Read the extended creator’s note in the zine.

Growing up, the experience of arguing with my parents in strings of jumbled Mandarin, filling in the unknown-vocab-gaps with disproportionately complicated English, seemed so nuanced that I could hardly believe others could relate. Maybe, you’ve experienced being tasked with translating government documents at the ripe age of 9. Or, when your conservative uncle says something that would totally get him canceled, but growing up in a different culture is his excuse. Or, simply not feeling sure about your ethnic and cultural identity. Because, same.

Being called white-washed, banana, “not-Chinese-enough” and the many variants yet simultaneously feeling ostracized in non-POC settings, is confusing. Eventually, I grew older and more exposed to diverse settings. I was both shocked and comforted by the number of others that resonate with the ups-and-downs of being “second-gen”.

Virtually all Canadians, aside from Indigenous peoples, have some sort of connection to immigration. Nonetheless, the reality of being second-generation seems to rarely be discussed. We fixate on cliches like the classic rags-to-middle class, American Dream immigration story. This project aims to not only highlight voices of second-generation Chinese-Canadians, but also dismantle the stereotypes of what it means to be an immigrant.

If you’re like me, I hope you find the representation you deserve in this project. And if you can’t really relate, I hope you learn something new through Bridging Generations.

Cheers,

Katherine M.
Project Creator and Director