Asian Heritage Month is celebrated at UM with stories and events that highlight members of various Asian communities, along with the research, teaching and advocacy work they do.

 “Asian Heritage Month is an opportunity to increase understanding and appreciation of the diversity and richness of Asian cultures, communities and individuals, and to recognize the impactful work and accomplishments of so many at UM,” says Tina Chen, Vice-Provost (Equity) and Distinguished Professor of Chinese History.

“Asian Heritage builds solidarities amongst different Asian communities as we continue our work to dismantle oppression and eliminate anti-Asian racism, and all racisms, on our campuses. At UM, we commit to carrying forward the work from the National Forums on Anti-Asian Racism.”

UM research, teaching and community engagement advances critical understanding of the lives and cultures of Asians in Canada and globally. During her time as director of the UM Institute for the Humanities from 2018 to 2024, professor of English, theatre, film & media Hee-jung Serenity Joo has created models that centre community knowledges and creative projects in post-secondary learning, research and action for anti-racism. Another example is the interdisciplinary project Dried Fish Matters (anthropology), which focusses on a fisheries sub-sector particularly important in Asia and Africa, where women comprise a significant portion of this workforce. Asian Studies courses in the Faculty of Arts further provide opportunities to learn Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages and to study the cultures, politics, and histories of Asian nations, people, and diaspora.

Read on for stories, resources and upcoming events that are open to all.

Celebrating our unique stories

Watch for related content on UM platforms through May in celebration of Asian Heritage Month.

The Racial Equity and Inclusion Alliance (REIA) is a student-led community group founded last year by fourth year Faculty of Arts student Allisther De Castro. She is proud of her Filipino heritage and eager to promote multiculturalism and inclusion within the university. (Learn more about Allisther’s story!)

This year REIA hosted its first Empowerment Gala to recognize the diverse cultures at UM. The gala, which took place Sunday, Mar. 31, awarded racialized students and staff based on accomplishments in athletics and sportsmanship, academics, visual and performing arts, and advocacy and representation. 

As a first-generation academic and former international student in Canada, assistant professor of pharmacy Abdullah Al Maruf supports justice, equity, diversity and inclusiveness in his personal and professional life. He co-founded a research network to connect scientists interested in pharmacogenomics research in Bangladesh (BdPGRN) and also founded Prospective Bangladeshi Students in Canadian Universities, a not-for-profit, virtual peer-to-peer support and discussion platform. 

Wayne Chan [BSc/93, BA/00], who works as a data analyst at UM, is also a bit of a history detective — his passion for tracking down stories and tracing unknown histories has led to gems like Winnipeg’s forgotten song and Lost campus, a Google Earth tour that recreates historical UM spaces. His latest, about decoding cryptograms in an antique silk dress (CBC), came from his hobby in cryptography and codebreaking and made world-wide news.

Dr. Gigi Osler [BSc/92, MD/92] is a UM assistant professor of medicine who in 2018 became the first female surgeon and racialized woman elected as president of the Canadian Medical Association. Born in Winnipeg to immigrant parents from India and the Philippines, she was appointed to the Canadian Senate in 2022. “We have to be advocates for justice, racial justice, equity and social change,” she says.

Associate Vice-President (Administration) Raman Dhaliwal [B.Comm/07] is the first racially marginalized woman to hold the position and was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in 2022. “Most of the time when I’m at different meetings, there aren’t a lot of people my age, my colour and even my gender sitting around the table with me,” she notes. Dhaliwal counts her parents, who left their homes in India to start a new life in Canada, as her biggest inspiration.

You may be familiar with the colourful artwork of acclaimed Winnipeg artist Takashi Iwasaki [BFA(Hons)/06] — including UM tunnel murals) — he and his wife Shih-Han Iwasaki are currently pursuing graduate degrees at UM. Iwasaki, who is back doing his MFA, grew up in northern Japan and arrived here at age 20, while Shih-Han, who is pursuing her master’s degree at Asper, is from Taiwan. Their two children speak both Japanese and Mandarin, along with English. (Watch for Takashi’s story later this month!)

Community events and resources

Join the learning journey on advancing equity, diversity, accessibility and anti-oppression at UM.

Support the work being done by the Office of Equity Transformation, UM’s Anti-Racism Taskforce and the Office of Anti-Racism (Rady Faculty of Health Sciences).

Check out the many ethnocultural student groups on campus.

Events

Stop by Taste of Asia – Asian Pop Fest! CN Stage at the Forks, May 25 and 26, 2-7 PM daily. Food, music, dance, art, fashion and more! Organized by Foodtrip and Asian Heritage Society MB.

Enjoy special screenings at the FascinAsian Film Festival, coming to Winnipeg May 24 to 26. Celebrating Asian perspectives, culture and integrity in film and media.

Check out additional local events throughout the month listed at Asian Heritage Society of Manitoba.

Watch CanAsian Arts On the Move: An online tour of Canada through its Asian artists in one evening! May 29, 8 P.M.

Upcoming: National Asian Heritage Symposium in Winnipeg. Nov. 6 to 9, 2024.

Resources

See “A Brief History of Asian Canadians,” “Asians in Early Canada,” and “Demographics of Asian Canadians in Manitoba” (Asian Heritage Society of Manitoba).

Winnipeg Public Library Guides: Asian Heritage. Deepen your learning about Asian history and heritage, with information that focuses on Manitoba and Canada. Resources including historical events and timelines, book recommendations!

Visit the Virtual Museum of Asian Canadian Culture and Heritage. 

Students from the University of Manitoba swept all four prize categories in the 32^nd annual Manitoba District Japanese Speech Contest.

Introductory Level: Nathan Gagne
Intermediate Level: Keighlynn Veilleux
Advanced Level: Jinyu Huang
HyLife People’s Choice Award: Daigh Burgess (sponsored by Manitoba Pork Producers)

The contest is co-organized by the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg and is sponsored by The Consulate General of Japan in Calgary with the support of the Japan Foundation and Mitsui Canada. The current Japanese Consul General, Shigenobu Kobayashi, also acted as one of the contest judges. It is open to students who are presently studying Japanese as a foreign language and are of a nationality other than Japanese.

There were a total of 15 participants from the two universities who presented original speeches 3 to 5 minutes in length that they were required to memorize. All four UM winners are studying Japanese through the Faculty of Arts Asian Studies Program.

2020 contest participants

This year’s speech contest was extremely close and the quality of speeches was so high that the judges needed over 30 minutes in a closed room to debate the winners.

The contest is a great opportunity for students to demonstrate how much they have learned throughout their university studies. “Students are able to talk about themselves and their experiences and display their knowledge,” says Japanese Instructor Satoru Nakagawa. As they create and refine their speeches, “they also learn a lot about public speaking, both inside and outside the classroom.”

The students will now participate in the National Japanese Speech Contest to be held online on March 29.

Languages offered include French, Spanish, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Mandarin, German, Latin, and American Sign Language. For summer term, these languages are all offered at the introductory/beginner level and some are at the intermediate level.

Summer courses provide an opportunity to catch up or get ahead on credits, permit you to lighten your regular semester load, normally offer smaller class sizes and provide an intensive environment to engage in the language and get plenty of practice. The key to learning any language is participation. To that end, a Language Lab is available for oral practice.

If you have already learned a language other than English, consider expanding your knowledge of its vocabulary, grammar, culture, and even literature through the courses offered. Becoming more proficient at the language can help to improve your chances for success in school and in your career.

Why learn a language?

There is a bigger picture to learning a new language than picking up a few verbs and phrases. Courses teach more than just grammar and vocabulary. Students learn new sounds, expressions, and ways of seeing things. Studying a language can help expand your view of the world and increase your appreciation of other cultures and other peoples.

Transferable skills along with foreign language skills make for more valuable employees in the global marketplace. Studying a language can increase creativity, enhance listening skills and memory, and improve analytical and general communication skills. Not only will you have a competitive edge in career choices, you are more likely to be seen as a bridge to new clients that can be called upon to travel and communicate with people in other countries throughout your career.

Consider spending this summer learning a language. Exploring a language now could lead to a major, minor, honours, or master’s program in the future or it may open opportunities for travel, career choices, community involvement, and fun with family and friends.

For the full list of Arts summer language courses, visit Aurora.

Can’t take a course this summer? Even more language courses will be available from the Faculty of Arts in the fall and winter terms.

Despite his current locale, Marshall admits that he knew very little about Asia prior to studying at the U of M.

“I was almost entirely focused on the sciences out of high school. However, I always had a passion for languages, and after a term of engineering courses, I was looking for a new challenge,” says Marshall.

Knowing that Japan is a global leader in engineering and technology, Marshall pursued beginner Japanese as a hobby. This decision would completely change the course of his life.

Finding himself drawn to Japanese culture, he embarked on an exchange trip to Tokyo.

“Being immersed in another culture for an entire year actually helped me to better understand Canada, and being Canadian. Not only did I develop cross-cultural communication skills, but my time in Tokyo was pivotal to my change from sciences to the arts, and subsequently my career path,” says Marshall.

Oliver participates in Kokugakuin University’s Traditional Kimono Day.

Following his exchange Marshall joined the Volunteer Language Exchange Program (VLEP) and further developed these skills.

“Being a part of VLEP for three years meant that I could meet people from all over the world, and also allowed me to represent Canada and help international students adjust to life in Winnipeg. This experience made me capable of understanding many different cultural viewpoints, which is a necessity in my current job.”

Oliver Marshall explores the Sensō-ji Temple in Tokyo during his exchange program.

Fully embracing the experiential learning opportunities that complemented his degree in Asian studies, has allowed Oliver Marshall to experience the world in a way that was unfathomable to him prior to university.

“The U of M gave me the confidence to pursue my passions, but at the same time pushed me to try new things,” says Marshall. “Thanks to participating in various student clubs, I am comfortable taking on leadership roles, and my exchange through the International Centre allowed me to grow personally, and to experience a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.”

Visit umconnect.ca to learn more about our students’ experiences and explore our campus.