2 Asian Canadian authors take on racism — 1 conversation at a time

Earlier this year, Lindsay Wong, author of The Woo-Woo, and Jenny Heijun Wills, author of Older Sister. Not Necessarily Related, each wrote first-person pieces about living as Asian Canadians in Winnipeg.

But while the renowned authors are used to getting feedback on their writing, they didn’t expect the reaction they received to their pieces once they were published by CBC Manitoba, they say. 

After that, they decided to sit together and talk it out. And they invited CBC Manitoba to record their conversation.

They are, they say, “forever foreigners.”

Wong and Heijun Wills, both instructors at the University of Winnipeg, also questioned the anger they received in response to their pieces, and how to move forward in the face of it.

Watch the videos below to see what they had to say.

‘Racism is part of a societal problem’: Part 1 of Lindsay Wong and Jenny Heijun Wills’s conversation:

2 Asian Canadian writers discuss racist reactions to their stories

2 hours ago

Duration 4:42

Lindsay Wong, author of The Woo-Woo, and Jenny Heijun Wills, author of Older Sister. Not Necessarily Related, take on the racist reaction they received in response to first-person pieces they wrote for CBC.

‘Forever foreigner’: Part 2 of the conversation:

2 award-winning Asian Canadian writers on the racism they’ve experienced

2 hours ago

Duration 3:34

Authors Lindsay Wong and Jenny Heijun Wills talk about their experiences with racism as Asian Canadians in Winnipeg.