Rice Against the Machine Collective
In residence at Historic Joy Kogawa House in May 2025.
Rice Against the Machine Collective is made up of poets, facilitators, and friends Anto Chan, Patrick de Belen, and Christopher Tse.
While in residence at Historic Joy Kogawa House this May, they were developing their collaborative project, Rice Against the Machine — an exploration of identity, solidarity, and liberation in the face of resurgent anti-Asian hate, racial capitalism, and global injustice.
Through storytelling, poetry, and community engagement, they ask: What role can the so-called “model minority” play in movements for collective liberation? How do we situate our uniquely Asian experiences within broader struggles for justice — using our privileges without minimizing our own challenges?
Meet the Collective
Patrick de Belen
Patrick de Belen is a Toronto-based Filipinx-Canadian storyteller, poet, filmmaker, and arts educator. His work explores themes of culture, mental health, community, and healing. A national poetry slam champion and Canadian Poet of Honour, Patrick’s collaborations include projects with the Toronto Raptors, CBC, and the NFL, alongside his acclaimed cine-poems and documentaries.
Christopher Tse
Christopher Tse (he/him) is an educator, organizer, and award-winning writer based in Whitehorse, Yukon. A two-time international poetry slam runner-up, he uses storytelling to explore identity, resistance, and the intersections of art and power. His work has appeared on stages, airwaves, and graffiti walls. His first children’s book, A Song for the Paper Children, was released in May 2024 with Plumleaf Press.
Anto Chan
Anto Chan is a Queer Chinese-Canadian spoken word artist, producer, and expressive arts facilitator. His performances and writing, including Love So Far and Romantic Reflections, blend vulnerability, humor, and exploration of intergenerational healing. He is the founder of InnerGenerational, a creative community empowering Asian diaspora artists to evolve beyond the model minority archetype.