Being Canadian-born, she knows only what her parents taught her about her Chinese-Vietnamese heritage, says Siu Ling Le, marketing co-ordinator in Continuing Education.

She is happy that being fluent in Cantonese has enabled her to enjoy Chinese music and movies. Among her favourites, Le lists Canto-pop artists Jacky Cheung and Hacken Lee, and the Hong Kong action-thriller Infernal Affairs, remade as Hollywood’s Oscar-winning The Departed.

“I would encourage others to check out the original starring Andy Lau and Tony Leung, who was also cast in the recent Shang-Chi,” she enthuses.

Le’s parents overcame many challenges immigrating to Canada with Le’s two older sisters in the late 1970s, from staying in refugee camps to the family being separated for a long period of time. Visiting Vietnam for the first time at the age of 15, she met members of her extended family as well as her mother’s best friend.

“I was able to learn about the place my parents called home for most of their life and was able to experience their way of life. They all welcomed me as if they had known me since birth,” she recalls. “I realized at that time that home is truly wherever family is.”

Le says that her campus colleagues have made her feel safe in raising ideas without judging her based on her ethnicity.

“I also appreciate the continued efforts made by the University to recognize equity, diversity, and inclusion as an integral part of building an inclusive community, with the goal of being a progressive, innovative, and forward-thinking organization,” she says.

This is the third in a series of articles featuring voices from members of the UWindsor community in celebration of Asian Heritage Month. The 2022 theme “Continuing a legacy of greatness” is a reminder for all Canadians to come together to combat anti-Asian racism and discrimination in all its forms.