Photo above by Gerry Kahrmann, Vancouver Sun.

The letter below was published on June 20th in the Vancouver Sun in response to a column by Douglas Todd on Richmond, BC. The full text is reproduced below and can be found at the link here.

Re: Global centre of a demographic explosion, Column, June 12

Douglas Todd’s article on Richmond made me feel like my community was being analyzed by a foreign anthropologist! As a resident who remembers the sleepy suburb of 20 years ago, the article did not capture my experience of this now vibrant, international city.

Did Todd mean to relive lamenting the end of the supposed “good old days” and stereotypes of so-called “Chinese” and “whites”? The Chinese community is incredibly diverse and what does “white” mean?

My Richmond consists of speakers of various languages, followers of various faiths and a livable community whose examples of inclusion and kindness should be followed elsewhere.

Where are the stories of “Latin Funk” dance classes with a mix of Russian speakers from Moldova, Montreal Jews, and Canadians of Chinese, European and a variety of other ancestries having fun together on a Saturday morning? Or the story of a shy hockey-dad originally from mainland China who barely speaks English but nevertheless invites the entire, multicultural kid’s hockey team to his noodle shop at the end of the season?

Please come visit and let us show you around!