Dear members,
Happy New Year!
We hope that the snow & icy storms, windstorms, and/or king tide escaped your homes. What a way to introduce us to 2022.
Just a quick reminder that our upcoming General Meeting (GM) is scheduled for Thursday, January 20th between 9:45 am to 12 noon via Zoom. We will be sending you a Zoom link along with the complete GM Agenda and Committee Reports for your leisure perusal a few days prior to the meeting.
Are you curious about who our January speaker is and what will she be sharing with us?
Vivian Rygnestad will be the speaker at our January 20, 2022. General Meeting. Keeping with our Wellness/Fitness theme, her presentation will address some aspects of mental wellness. Her talk will centre around Japanese Canadian history, her family history, and her work with the Landscapes of Injustice research project.
Vivian was elected to Chair the advisory Community Council to the Landscapes of Injustice project, researching the forced uprooting and dispossession of everyone of Japanese ancestry from the BC coast from 1941 to 1949; over 75% were Canadian citizens. This seven-year research project involved five Canadian universities and many partner institutions.
If you have time prior to the meeting, you are encouraged to peruse the project’s site https://www.landscapesofinjustice.com/
Vivian is well known to our members. She has been active in the BCRPVPA since retiring from the Surrey School District. In addition to serving as the BCRPVPA President from 2014 to 2016 she has been co-newsletter editor and worked on various committees. Currently she heads up our History Committee. Before retiring, she worked on several committees within the BCPVPA including being on the Board of Directors.
Vivian is an experienced speaker and storyteller who will leave us thinking not just about the history of Japanese Canadians but also about our own cultural identities and family histories.
Please join us on Thursday, January 20, from 11:00 to noon to hear this fascinating presentation. There will be an opportunity for questions and feedback at the end of the talk.
Wishing you all a safe and healthy 2022!
Celina Mau
BCRPVPA Communication Rep. Membership Rep., & Vice President (2021-2022)
