes against Asians have risen at a stunning rate.  In 2020, Toronto saw a 275% increase in hate crimes against Asians, and the country’s highest number went to Vancouver with a more than 7-fold increase compared  to the previous year.  {1}{2}

Continue reading “The East&West Dialogue with Educator and Police Officer on Anti-Asian Racism and Hate Crimes”

The East and West Learning Connections proudly brings to you

Online Tour of the National Museum of Asian Art (Freer|Sackler)

Topic: Art Across Cultures at the Freer Gallery of Art

The creation of art is a universal human endeavor. But what connects
artwork across cultures and what sets them apart? In this tour, we will
observe and compare artworks from diverse cultures across Asia, and explore
the question: When different cultures meet, what happens to the development
of art in ideas, aesthetics, styles or technologies?

Continue reading “EAWLC Online Tour of Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art: Art Across Cultures”