Joanna Yang 楊達娜 she/her/hers

People & plant-watching enthusiast; #UBC @StJohnsUBC staff, @UBCMET grad student, and new mom. Musings are my own.

[Melody Ma | 馬勻雅 @melodyma]

The @CityofVancouver is on the wrong side of history.

#105Keefer #ChinatownYVR #vanpoli

[Melody Ma | 馬勻雅 @melodyma]

A great #ChinatownYVR irony:

This week, Mayor @KenSimCity named the City's satellite office in the @CityofVancouver-owned #ChinatownYVR Plaza mall after Won Alexander Cumyow, a civil rights advocate and Chinatown leader.

Ironically, the recent incident of seniors being policed out of exercising at the very same mall remains unresolved by the City, leaving Chinatown seniors without a suitable space to exercise.

Here's the latest update on the situation from Stephanie Leo, @YarrowSociety volunteer and Co-Chair of the City's former #ChinatownYVR Legacy Stewardship Group:

"Staff of the Yarrow Chinese Seniors Hub were conducting an exercise class within the Chinatown Plaza before mall hours at approximately 9:00am. City staff began harassing the 60 seniors and threatening to call the police unless they vacated the premises.

When I arrived at 9:30am, a police officer was in attendance aiding plaza staff in dispersing the crowd of seniors. I witnessed and documented fear, disappointment and comments about concerns for personal safety.

These seniors referenced the incident on May 29th when they spoke to the Development Permit Board regarding Beedie Living’s #105Keefer application. For the seniors, Yarrow staff and myself, this police incident and 105 Keefer are inextricably connected and speaks to the larger issue of availability of safe space for folks to gather and participate in cultural activities.

For community members, this raises two key questions:
What specific reasons was a gathering in a public space seen as a threat?
Why was the situation escalated to law enforcement so quickly?

I have requested a meeting with the appropriate staff from the City Manager’s Office to find a resolution as the Chinese Seniors Hub members are without a suitable space to exercise. Additionally, they have not seen a follow up with city staff of the Chinatown Plaza by way of an apology. Currently, the general feeling from the seniors is that the very community which Mayor and Council hope to engage with by having a Chinatown office are those least welcome in this space.

I sent the above to the city a month ago and there has been no resolution. The seniors deserve and are asking for an apology, in person, and in their spoken languages, with tangible solutions like cultural safety training for Plaza staff to address the mishandling of seniors gathering to do Tai Chi and a commitment to providing them community space. Anything less, would be disappointing and risks causing further harm to the community."

Original post: https://t.co/b81fslPLkw

#vanpoli

[Joanna Yang 楊達娜 she/her/hers @joyangg]

@yskevinhuang Thank you for working out to deliver publicly accessible information 😂

[Joanna Yang 楊達娜 she/her/hers @joyangg]

@yskevinhuang thanks for the updates kev, so useful for those tuning in from home.

[Joanna Yang 楊達娜 she/her/hers @joyangg]

I’ve forgotten how it feels to be perpetually hungry while writing papers 🤤 … couple that with breastfeeding, you’ll observe an *interaction effect* (bottomless pit appetite 😌)

[UBC ACAM @UBCACAM]

If you believe in the work ACAM students, alumni, and faculty are doing, and/or would like to see it grow, we humbly ask you to consider supporting our work:
https://t.co/ZqMRg9u0ZG on #UBCGivingDay

[Joanna Yang 楊達娜 she/her/hers @joyangg]

@bctchng @UBCDrBenCh Make a reel 🎥

[Joanna Yang 楊達娜 she/her/hers @joyangg]

@kellikiyomi Yay!!!!

[UBC ACAM @UBCACAM]

Don't miss this upcoming panel on anti-Asian racism and its impact on the university as we mark the 10th anniversary of Macleans' infamous "Too Asian?" article. Happening Nov. 18th from 12:00-1:00 PM PST!

[Min Jin Lee @minjinlee11]

This strange, unfamiliar feeling: I think I’m happy. And so fucking relieved.

[Joanna Yang 楊達娜 she/her/hers @joyangg]

Spoiler alert - JOHN LEWIS and RBG

[Joanna Yang 楊達娜 she/her/hers @joyangg]

@kellikiyomi ❤️

[Bowinn Ma @BowinnMa]

We need to be a province that enables young women to take on leadership roles without fear of sexism. British Columbians deserve better from their political leaders.

[Joanna Yang 楊達娜 she/her/hers @joyangg]

I’d throw this out in the garbage bin labelled: “feeble apology attempts” 👀 we see through you @jthornthwaite @Wilkinson4BC 👀 ALSO, you’re just sorry you got caught! If we didn’t have the footage, I’m sure you’d gaslight @BowinnMa and say it was a “misunderstanding” 👀

[Joanna Yang 楊達娜 she/her/hers @joyangg]

@BowinnMa Good luck Bowinn!!

[Joanna Yang 楊達娜 she/her/hers @joyangg]

@Wilkinson4BC @BowinnMa You’re only sorry you got caught.

[Joanna Yang 楊達娜 she/her/hers @joyangg]

@jthornthwaite No you dont! Lol what is this feeble attempt at white woman double speak

[Joanna Yang 楊達娜 she/her/hers @joyangg]

@jthornthwaite This is a non apology and I can’t stand for it. What you did didn’t “fall flat”, it was damn shameful.