RICHMOND – Teresa Wat, MLA for Richmond North Centre and BC Liberal Critic for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, has released the following statement today for Asian Heritage Month:
“British Columbia celebrates the month of May as Asian Heritage Month, a time when we honour and celebrate our strong and vibrant Asian communities and the contributions Asian Canadians have made to our history.
“B.C. has always been celebrated as a vibrant and multicultural province, where our Asian communities — including our Indian, Pakistani, and South Asian communities — have been foundational to our province’s economy, culture, and identity. Sadly COVID-19 has shed a dark light on many of the challenges our Asian and South Asian communities face, including the horrific rise in incidents of racism and hate crimes.
“This year’s theme is ‘Recognition, Resilience, and Resolve,’ which is strongly embodied by our Asian and South Asian communities. In the face of fear, misinformation, and hate, they have responded with action, unity, and strength.
“Our mission to eliminate anti-Asian racism and all forms of racism and discrimination in our province is one that can only be achieved if we all commit to it together. Although we have made great strides this past year, we still have far to go.
“This month, let us all take a moment to recognize and celebrate our Asian history and heritage in this province, and reaffirm our commitment to making B.C. a place where people can celebrate their culture and heritage and feel proud to call our great province home.”
