3 TABLE OF CONTENTSTABLE OF CONTENTSTABLE OF CONTENTS 29241054119EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S PREFACE COVERCONTRIBUTORSARTSTORY: DOWNSTREAM FROM THE RIVER OF MILK TEA THE STORY OF... TAKING FLIGHT AND TAKING ROOT: LEAVING AND RETURNING HOME REFLECTION AS A SUMMER INTERN 把自己當作一個旅人 EPILOGUE
1 PREFACE• 序言 Samson Wong 王基信 Across U-hub Development Manager Editor-in-Chief T his issue’s cover art shows a ‘River of Milk Tea’ as a symbolism for Asian youths who has entered life in Canada. They may have been born elsewhere and came over as a child or a teenager. They may have been born here to a family with Asian roots. Standing from afar, the river may seem to be an uniform entity that simply rushes by us. But if we take off our shoes to wade in it, we can feel the pebbles under our feet, and even discover that every single pebble has its own thickness and shape.
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As we get lost in appreciating the uniqueness of each pebble, we may suddenly realize that we are ourselves pebbles in this ‘River of Milk Tea’. Our uniqueness shaped by the force of water around us and the friction of fellow pebbles we encountered. And together, we form the shape and flow of the river. In this issue of Across the Lens, we explore one of the pebbles, the story of Amy Cheng, who moved away from her family during university to discover her own path. Also in this issue are two pieces by interns who have contributed to the publication over the summer. They reflected on the people they have met, places they have visited and the work they have done. enjoy the this around you!
I hope you will
reading
issue, as well as those
stories in
本 期的封面圖繪有一條「奶茶之河」，是亞裔青少年 進入加拿大生活的象徵。這些青少年可能在他國 出生，然後在兒童或青少年時移民到加拿大。他們也可 能是土生土長於一個有著亞裔根源的家庭。 驟眼一看，河水由上而下從我們的身邊流過；如果我 們嘗試加一點幻想，脫下鞋子涉水而行，我們會發現河 底佈滿了小圓石，我們會感覺到每顆小圓石都有自己的 質感和形狀。
3 每顆獨特的小圓石凝聚一起，組成一條小石道，流水 經過石道碰撞出「奶茶之河」的流域和形態。我們每個人 都像一塊小圓石，當我們走在一起，便成就了屬於我們 自己的石子路。 本期 Across the Lens 記錄了其中一顆小圓石 Amy Cheng，在大學時期她搬離家人，開拓自己新天地的故 事。還有兩名參與刊物製作的暑期實習生，他們各自分 享在實習期間遇到的人和事，以及他們去過的地方與工 作點滴。 希望大家喜歡閱讀本期的故事，同時也發現聆聽真實 故事的樂趣！
4 PUBLISHER ACROSS U-HUB PUBLISHING SUPERVISOR NICOLE WONG ADVISORY BOARD MARIA YAU, NICOLE WONG EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SAMSON WONG EDITORS ERIN WONG, NANCY FOK, IVY LAM, JENELLE CHEN, VIVIAN LO TRANSLATOR IVY LAM DESIGNERS NICOLE WONG, TIFFANY ORE CONTRIBUTORSCONTRIBUTORSCONTRIBUTORS
5 COVER ART DOWNSTREAMSTORY:FROM THE RIVER OF MILK TEA
6 O ver WhatsApp, I asked one of the designing artists, Noelle, “what in the mural resonates with your experience as a Canadian-born Chinese?” Her reply was “Lol all of it??? The duality of growing up with Chinese traditions in a western society”.
18-year-old Kevin pointed to the books when asked what he relates to the most. Looking from where the books are books, to where the books transform into buildings, he said that he wants to do well in school and build a new life for himself.
Kevin comes to the venue on his bike several times a week. He is still working on his English pronunciations, and has been a quiet member of the mural team. During the interview, he took his time to make sure he found the right words.
When this mural was released to the media and the public at the beginning of August, almost all attention revolved around the ‘river of milk tea’. Indeed, it is a striking image, but what other stories are flowing downstream?
Other volunteers who had been involved in Across’ program longer pointed at the outdoor activities in the mural: the campfires, tree planting, and outdoor challenges. These were activities that connected them with the nature, to new friends, and to their individual self.
Two other designing artists, Alex and Kanson, both talked about the ‘river of milk tea’ as a symbolism of their journey as immigrant youths in Canada, being part of but also breaking out of a cultural mode to build a hybrid identity.
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“I have never painted something so big, as part of such a project”, expressed Rachel, a high school volunteer, referring not only to the scale of the mural and the project, but also seeing herself as part of the river connected to countless other over the decades.
No doubt, milk tea has been a very visible symbolism for contemporary and urban Chinese culture, and one can find discussions in the media of the cultural significance of milk tea and
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The mural is an invitation to the viewers to think and talk about this journey. Though our journey may be very different, it is one where we are all taking together.
bubble tea. The heritage and connection are even more interesting and poignant when one also considers Chai from India, and other distinct regional flavour. The images in the mural are not all energetic and flowing. The movement seems to come to rest with the three people reading against the trees. The fourth designing artist, Adrian, who recently arrived in Toronto, sketched the person sitting quietly amongst buildings and trees. If the books are stories of past youths who have made their journey across oceans and cultures, then perhaps the three readers are contemplating what kind of journey are ahead of them.
Note: Visit Across U-hub to view the mural in person.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time ” Ecclesiastes 3:11 View Video
10 TAKING FLIGHT AND TAKING ROOT: LEAVING AND RETURNING HOME INTERVIEWED & WRITTEN BY Erin Wong & Samson Wong Photographs courtesy of amycheng.ca
Clash of cultures
During high school, her relationship with her parents began to drift apart. They disapproved of Amy adopting ‘Western’ lifestyle such as attending parties, staying out late and dating.
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T his is the story of food and farming specialist Amy Cheng, a Hong Kong native raised in Canada who transferred universities three times and worked in six different cities across the country. Was her journey away from home to rebel against something? Or to search for something?
In 1988, Amy and her parents arrived in Canada and settled in a neighbourhood near Don Mills and Eglinton. She was a quiet, shy child in her elementary school days. Amy excelled academically during high school, and developed a love for the humanities and arts which she continued to pursue in university and beyond.
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One important factor for Amy’s decision to relocate to B.C. was her family. From being very close to her parents as a child, the relationship became increasingly strained. With little experience with Canadian education and university application process, Amy’s parents became even more disconnected with her. Instead of having a supportive conversation together about her academic interests and future, they were only able to express their displeasure and questioned why she chose a school so far away when there were many universities in Ontario.Itturned out that Amy’s journey away from Toronto would last for ten years.
Widening gap: Leaving Toronto Amy began her undergraduate studies at Western University, then moved from a social science to an arts major at Ryerson University (currently known as the Toronto Metropolitan University), and finally changed programs again to the University of Victoria in British Columbia.
Thinking back, Amy explained that her “immigrant experience started to impact how well I got along with my parents. My relationship with my parents struggled during my teens like pretty much all through high school. We fought a lot.”
Graduation, work and a return to Toronto
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After graduation, Amy spent several years working in the arts. She worked in various positions to explore different artistic careers, from the Banff Centre to the Young People’s Theatre in Toronto, to the Western Development Museum in Saskatchewan. Her time spent in other parts of Canada enriched her understanding of the country and its people, and it was also by being away that Amy has grown to appreciate and miss Toronto for its multiculturalism.
In 2011, Amy decided to take a year off from the arts to begin an internship at a farm in Toronto. After the internship, she decided to return to Toronto, both to begin a new career, and to be closer to her family. She eventually started the Red Pocket Farm to try out a farming business where she could focus on organic Asian Red Pocket Farm vegetables at the Regent Park Farmers’Market in 2012.
“I wanted to connect food and farming for my community, as well as to my parents and friends.”
vegetables, something that was very uncommon in Amysupermarkets.explained,
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Amy is currently working full time for Foodshare Toronto assisting with logistics and administrations. The company distributes food in thousands of door-to-door food boxes to communities across Toronto. She also has a part time contract with the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario, reaching out to and mentoring farmers of colour; an under-recognized group who access to knowledge and resources.
Rebuilding a relationship Although Amy’s journey to Victoria and beyond gave her a valuable experience, her departure also meant that she was distanced from the Amy and fellow farmer at a Red Pocket Farm booth at the Sorauren Farmers’ Market in 2012.
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tension with her family; leaving behind her familiar home, community and city where she grew up. It was many years before Amy realized her appreciation of Toronto’s culture, and also her relationship with her parents. She explained, “Yeah it’s been like 10 years since I came back and tried to rebuild our relationship with them. And it’s actually really good now”. The path to reconciliation can be slow. However, even though tension can still get triggered, they have all grown wiser to deal with them, and are able to share deeperReturningconversations.toToronto was also a return to her Chinese community. As she got older, Amy was inspired to initiate deeper ties with her own Chinese heritage. Given that regular fruits and vegetables from supermarkets were fairly affordable, it was very typical for the older generation to ignore organic food. Though Red Pocket Farm is no longer in operation, Amy
Working out her own path
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When choosing university programs, young people may consider their own interests and the future roles they wish to take in society. But what if one’s interest is not clearly defined in a university program or an existing job?
continues to advocate for the goodness of organic food to her Asian family and friends.
Amy excelled academically, and chose a path in sociology and the humanities to ask bigger questions that demands cross-disciplinary thinking. A 3-month volunteer opportunity in Costa Rica opened her eyes and focused her interests and concerns on the topic of food, a subject matter that is at once grounded in daily living and influenced by global forces. At the University of Victoria, she found a suitable program where she was guided to use art to explore these questions and work out her answers.
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Being trained in the arts, it was several years before she changed her path to farming. Amy admits that this winding journey has both advantages and disadvantages. She gained a range of experiences and met different people across Canada. However, working in the arts sector and farming can be unstable and low paying.Amyexpressed, “sometimes I think I should’ve just kept going in the arts but I don’t regret it. I’m in a good place now.”
“So, when I got accepted, I was just like, I’m going, bye.” Imagine a university student, who was on poor terms with her parents, informing them, not consulting them, of the decision to transfer to a university halfway across the country. What would our reaction be if we were the parents?
To rebel or to search? Or both?
“I think they tried to be supportive the best they can even if they weren’t comfortable with my life choices”.Andblessed with a trust albeit mixed with uncertainties, Amy’s path showed that she was never simply rebelling without a cause, but was working out her own identity through actions and choices that formed into her own path. A path that led her back to her parents and community.
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19 REFLECTION AS A SUMMER INTERN WRITTEN BY Erin Wong
Working in an office-based environment
Sitting around the wooden table at Across’ mezzanine, I had the opportunity to participate in the weekly staff meetings where colleagues shared about their week while also discussing current projects. We brainstormed about upcoming events and plans, and attempted to solve any conflicts with an earnest manner.
20 M y experience working as an intern at Across U-hub was one of a kind, and I was ultimately given the privilege to do many things I had never done before.
In this 9 to 5 position, I was able to gain a solid understanding of what a real office-based job entailed over the course of 8 weeks. The position came with my own desk and computer.
Tree-planting Next, my internship allowed me to attend different types of events. To start, I went to a tree-planting event and was tasked with organizing, leading the icebreaker activity and shooting photographs. Because I struggle with public speaking and get anxious easily, I do not usually volunteer for these kinds of positions, but I was happy to get another chance to try. It was a sunny spring morning, and I was facing around 50 participants with different background. The activity went as planned and we proceeded to the tree planting segment.
I found this to be new and intriguing because I usually only talked to people around my age in daily life, so it was a refreshing change that I got to be around coworkers of different ages.
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Writing Amy’s story was one of my main responsibilities. I began my research and came up with interview questions for her. Despite not being able to attend the in-person interview, I felt quite knowledgeable about her life story due to the extensive research I had done.
After shooting photographs for the participants, I also stepped into the mud to join them. The experience revived some old memories of tree planting from elementary school days, while also providing me with some outdoor fresh air.
Across the Lens story
In addition, the story writing portion was also enjoyable because I for one particularly enjoy writing, and this project eventually became something I was passionate about and was interested in committing to. This was probably my favourite part of the internship because it made me feel like I was there for the entire process from start to end, and I am excited to see the story I wrote got featured in the Across the Lens publication.
Another unforgettable highlight was the TicTac-Toronto event. I started with researching places in downtown Toronto. After the research,
Touring the city
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my coworkers and I made a site visit through the area of St. Lawrence Market, Sugar Beach, the Distillery District and finally to Corktown. It was lots of fun, especially since I hadn’t visited downtown in an extremely long of time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. My time at Across U-hub made this summer special and unique. I was ready to work, but now I’m learning to work with a team. I was hoping to gain some skills and experience, but turns out I have also found inspiration and confidence.
24 把自己當作一個旅人 WRITTEN BY Vivian Lo
25 陽 光普照，綠樹成蔭，在加拿大的一切看著是如此 新奇，如此美好。作為一個只能夠在多倫多短暫 停留的人，我抱有強烈的欲望，想用我的雙眼探索、記錄 這裏所有的未知。 我在 Across U-hub 做了兩個月的 internship，讓我有 機會仔細地遊覽這座城市，感受各種文化互相撞擊的火 花；更難得是我能夠從「當地人」，就是同工和義工口中 了解他們眼中的多倫多。 我加入了 Tic-Tac-Toronto Program Team，有點受 寵若驚的是，我這個「異鄉人」，有幸被指派給參加者介 紹市中心 (downtown) 的景點，帶領大家一齊去探索多 倫多市中心藏匿著的歷史文化。在這個過程中，我無意 中發現，原來當地人並不經常參加市中心的活動。市中 心人多，消費較貴，泊車亦麻煩，確實沒有可以說服要到 downtown 的理由，基本上留在自己的社區已經過得很 好。老實說，我在香港也有類似的心態。我拒絕遊客區， 對所謂「旅客必到的景點」會反感，總覺得那裏就是騙錢 的。只是，來到加拿大看到這些美麗又富有歷史意義的
26 建築、有趣的街頭活動，當旅客趨之若鶩的同時，本地人 卻不屑一顧，我有點兒覺得可惜。可能因為我還是抱著 一個「旅客心態」，這裏看到的風景，發生的一切都轉瞬 即逝，於是在有限的時間內，我希望抓住一切印在腦海。 換作本地人，經常都有節日活動進行，便懶得花一個難 得的星期天出門。不像我們，每次得知某某百年老店要 倒閉，某某歷史遺跡快要拆卸，某某花田將被掩埋，便急 急忙忙地擠人迫車也要去看它最後一面。 人類似乎都是需要催促，我想只有這種時限性，才能 把我們推出家門。 回想，全球物價天天上升，油價在加，票價在加，若現 在不去參觀，難道要等所有的價格變得無法負擔才後悔 嗎？再者，經過肺炎一疫，我們都知道今年還在舉辦的 活動，明年也不一定能夠如常舉行，誰能預測下一秒的 世界將會變成怎樣？ 世界在不斷發展，城市日新月異，有些地方我們自以 為很熟悉，也許一切都悄然改變。走在多倫多街頭，我喜 歡左顧右盼，所有人、事、物都顯得格外有趣。但是平日
27 在香港的路上走著，我總是低著頭趕路，很少欣賞沿途 的風景，更不會留意途經的歷史建築物了。 數月前，我重遊一條久違了的街道，以前每天上學都 會經過這裏，我驚訝地發現許多店舖已經易手，我很想 念散發著沙爹雞肉串燒香味的小店；公園也消失了，我 很後悔沒有嘗試一直想玩的「氹氹轉」。 在忙碌的生活節奏中，每天上班的腳步是一種機械式 動作。我們習慣了點對點的生活，只關心目的地和目的 地內的一切，最好是在一個眨眼間便可從一個目的地到 達另一個目的地。我們一直設法用最少時間得到最多， 但如果想深一層，豈不是另一種「失去」？我們失去了沿 途的風景，失去了了解這座城市的機會。 下次和親朋好友一起去市中心，不妨試著放下本地人 的身份，全心全意地做一個旅人，盡情享受一次短暫的 本地遊，帶著好奇心去探索這座城市的美好，從「旅程」 中加深對這個城市的認識，或許你會發現你的城市新的 一面。
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29 POSTSCRIPT• 後記 Nicole Wong 黃鳳玲 Across U-hub Executive Director I n this issue, we explore generational shifts.
While generational shifts are often perceived as divisive, in reality, a generational shift is neither good nor bad. Rather, it is the natural progression of how families and communities grow and develop. In fact, generational shifts offer an incredible opportunity for us to learn about one another. This is exactly the reason behind publishing this issue. We don’t seek to discuss generation shifts through surveys and research studies, but instead, to bridge different generations together through open dialog.
In my generation, we were taught that having a job was critical for improving our socio-economic status. A stable job meant that you were able to improve your living conditions and bring financial stability to yourself and your family. You may not have liked the job, but the certainty of financial stability took priority over your personal passions. Over time, we learned to adjust our expectations so that the job could be something we could enjoy.
30 There are two stories I’d like to highlight to you.
The first story is about Amy’s journey of finding a job.Inmy parents’ generation, having a job and serving the same company faithfully for a long time (even for a lifetime) was a reflection of the person’s loyalty to a company. Loyalty was common, expected, and appreciated.
For Amy, having loyalty to a job and clearly defined long term career prospects has a completely different interpretation. Amy transferred universities three times and changed jobs in six different cities across the country. For her, changing jobs wasn’t only about finding the right career path; it was also about finding an exact identity. The process may have been lonely, frustrating, and full of struggles over the
The second story is about Erin, a new volunteer who recently joined Across. This summer, we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming new faces to our team in preparation for a full re-opening after COVID. In the issue, Erin shares her story of expecting to get a “real” office job at Across, complete with a traditional desk and computer; but, instead, getting something more and unexpected. Similar stories are shared by our other new volunteers: each one had specific expectations about their role, but along the way, discovered something new about themselves they did not expect.
31 years. However, being able to experience the uniqueness of self-identity in a multicultural city gives Amy a free token to bridge different cultures and reconnect with her family.
Erin’s experience reminds me how work is like at Across U-hub - it’s hard to describe until you step inside the building. The center’s physical space is not large, but it contains many stories and memories. From the bottom of my heart, I hope that all young people are able to learn something about themselves that will help them stand out on a bright future path.
不 經意間我們將兩代人互相比較，甚至製造出兩代 不容的局面，但實際上，不同年代的轉變是必然 的事，沒有好壞之分，事實上，這種轉變讓我們可以互相
32 學習。正是出於這個原因，我們出版這份刊物，為了設立 一個沒有很多艱深的學問和信息的平台，這是兩代人互 相學習的對話平台。 本期其中的兩個故事讓我們得以一窺兩代人對事業的 不同態度。 首先是 Amy 在職場上尋尋覓覓的經歷。 在我父母的年代，找一份長期工作並對老闆忠心是很 重視的，甚至是他們的終身工作。在我的年代，找一份穩 定的工作，提升自己和家人的生活質素是一個目標，穩 定的收入是首選因素，即使工作不如意或者未確定工作 是否適合自己，都會繼續努力工作，盡力調整自己對工 作的期望和表現。 Amy 決定職場的態度截然不同。Amy 上大學時換了 3 次學校和科目，開始工作也轉換了 6 次職場。她的轉變不 僅為了尋找一份合適的工作，也是為了要找到自己的身 分。過程中經歷很多孤單和掙扎。然而，當她克服和確認 了自己擁有獨特的身分時，這成為了她在多元文化的社 會生活和謀生的優勢。 另一個故事是屬於 Erin 的。 今年夏天，我們的機構多了幾位新力軍，幫助我們準 備好疫情過後的重啟。Erin 加入時心想暑期工作該做一 些簡單的辦公室工作。最終，她和其他年輕的暑期工同 事一樣，體驗了一個不一樣的職場經驗，改變了她對職 場的觀念，是她意想不到的。
33 Erin 的故事令我聯想到 Across 的工作和它的中心一 樣，要不是親身參與是很難形容它的特性。深盼望年輕 人可以勇敢地踏出一步，發掘更多屬於自己的潛能，掌 握自己的優勢邁向稱心的未來。
