Asian Canadian Voices: Celebrating Diversity and Combatting Racism
by Hana Kim
Director, Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library, University of Toronto
Academic libraries like the Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library at the University of Toronto play a vital role in inspiring scholarship, fostering arts and culture, and bringing communities together for reflection and dialogue. As an academic librarian in the field of East Asian Studies and as an Asian Canadian, I feel committed to the library's mission to support the Asian Canadian community and beyond by developing a hub for anti-Asian racism-related resources, building its Asian Canadian Collections, and offering various public outreach events relating to East Asian Studies, Asian Canadian Studies, and Asian heritage.
"A significant set of lectures from notable figures in Chinese Canadian and Asian Canadian arts, culture, activism, and studies are included in the publication 'Asian Canadian Voices: Facets of Diversity.' Their reflections are an insightful resource for researchers and scholars," says Professor Lisa Mar, Department of History, University of Toronto.
Anti-Asian racism and discrimination in Canada require urgent attention. Examples and statistics illustrate the scale of the problem. According to a report released by the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter (CCNCTO) and Project 1907, a total of 943 racist and xenophobic incidents were reported across the country between Jan. 1, 2021 and Dec. 31, 2021. Furthermore, Vancouver saw a 717% increase in anti-Asian hate crimes in 2020 compared to the previous year. These alarming figures highlight the need for immediate action to address anti-Asian racism and discrimination in Canada.
To combat racism against Asians and other marginalized groups, the University of Toronto Libraries (UTL) have developed an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement, an Anti-Racism Statement, and a Collections Diversity Plan, and are committed to achieving these statements through a concrete action plan.
The publication "Asian Canadian Voices" provides a valuable opportunity to honor and celebrate the past and present contributions of Asian Canadians, especially in a time of heightened anti-Asian racism and discrimination. The book is the product of a collaborative effort that emerged from a significant lecture series titled "Tides on Our Pacific Shore: Celebrating Asian Canadian Heritage" and "Asian Canadian Conference: Engaging Asian Canadians," which were held between 2012 and 2014 and organized by the East Asian Library. The book is available both in e-book and print formats and can be accessed through the University of Toronto's online research repository, TSpace.
As academic libraries strive to create a safe and inclusive society for all, they play a vital role in inspiring scholarship, fostering arts and culture, and bringing communities together for reflection and dialogue. By recognizing and combating racism against Asians and other marginalized groups, academic libraries can help build a society where diversity is celebrated and valued for all. Henry Yu, Associate Professor of the History Department at the University of British Columbia, Principal of St. John’s College, and Director of the Initiative for Student Teaching and Research in Chinese Canadian Studies notes, "writing against the narrative violence of exclusion has been an important element of the political challenge to racism, and this volume helps recognize the historic work of Asian Canadian writers and community advocates, even as it reckons with the costs they bore in order to challenge a political and cultural order built around white supremacy."
Hana Kim
Hana Kim is the Director of the Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library at the University of Toronto, and an accomplished professional in her field. She holds a Bachelor of Education from the Korean National University of Education and a Master's degree in Library and Information Science from McGill University. Hana has published and presented on a wide range of topics, including Asian Canadian heritage, diversity, equity, access, and East Asian studies librarianship.
In 2009, Hana initiated the Korean Canadian Heritage Archives Project, a nationwide effort to document and preserve the history and contributions of Korean Canadians, in collaboration with the University of British Columbia. She has also led various initiatives at the Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library to promote and engage with Asian Canadian heritage through library programs and activities.
Hana is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2018 Korean Canadian Heritage Award, and has held various leadership roles in organizations such as the Council on East Asian Libraries (CEAL) and the Pacific Rim Research Libraries Alliance Steering Committee. She has also participated in several international organizations, such as the Association of Research Libraries Kaleidoscope Program Task Force and the portal: Libraries and the Academy Editorial Board.
Before joining the University of Toronto Libraries, Hana served as the Head Librarian of the Asian Library at the University of British Columbia. In addition to her professional achievements, Hana has translated modern Korean poetry and written poems herself.