Chinatown exhibit celebrates community and heritage [Video]

Sandy Yep’s roots dig deep in Chinatown. His family planted themselves in the neighbourhood in 1895, and four generations later, he was raised in its vibrancy.

“When I was growing up, you would hear mahjong being played, you would hear voices of families laughing and running,” Yep said.

His ties to Chinatown are framed in several photos displayed in an outdoor exhibit in the heart of the neighbourhood.

“This was a place that anchored our family and our community,” he said, standing in front of a family photo taken in his great-grandfather’s house.

A little further down the wall, he pointed at a photo of his childhood home.

“I think the baby’s crib was about here,” he said.

The initiative by the JIA Foundation features 50 posters highlighting portraits and testimonials from Chinatown’s diverse communities.

Project coordinator and photographer Chris Lau hopes people will see past the dumplings and the …