Progressive and LGBTQ+ groups say they含羞草研究社檝e been excluded from Vancouver含羞草研究社檚 Lunar New Year parade in Chinatown this weekend, with one of their representatives saying they were told it was because of a ban on 含羞草研究社減olitical activism.含羞草研究社�
Chinatown Together, organized by community activist Melody Ma, and LGBTQ+ group Lunar New Year For All say their applications to march in the Spring Festival Parade on Sunday were rejected by the committee that runs the event.
The parade marks the year of the dragon, which starts on Saturday.
Ma posted a letter on social media that she says came from the parade含羞草研究社檚 organizers, telling her that approval of Chinatown Together含羞草研究社檚 participation had been rescinded because 含羞草研究社減olitical activism finds no place within the spirit of the event.含羞草研究社�
The letter dated Feb. 3 says the parade is 含羞草研究社渄edicated to a sense of unity含羞草研究社� and is intentionally distanced from religious or political affiliations.
But Pearl Wong, co-organizer of Lunar New Year For All, says they don含羞草研究社檛 consider themselves political, and no reason for their exclusion was given in the letter they received.
含羞草研究社淥ur thought process was, hey, it would be really cool if we could form a group that is dedicated for queer and trans folks of Asian descent,含羞草研究社� Wong said.
含羞草研究社淲e don含羞草研究社檛 really understand why it has to be this hard, because I don含羞草研究社檛 think it含羞草研究社檚 very hard to be inclusive and welcoming.含羞草研究社�
Wong, who is from New York, said Manhattan含羞草研究社檚 Chinatown parade had incorporated LGBTQ+ members since 2010.
The Chinatown Spring Festival含羞草研究社檚 organizing committee issued a response late Thursday, saying it is 含羞草研究社渃ommitted to upholding the tradition of promoting community, collaboration and tolerance across cultures.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淲e are also committed to ensuring that the parade is a safe and inclusive event for all participants and spectators,含羞草研究社� it said in a statement.
含羞草研究社淭he committee will make the decision to accept or reject parade team applications based on these criteria.含羞草研究社�
Ma is a vocal critic of gentrification in Chinatown, opposing projects such as a residential tower at 105 Keefer Street, which was approved by Vancouver含羞草研究社檚 permit board last June after years of dispute.
But she said none of the group含羞草研究社檚 banners on Sunday would have mentioned gentrification or 105 Keefer Street, in accordance with parade rules.
含羞草研究社淲e decided to participate in the Lunar New Year parade despite the fact the organizers were pro-Chinatown gentrification, because we wanted to put that all aside,含羞草研究社� Ma said. 含羞草研究社淔or this, the largest celebration of Chinatown, we含羞草研究社檙e going to put all these political differences aside and participate in this together.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淯nfortunately,含羞草研究社� she added, 含羞草研究社渨hat含羞草研究社檚 ironic is that by rejecting and citing political activism 含羞草研究社� whatever that means to them in this case 含羞草研究社� they are inherently politicizing the event and the decision.含羞草研究社�
The parade is organized by a consortium of six organizations 含羞草研究社� the Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver, the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver, the Vancouver Chinatown Merchants Association, the Chinese Freemasons Vancouver Branch, the Shon Yee Benevolent Association of Canada and social service agency SUCCESS.
SUCCESS said in a written response that it isn含羞草研究社檛 the lead organizer of the parade and isn含羞草研究社檛 involved with operational decisions.
The letter posted by Ma on social media says the festival含羞草研究社檚 organizing committee had 含羞草研究社渟teadfastly adhered含羞草研究社� to its principles for decades, 含羞草研究社渆nsuring the event remains a beacon of cultural heritage and community cohesion.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淲hile your passion for advocacy has been recognized, it is essential to underscore that political activism finds no place within the spirit of the event,含羞草研究社� it says.
Jordan Eng, president of the Vancouver Chinatown Business Improvement Association, said the case highlights the complexity of Chinatowns and their social and economic fault lines.
含羞草研究社淐hinatown is like a city in itself,含羞草研究社� with strong opposing views on issues such as gentrification, Eng said.
含羞草研究社淥n 105 Keefer, even within those legacy organizations, that was a really hard decision,含羞草研究社� Eng said, noting many groups changed positions over time to support the project.
含羞草研究社淥ur views don含羞草研究社檛 necessarily align with the legacy organizations, and the last go-around for 105 (Keefer), most of those organizations did not support it as well.含羞草研究社�
Eng含羞草研究社檚 groups supported the project.
He said this year含羞草研究社檚 parade, celebrating both the year of the dragon and the event含羞草研究社檚 50th anniversary, would play a crucial role in the revitalization of the neighbourhood after the pandemic.
含羞草研究社淭his is really a time for us to showcase Chinatown in a very positive light, in a unified light,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淲e need good news stories. We don含羞草研究社檛 need people trying to bring us down.含羞草研究社�
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