Across Newsletter January 2022

JANUARY 2022 ISSUE

Across U-hub TOGETHER WE CARRY ON

Contents Message from Executive Director - 01 Across the Lens - February Issue - 02

Message from Executive Director 2022 is the year Across celebrates its 20th anniversary. It is not easy to entertain the thought of celebrations while many of us may have faced and facing difficult times over the past two years. In fact, however, gatherings and celebrations are needed now more than ever. It is important to take time together by celebrating happy moments, existing friendships and recognizing achievements that remind us of the good things in life.

We chose to start 2022 by hosting the first online retreat for colleagues and volunteers. We connected by going back in time, celebrating what we have, and dreaming about the future we will create. When we turned to online retreats, we initially wondered how to continue the deep and intimate face-to-face retreats we've had over the past 20 years. The online retreat ended up being a blissful "reconnect" for everyone at different stages of life in different places.

Everything is on hold for who know how long. We may not be able to celebrate the way we used to, but will celebrate creatively and we will move on. Stay tuned for our news and get ready to celebrate the year of 2022.

Nicole Wong

Across the Lens

February Issue

Is it Happy New Year Yet? Dear readers of Across the Lens, have you started your end-of-year house clean up?

When speaking with older relatives and colleagues, I always double check what they mean when saying “the new year”. In Chinese societies, the Lunar New Year is the more important one.

Over the last few months, I have interviewed numerous people for stories in Across the Lens. They include those who were born in Canada, those that came as a young child, and those that came during their teens.

These interviews are often filled with interesting anecdotes about everyday cultural discoveries.

It can be discovering Canto-pop for the first time, or feeling awkward eating Chinese food at school.

These everyday occurrences are significant because cultural customs and habits are ingrained in how we live and how we see the world; something that we are unaware. These experiences can be delightful, gut-wrenching or heart-warming.

If you are new to Canada, these stories will open to you the world of Chinese Canadian youths. In some ways, the joys and struggles of navigating between cultures resemble living and working in HK. As an ‘international city’, its people have also had to grapple with shifting cultural norms such as when to celebrate New Year, how to dress on different occasions, and what are the responsibilities to families.

As 2022 begins, Across the Lens will expand the way we share stories from words and other media. Also, we are standing-by to host gatherings where youths can once again meet each other in-person, to share stories, ideas and their passion for life.

If the work of Across U-hub has touched you in any way, please consider supporting us through donations. Your financial support will allow us to do more in supporting our youths.