Photo: BC Achievement Foundation Board Member, Carol Lee, OBC
Fellow board member Carol Lee is one of the busiest, most successful, kindest and most thoughtful people I know. She has had a long career in business, and in community-building and philanthropy. In all she does, Carol is not only following in the footsteps of her remarkable parents, Lily and the late Bob Lee, but is making her own unique contributions to the life of our province.
Carol is involved in BC Achievement because of her interest in the contributions and achievements of all British Columbians and her belief that stronger, more inclusive communities across BC are important for the future of our province.
One of Carol’s projects, the Chinatown Storytelling Centre, is driven by her desire to preserve, enhance, sustain and celebrate Vancouver’s famous Chinatown.
In 2021, Carol launched the Chinatown Storytelling Centre in the heart of Vancouver’s Chinatown. The Storytelling Centre is a showpiece, a lively, interactive and constantly changing place where stories, history and artifacts are brought together to delight, educate and build community understanding.
Visitors to the Centre learn of the many ways in which members of the Chinese community have participated in building and shaping British Columbia. Their stories amplify the contributions of valued friends and fellow citizens, and also shed light on the experiences we all share – experiences of family, loss, movement, building, culture, society and more.
Some of stories that are told at the Centre honour the sacrifices made by previous generations. Chinese arrivals to British Columbia, and their descendants, faced barriers, taxes, disenfranchisement, and other forms of discrimination and yet persevered. For many of them, Chinatown was a place of connection and acceptance, a place of belonging in what could be a hostile environment.
The Centre is also home to a unique gift store, and events that include readings, interviews, music, dance, food, walks and more. Where else can you learn, for example, about the wisdom of Chinese grandmothers, hear the little-known stories of Chinese pilots (including perhaps Canada’s first woman pilot), and enjoy Lunar New Year treats?
More about the Chinatown Storytelling Centre can be found at https://www.chinatownstorytellingcentre.org/
More about our own remarkable Carol Lee can be found at www.bcachievement.com
By Anne Giardini, Past Board Chair, BC Achievement Foundation
BC Achievement: Elevate Excellence. Share Success. Inspire Change.