May is Asian Heritage month and we are celebrating the contributions and initiatives made by our Asian communities across Canada.
In honour of this, we have put together a list of creators from various walks of life that are making a name for themselves in their respective industries.
1. Jayemkayem
Jayemkayem is a creative producer and DJ based in Toronto. She is also the founder of an independent music label (Bare Selection) and community radio station (ISO Radio). IG: @jayemkayem
2. Vivek Shraya
Vivek is a Canadian musician, writer, and visual artist. Vivek also launched VS. Books to offer mentorship and publishing deals to young BIPOC writers. IG: @vivekshraya
3. Sanjeet Takhar
Sanjeet is a curator, producer, and writer based in Toronto. Sanjeet is currently the Artistic Director of Music Gallery Toronto. IG: @sanj.takhar
4. Paul Chin
Paul is a Toronto-based music producer and DJ. His Chinese-Jamaican immigrant parents are part of what drew him to the resilient philosophy of hip-hop while studying classical and jazz in school and private music lessons. IG: @ohyeahpaulchin
5. Christie Carrière
Christie is a painter, illustrator, rug-maker based in Toronto. She is also the Co-Creative Director of Tea Base (@tea.base), a community arts space in the Chinatown Centre Mall. IG: @Chris_jwc
6. Joanna Luo
U of T Mississauga alumna Joanna Luo is the creator of one of the largest Toronto lifestyle channels in the Chinese community Toronto Diary. IG: @Toronto_diary
7. Noor Khan
U of T Scarborough alumna Noor Khan is a community-engaged artist and art manager. She uses the mediums of still & motion picture, graphics, as well as written word to support artists, organizations, and brands within and around her community.
8. Richard Fung
Richard Fung, U of T alumnus born in Trinidad and raised in Toronto, is a video artist, writer and public intellectual public intellectual and theorist.
9. Amanda Lew Kee
Amanda Lew Kee is a Chinese Canadian casual luxury designer inspired by the merge of her Asian culture and North American lifestyle. She recently launched No Mask No service following a donation of 4,500 non-medical masks to long-term care homes across the GTA. IG: @amandalewkee
10. Sonia Jhas
Sonia is a South Asian health and wellness expert based in Toronto. She walked away from a corporate career aver overcoming her own personal struggles with body image and negative self-talk. Now she is inspiring and education people all over the world. IG: soniajhas
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A very special thank you to Cam Litchmore from Equity, Diversity and Inclusion office at U of T Scarborough for their help curating this list.