Toronto’s TIFF Lightbox hosted the celebrated Hua Cai Awards on January 16, spotlighting the achievements of remarkable leaders in Canadian society. Among the many evening’s most celebrated honorees had been Donnette Chin-Loy Chang, named Individual of the Yr, and Rechie Valdez, awarded for Management in Canadian Enterprise they had been amongst a number of smaller awards handed out that night.
Donnette Chin-Loy Chang has lengthy been a pillar of influential organizations, contributing to initiatives just like the Black North Initiative, the Toronto Worldwide Movie Pageant, TMU’s Anti-Asian Racism Process Power, and Meals for the Poor Canada, the place she served as co-chair. Holding a Bachelor of Utilized Arts in Journalism from Toronto Metropolitan College (TMU), Chin-Loy Chang has additionally been acknowledged with honorary levels from TMU and the College of the West Indies.
In her acceptance speech, Chin-Loy Chang mirrored on her heritage as a Jamaican-born Hakka and her journey as an immigrant in Canada. She emphasised the significance of unity, respect, and fact in fostering vigorous communities.
“In these unsure and tumultuous instances, we should maintain collectively for our shared values of respect, dignity, variety, peace, fairness, and inclusion,” she remarked. With gratitude to her late husband, Ray Chang, and different mentors, she devoted her award to her ancestors and all who supported her alongside the way in which.
A spotlight of her speech was her reflection on the Hakka phrase “chiganyin”, which means “we’re all one,” an ethos she urged the viewers to embrace. “Allow us to search out fact and use our platforms for the betterment of society,” she concluded.
Rechie Valdez, Canada’s Minister of Small Enterprise and the primary Filipino Canadian lady elected to Parliament, obtained the Management in Canadian Enterprise Award. Born in Zambia to Filipino dad and mom and immigrating to Canada in 1989, Valdez recounted her household’s sacrifices and her personal unconventional path to success.
Her journey started with a leap of religion in her creativity—baking her daughter’s first birthday cake—a second that led her to find a ardour for entrepreneurship. “From one two-tier cake, I discovered my identification as a Filipino Canadian lady and the braveness to observe my goals,” Valdez shared.
Valdez’s rise from small enterprise proprietor to Member of Parliament and cupboard minister exemplifies her perception within the transformative energy of neighborhood and resilience. “Receiving this award is a testomony to the audacity to dream and the significance of empowering others to do the identical,” she stated.
The night’s celebration, organized by Xinflix Media and the Justin Poi Company, underscored the precious contributions of immigrant communities to Canada’s cultural and financial material.
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