The Double Life of Liann Zhang: The Vancouver-Born Author’s Debut Thriller, Set In The Cut-Throat World of Influencers, Is As Sharp And Addictive As The Feeds It Skewers 新世代小說家•張麗安

“I love being a dragon,” Liann Zhang says when the subject of the Chinese zodiac comes up. “It’s this random mystical beast in the middle of it all. I feel very powerful.”

Dragons, she adds, are brave and up for adventure, qualities that suit anyone writing a novel. Zhang just did. At just 23, she’s already seeing her debut thriller, Julie Chan is Dead, become one of the buzziest Canadian novels of the year, thanks in part to its setting in the murky world of influencers. The title is a tease; the story is even sharper.

Personal StoriesFête ChinoiseMarch 19, 2026Asian representaton, chinese canadian, Chinese Canadian, Personal StoriesComment

Flying High: Skye Chan Never Planned on Pageants, Television Hosting or Health Advocacy. But Pragmatism Has a Way of Opening Unexpected Doors 陳倩揚 • 每次轉身，活出自己節奏的港姐

During a break from her flight schedule in 2008, Skye Chan spotted a television advertisement for Miss Hong Kong pageant entrants. Most flight attendants might have dismissed the idea immediately. Chan had built her reputation on efficiency and professionalism, not the polished glamour typically associated with beauty competitions.

Yet something about the opportunity intrigued her. At twenty-three, Chan knew the eligibility cutoff of twenty-four made this her only opportunity to apply, so she downloaded the form and asked her mother to be her nominee. “You never know until you take a step forward,” she says.

Chan had no illusions about her chances.

Annie Huang Finds Purpose Helping Young Musicians in Toronto 重譜第二人生 • 黄靜

On screen, Huang sat in a softly lit room at home, framed by an intricately carved wooden cabinet, its surface etched with ancient figures and traditional buildings. She smiled, glanced back at the cabinet and let the moment linger.

Off camera, one can imagine that cabinet, rich with the charm of Chinese design, has witnessed many changing seasons since her arrival in Toronto from Shanghai nearly a decade ago. It seems to speak for itself: solid, silent and carrying its own history into a new country where Huang has built a new life.

Dream Factory: A Cantopop & Mandopop Experience at the Chinese Canadian Museum

The Chinese Canadian Museum has officially launched its highly anticipated exhibition, Dream Factory: Cantopop & Mandopop 1980s-2000s. Whether you grew up listening to these iconic genres or are discovering them for the first time, this exhibition offers an immersive look at one of the most influential music movements of the 20th century.

Ginalina: Bridging Culture Through Music 林佳君：平凡人成就不平凡

Ginalina, the stage name of Vancouver-based musician Gina Lam, weaves a tapestry of sound that bridges cultures and generations. Her latest album, All The Earth Speaks, released last fall, is a testament to her artistic vision—a fusion of traditional Chinese and Taiwanese folk music with contemporary Western influences.

David Kuo: From Hoop Dreams to Banking Professional (With a Heart of Gold) 郭劍民：「球」勝之道

As one of the most influential figures in Canadian banking and the game-changing founder of the Chinese Canadian Youth Athletics Association (CCYAA), Kuo was unraveling the many layers of his multi-faceted identity during our interview for this magazine article. His wife and in-laws are from Hong Kong, his father was originally from China and moved to Taiwan, his mother is Taiwanese, and Kuo himself works here as an all-in Canadian. This unique combination has positioned him well to interact with people from various Chinese backgrounds, blending the East and the West.

Personal StoriesFête ChinoiseApril 17, 2025CCYAA, chinese canadian, Chinese Canadian, basketballComment

Lesley Chiang: A Journey of Resilience and Advocacy 姜麗文：星光延續

Lesley Chiang's career trajectory reflects her diverse talents and multicultural background. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Vancouver, this Canadian actress and singer-songwriter has made waves in both the music and film industries while becoming a vocal advocate for mental health awareness.

“I grew up in Vancouver, and it's always such a big part of me and it's something I'm really proud of to be Chinese Canadian,” she says. This multicultural upbringing provided her with a unique perspective that infuses her work.

Karen Mak: Building Through Passion 麥嘉慧：以激情塑造奢侈品店設計的世界

The traits you carry through life can lead you down various paths, whether familiar or foreign. Comfort may guide you along the well-trodden route, while whimsy might take you somewhere new. Passion, on the other hand, will always propel you far and wide, on bright thoroughfares and dark laneways alike. It will help you navigate the sea of self-doubt and traverse the path of confidence. Passion will challenge you and lift you when you fall. Such is the essence of Karen Mak, whose life is driven by passion.

Multicultural Maestro: Jeffrey Remedios Orchestrates the Future of Recorded Music 多元文化音樂大師

In Universal Music Canada’s innovative headquarters in Toronto’s Liberty Village, Jeffrey Remedios oversees a creative hub that opened its doors in 2022, marking a new chapter for the company in the post-pandemic era. The space, designed to foster collaboration, imagination and innovation, features state-of-the-art recording studios, a performance venue and open-concept office areas bathed in natural light.

Krystal Koo: Building Communities and Big Ideas on the Foundation of Culture 古菁藍: 建構理想生活圈

Krystal Koo’s journey of integrating her diverse worlds came to a head at the May 2023 UNMET Gala, which she co-chaired on behalf of the WoodGreen Foundation and its clients’ unmet needs. Held at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, the event played on the celeb-stacked Met Gala that Anna Wintour throws annually at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. The theme, Come as You Are, gave her guests—representing the cream of Toronto society drawn from the younger generation of Westons, Rogers, Websters, and Bitoves—the opportunity to showcase their heritage. Koo, who is Chinese, chose to wear a stunning white cheongsam by Zuhair Murad paired with a billowing Kelly-green cape by Greta Constantine.

Personal StoriesFête ChinoiseFebruary 20, 2025Asian representaton, chinese canadianComment

Transcending Boundaries: The Visionary Artistry of William Yong 楊漢源: 舞出新視野

In the rarefied realm of Canadian dance, few artists have forged as unconventional and boundary-obliterating a path as William Yong. The award-winning Chinese-Canadian choreographer and multimedia artist, who immigrated from Hong Kong to Toronto in the 1990s to reunite with his family after a decade in London, has melded his multicultural roots with an unbridled creative spirit, pioneering daringly innovative, interdisciplinary works that shatter artistic conventions. From his early experimental films and productions merging dance with technology to touring the world as an in-demand performer, Yong has continually pushed the limits of dance expression.

“Reshaping Collections: Where History Meets Art” Now Open at the Chinese Canadian Museum

“Reshaping Collections: Where History Meets Art” showcases the unique artistic visions of six diverse Chinese Canadian artists from across the country. Running from September 25, 2024, to September 28, 2025, at the Chinese Canadian Museum in Vancouver, this exhibition invites visitors to explore the reinterpretation of historical and cultural objects through the lens of contemporary art.

Current AffairsFête ChinoiseOctober 10, 2024Chinese Canadian Museum, chinese canadian, ExhibitionComment