East and West Learning Connections (东西联学社)
The article I wrote, followed by comments from friends, gives some light to different concerns and perspectives around a recent hot topic in the Chinese community. Thanks a lot to my friends who have shared their thoughts frankly; their names are listed in the Acknowledgement at the end. I found the rethinking and learning process very beneficial to me.
–Yang Wang
East and West Learning Connections (EAWLC) is run by volunteers. Without their talents, commitment, and hard work, all the programs we have offered to the public just cannot possibly come into reality. Every year at our Annual General Meeting, our Board chooses a number of winners to receive the EAWLC Outstanding Service Awards based on time commitment, task impact, and organization involvement in the previous year. The award does not apply to board directors, advisors, or guest speakers, even though they are also volunteers to whom we are deeply grateful for their help. Each year there will be friends generously donating some cool items so we can give the winners as a gift. The winners are the representatives of all EAWLC volunteers who all come to help us with a giving heart for the community. Thank you so much, members, volunteers, and donors, for your great support and contributions!
2023 EAWLC Outstanding Service Award winners
作者：汪洋
Kai是我去年五六月间碰到的。那时我在上一门radio broadcasting的兴趣课，老师请了他来演讲。他在讲座最后播放了一个自己制作的广播小品，讲述小时候父母互不说话，父亲经常在家中放一首“让我走吧”的歌。长大后有一次和朋友去k歌，他唱了这一首，朋友们纷纷叫好。他第一次知道自己唱歌还不错，但其实也许只是因为这歌萦绕在他记忆里太深，让他太有感触而已。故事很短很简单，因为真实，在音乐中变得格外动人。Kai有视障，事业上倒并未受到多少影响，现在是加拿大广播公司CBC的音乐制片总监，开创了很多有影响力的节目和音乐节。他身边都是生龙活虎好手好脚的人，平时很少能接触到残障人士。有一天，他想到这个问题，就抓起电话打到CNIB（加拿大最大的盲人机构），了解其他盲人的生活和工作状态，看有什么可以帮忙的。后来他在CBC推动设立了CAPE项目，每年招收几名残障人才带薪实习，帮助他们积累工作经验。我当时并没有跟他交流，但印象深刻。Kai让我想起Tuesdays with Morrie这本书里的Morrie。他们都出身于有缺憾的家庭，缺少爱的环境，但并没有落入恶性循环，反而长成一个特别富于爱心的人。 Continue reading “EAWLC stories: Kai Black and Canada in music 东西联学社嘉宾故事之 Kai Black与“音乐中的加拿大””
Instructor: Professor Emma Gorst
Time and venue: The second Wednesday of the month in the evening from 7:30-9 P.M. on Zoom
For details, the latest schedule, and Zoom link, please visit: Reading for Culture with Emma: the Western Literature Book Club @eAWLC 2022.
Please come back to check this page often as we will keep updating the reading materials and podcasts.
Continue reading “Readings and Podcasts for EAWLC Western Literature Book Club 2022”
My Reflection on Canada Day: An Immigrant’s Perspective
Author: Yang Wang
English Translator: Jovial Si
July 2021
July 1st of 2021 marks the 154th anniversary of Canada. However, it was not celebrated with the joy and pride that were characteristic of this day in the past. The whole nation was disgraced by the heart-wrenching findings of the remains of more than 1,000 Indigenous children in unmarked graves across the country since May.
This land had been home to Indigenous peoples for thousands of years until it was taken by European settlers. Then from 1831 to 1996, Indigenous children were forcibly taken from their parents to attend government-sponsored residential schools, run by Catholic Churches, for the purpose of cultural assimilation. In the schools’ textbooks, Indigenous peoples were called “savages”. Many of the children were sexually abused or mistreated, and many died either at school or while escaping from school. Each and every little white bone in the unmarked graves at former residential sites marks the dark history not-so-distant from now, and the cultural arrogance and barbarity of the European settlers who committed it. Continue reading “My Reflection on Canada Day: An Immigrant’s Perspective / 2021年加拿大日随感”
Instructor: Professor Emma Gorst
Time and venue: The second Wednesday evening at EAWLC Zoom room
For details, latest schedule, and Zoom link, please visit: Reading for Culture with Emma: Monthly Reading Group @East and West Learning Connections
Please come back to check this page often as we will update the reading materials and podcasts as it goes.
Continue reading “Readings and Podcasts for EAWLC Western Classics Book Club 2021”
My Dialogue with CBC
By Yang Wang
December 31, 2020
Recently, I had several emails with the CBC, exchanging our opinions on a piece of news aired on their radio. I’d like to share with friends the key parts of the correspondences which are pretty self-explanatory as follows. Thanks to my friends for helping me find the contact information, and for their feedback during our chats!
Notes from the EAWLC Personal Communications Training for Members
Notes from the Personal Communications Workshop
For The East and West Learning Club on 21 November, 2020
Practical, Helpful, and Useable Skills
We’re here for about something really important. Something that, if you pay
attention, will make a positive difference to how things work for you. I
learned this through experience and it changed the way I approach
everything. Continue reading “Notes from the EAWLC Personal Communications Training for Members”
Let’s Build the Bridge
By Yang Wang
September 30, 2020
Dear Hon. Ford,
Thank you for your hard work leading Ontario to fight against COVID-19.
Your recognition of the contributions of the Chinese community in this
battle is very encouraging. In response to your call for details of
organizations and individuals who have worked hard in the battle, I am
writing you to tell the story of a volunteer group.
The Chinese Canadian Volunteers Fighting Coronavirus is a grass-roots group Continue reading “Telling the Story: A Letter in Response to Call from Ontario Premier”