Journalism student tackles anti-Asian racism in new documentary and works alongside Ontario MP in new podcast series
Between March 2020 and February 2021 there were a reported 1,150 cases of racist attacks against Asian Canadians across the country according to the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter (external link, opens in new window) (CNCC).
Last fall, fourth-year Journalism students Minh Truong, Adrian Bueno, and Santiago Ramer decided to reposition their final COVID-related video project to address the rising incidents of discrimination and hate in the country.
To fight anti-Asian racism in all its forms, wherever it exists, we need Canadians from all walks of life to stand with us. I’m glad to have students like Minh as leaders at the table
Still from Virus of Hate documentary showing Toronto Chinese Archway
Sadly, examples of Asian discrimination were not hard to find. “One of Santiago’s friends [featured in the doc] was discriminated against and that was another reason we decided to focus the project on anti-Asian hate during COVID,” said Truong. In the documentary, this student shares her story about being discriminated against by a landlord.
The three co-creators spent months developing, filming, and producing the project and in February 2021 released their powerful 13-minute documentary, The Virus of Hate: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Affects the Asian Community in Canada. The film explores the painful reality of those that have experienced anti-Asian hate incidents, how politicians have contributed to the rise in anti-Asian sentiment, and actions that can begin to address the issue.
Truong and his co-creators screened the documentary for their class and recently made the documentary public via YouTube.
Member of Parliament takes notice
Member of Parliament and Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, Mary Ng (external link, opens in new window) reached out to the faculty recently to help launch an initiative to combat the recent rise in anti-Asian hate with the help of students. The faculty approached Truong, and despite a hectic exam schedule, Truong agreed to collaborate. The project quickly morphed into a podcast.
“Over the course of the pandemic, we have seen an unacceptable increase in anti-Asian racism and hate crimes in Canada,” states Minister Mary Ng. “I have been working on this issue with Asian-Canadian leaders and allies over the last year, who have dedicated decades of their time and efforts towards fighting for a more inclusive Canada. When I heard about the incredible documentary work Minh is doing to raise awareness of the increase of anti-Asian racism by highlighting the lived experience and stories of Canadians, I connected with him to show my support for his initiatives.”
Titled Beyond the Cycles, the podcast will go beyond incidents of hate during the pandemic and seek to explore the long history of Asian discrimination in Canada and the ways it was legislated into government policy. The podcast will draw parallels to current incidents of racism experienced by Asian-Canadians during the pandemic.
“To fight anti-Asian racism in all its forms, wherever it exists, we need Canadians from all walks of life to stand with us,” asserts Minister Ng. “I’m glad to have students like Minh as leaders at the table, bringing forward their ideas and creativity, and inspiring a new generation of leadership and advocacy.”
Photo by Jason Leung via Unsplash
The pilot episode will explore the Chinese Immigration Act of 1885 and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923. It is imperative to any dialogue around racism to acknowledge historic and ongoing patterns of racial discrimination that continue to impact racialized communities, and which have been exacerbated by the harmful rhetoric around the global crises of the pandemic, says Truong.
Subsequent episodes will explore the history of Japanese-Canadians by examining Canada’s discriminatory practices following its declaration of war on Japan in 1941.
A celebration of heritage
While the podcast will focus on the painful past of anti-Asian discrimination in Canada, it will also celebrate the heritage of Asian communities in Canada by examining the history of particular landmarks and places in Toronto and Vancouver.
“I want to create an immersive audio experience. For example, the original Chinatown was not on Spadina, but rather [the site of] Nathan Phillips Square before it was demolished for the new City Hall,” said Truong. “We'll use the [auditory] ambience from Nathan Phillips Square with our custom audio foley for an old Chinatown community, like a time-travelling experience.“
Truong has issued a call to those who can help shape the narrative of why and how these racial incidents play out, including: activists who can speak about how Asian-Canadian youth are fighting for justice, those that have experienced anti-Asian discrimination, as well as personal experiences from elderly generations to emphasize the importance of fighting for justice today.
The first and second episodes of the podcast will be released this month for Asian Heritage Month and are scheduled to air on May 25 and May 30, respectively. To kepp updated on this series follow Truong (external link, opens in new window) and the podcast (external link, opens in new window) on social media.
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