Illustration by Mei Yao
Youth producers, featured senior, and Yarrow staff during Celebrating Our Stories: Speak My Language launch event at SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts in Vancouver, March 2020. (Jamie Loh)
Presented by the Yarrow Intergenerational Society for Justice 世代同行會, Speak My Language is part of a forthcoming campaign to advocate for language justice in British Columbia’s healthcare system.
Focused on language accessibility, we engaged in rigorous translation and interpretation protocols to ensure the production process and final radio docs were accessible to English, Cantonese, and Mandarin speakers. We also invited the featured Chinese seniors to participate in feedback sessions to ensure their stories were presented with integrity.
As the project coordinator, I trained the youth producers in storytelling and radio production while providing mentorship throughout the 6-month long process. In collaboration with my teammates Sandi Liang, Yulanda Lui, Chanel Ly, and the SFU Vancity Office of Community Engagement, we organized a public launch event for the radio docs that took place in March 2020.
Speak My Language has been syndicated on CiTR 101.9FM, CJSF 90.1FM, CFRO 100.5FM, and CJSR 88.5FM. It is also available on all popular podcasting platforms.
Press + Interviews
Below the Radar, September 2020, Intergenerational Storytelling with Chinatown Seniors — with Yulanda Lui and Rachel Lau
Discorder Magazine, August 2020, Speak My Language: On Accessible Healthcare, Local Radio and Bridging Distance
Motherlands on CiTR 101.9FM, May 2020, What Comes Next?
Redeye on Co-op Radio, March 2020, Youth produce radio docs with Chinese seniors about health care
OMNI News, March 2020, Speak My Language and Health Care Access (Cantonese 粵語)
SFU Woodwards, February 2020, Speak My Language: Advocating for Culturally Accessible Healthcare