All members of the Historic Joy Kogawa House Society are invited to attend our Annual General Meeting (AGM). The AGM offers members an opportunity to participate directly in the business of the organization. This year’s virtual format is a result of the global pandemic – but on a positive note, it is literally possible for all members to participate without the need to travel. The Zoom online meeting platform allows members to attend online or by telephone.

Get some face time with our staff, board, and community (and perhaps a house pet or two). And get the scoop on where we’ve been and where we’re going in this new realityincluding a sneak peek at accessibility upgrades and some amazing ceramic pieces donated by Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

AGM Special: Sneak Preview of Ceramics Exhibit

In Fall 2019, a class project that partnered English literature students with Fine Arts students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University was launched by instructors Greg Chan and Ying-Yueh Chuang.

The project’s aim was to reimagine the key symbols of Joy Kogawa’s Obasan, a process that led to a literary/art exhibition called Maple-Washing: A Disruption at the KPU Library. KPU endowed the five-part collection to the house in 2020.

Kodomo No Tame by Leah Rosehill

Kodomo No Tame by Leah Rosehill & Molly Livingston

Greg Chan

KPU Instructor Greg Chan

Join Greg Chan as he offers a sneak peek in advance of the exhibit launch on Zoom and in-person by appointment at Historic Joy Kogawa House, Saturday, April 10, noon to 4pm. For registration on Eventbrite, stay tuned, as we will soon provide the link.

Greg Chan’s upper-level teaching and research currently focuses on film and film theory. Other areas of interest include rhetoric, Canadian and diasporic literature, digital humanities, and experiential learning.

Business to Be Conducted at the AGM

1. Approval of Minutes of Previous AGM: Minutes of our previous AGM held April 14, 2019.

2. Presentation of Financial Statements and Appointment of Public Accountant: Financial Statements for the year ending December 31, 2020.

3. Election of Nominees to the Board of Directors.

The following nominees will be proposed for election to the Board of Directors:

  • Ayomide Olorunsanya, secretary. Ayomide is passionate about adding value to her environment and often finds opportunities to contribute to societal development. She is a qualified lawyer from Nigeria, currently being assessed by the National Committee on Accreditation to qualify to practise in British Columbia, and a qualified member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators Nigeria (ICSAN).
  • Helen Gowans, member at large. Helen has participated at Historic Joy Kogawa House for many years, from yarnbombing the Kogawa cherry tree in 2011 to writing with the weekly Wednesday writing group. Travel and cultures have always been an interest for her; as a physiotherapist, she was able to experience both. In retirement, she has spent more time writing and, in 2020, won the Pandora’s Collective poetry prize.
  • Lindsey Pagnucco, member at large. Lindsey is a retired children’s / teen services librarian with Vancouver Public Library who also was involved with fundraising and marketing for VPL. Born and raised in the Marpole-Oakridge area, she not only very interested in Vancouver history but committed to addressing historic wrongs. She is a long-distance runner so has staying power!
  • Patricia Stapleton, member at large. Patricia is a retired elementary school teacher with an interest in Japanese Canadian history, having learned about the contributions of Japanese Canadians while teaching at Manoah Steves Elementary in Richmond. She grew up in the countryside and loves to be outdoors, now running four times each week. She also loves to be organized and has taught in Ireland, Ontario, Saudi Arabia, and BC.

The following directors make up the remainder of the Board:

  • Matt Canute, chair
  • Richard (Sue O) Lee, treasurer
  • Joan Shigeko Young, education chair
  • Todd Wong, past chair
  • Melody Pan, communications chair 
It Is Better to Forget by Murasaki Liu

It Is Better to Forget by Murasaki Liu & Dewina Luechtefeld

Attend the AGM

Please join us! We’d love to see you (online, of course) on Monday, March 22, 7PM Pacific.

You won’t need to download any apps to attend. Just click the link we send you after registering!

Members must register in advance no later than 5PM Pacific time on Monday, March 22, in order to receive instructions and links. To register, please email us at info@kogawahouse.com.

Featured image: Silent Treatment by Kacey Hughes and Sean Kirk