Tickets: $5 (student/low income), $15 (regular)
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“A city is not alive without its people. Where there are people, there are stories and art. Where there are stories and art, there are opportunities to learn from each other, and expand our knowledge and experiences.”
LitFest is thrilled to bring you a selection of readings from Edmonton Heritage Stories: A collection of stories on crossings, courage, and community, which pulls together heritage stories from the perspectives of people who acknowledge or identify with the the following heritage: China, Germany, Japan, Nepal, Philippines, Poland and Ukraine.
Featuring: Ryan Lacanilao, Oliver Rossier, Roxanne Reimer (with musical accompaniment by Emry – Bejing Opera), Paul Fujishige, Rabbits Three c/o Carley Okamura (Japanese Drums), William Wang, Ying (Cathy) Shi (with accompaniment from the Chinese Seniors Band/Edmonton Small Band for Seniors), Mila Bonco-Philipzig (with accompaniment from Kulintang traditional drums)
Host: Ryan Lacanilao
Mila Bongco-Philipzig is a writer, visual artist, and community organizer. The diaspora of the global majority is a recurring theme in her works. She is an avid advocate for human rights and social justice. What is the point of art if not to resist?
Edmonton Small Band for Seniors operates for four years with support of AHC and won the AHC 30th Anniversary Crystal Medal. The mission of the band is to serve health of elderly with music. The band includes Chinese, Filipinos, Vietnamese, and Caucasian with a variety of musical styles.
Paul Fujishige was born in Winnipeg and moved to Alberta in 1980. He held various positions in the government, not-for-profit and education sectors. His primary work was with people with disabilities and families. He continues to advocate and promote the rights of all citizens. Paul is a sansei (3rd generation Japanese Canadian) re-discovering his roots, including learning more about his family history in Canada and Japan. Paul is Past President of the Edmonton Japanese Community Association.
Rabbits Three Cultural Connections is an ensemble that features Japanese drumming (taiko) in collaboration with other art forms. Through cross-cultural collaborations, we learn about each other as artists, cultural practitioners, and local contacts with whom we can build supportive networks. Today Rabbits Three is represented by Daniel Torres, Yukiko Isaka, and Carley Okamura.
Roxanne Reimer is a proud mother of two wonderful daughters who keep her busy and bring her endless joy. In her free time, Roxanne enjoys hiking, crafting and rollerblading with her daughters, and unwinding with a good puzzle. Through the Edmonton Chinese Writing Club, she has discovered writing as a path to self-exploration and healing. “The only real failure is never trying.”
Oliver Rossier has a BA in History and Political Science, and an MA in Communications and Technology, both from UAlberta. Oliver has helped coordinate major campus-community engagement projects including: Principles of Resistance: the Gordon Hirabayashi Story; and the Pan-African Symposium. The Art of Uli is Oliver’s first attempt to create narrative non-fiction.
Ying (Cathy) Shi holds a Canadian doctorate in ESL Teacher Education and has 35 years of teaching experience. She researches immigrant career development and children’s global citizenship education. Through writing, she reflects on cross-cultural experiences and leads the Edmonton Chinese Writing Club, promoting inclusion and multiculturalism.
William Wang immigrated to Canada in 1990 and dedicated 23 years to the City of Edmonton before retiring in 2024. Throughout his career, he received several prestigious awards, including the 2010 Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) Outstanding Achievement Award and a City Manager’s Award Nomination. His English poetry and artwork have been featured in publications such as Edmonton Transit News and the Deputy City Manager’s City Operations Department Update.
Ryan Lacanilao (host) is a sometimes poet (@ooakosiryan), sometimes musician (@thecalamansiclub), and sometimes podcaster (@whatsthetsismis). He’s published in both English and Kapampangan, and you can find his writing in The Polyglot, Hungry Zine, POV Publications, and elsewhere. He’s currently writing a book of letters to his 4-year-old son.
This events is presented in collaboration with the Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts
