Previous Chat Talk Sessions

Topic: What if “working from home” becomes normalized
Speaker: Dr. Eric Fong
Facilitator: Dr. Terence Yuen
Language: Cantonese
Date: April 5th, 2020 (Sunday)

Dr. Eric Fong is the Chair Professor of Sociology at the University of Hong Kong. His research interests include migration, race, and ethnicity. He is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Across U-hub.

Topic: Impact of technology on outbreak

• human interaction
• education
• entertainment
• fake news

Speaker: Prof. Wilfred Fong
Facilitator: Dr. Terence Yuen
Language: Cantonese
Date: April 12, 2020 (Sunday)

講員： 方偉暉教授
主持人： 袁國雄博士
語言： 粵語
日期： 四月十二日 （星期日）

Prof. Wilfred Fong is the former Chief Information Officer and Director of IT at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. He is currently an Academic International Program Advisor with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the development of a Data Science program at their School of Information Studies. He is a data analytics instructor with the Hong Kong Management Association. He is on the Advisory Board of the Across U-hub and a program Advisor of Vision Youth.

Topic: Governance and Culture
Speaker: Councillor Castro Liu
Facilitator: Dr. Terence Yuen
Language: Cantonese
Date: April 19, 2020 (Sunday)

Castro Liu is a Ward 3 Councillor in the City of Richmond Hill. He graduated from the University of Windsor’s Communication Studies Program and has held several different positions in the radio and television broadcasting industry, including hosting television talk shows, program director and production director.

Topic: Finance and Investment
Speaker: Dr. Terence Yuen
Facilitator: George Mok
Language: Cantonese
Date: April 26, 2020 (Sunday)

Dr. Yuen earned his M.A. and PhD in Economics from the University of Toronto. After starting his career as a senior economist at the Bank of Canada, Terence furthered his professional experience into the financial industry. He has developed in-depth investment expertise as a portfolio manager and director at some of the world’s largest pension and sovereign wealth funds in Canada, US and the Middle East. He is now serving as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors in Across U-hub.

Topic: Life and Death
Speaker: Dr. Jonathan Choi
Facilitator: Joel Lam
Language: Cantonese
Date: May 3, 2020 (Sunday)

Dr. Choi has studied clinical psychology and theology in Fuller Theological Seminary and obtained his PhD degree in clinical psychology in the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Dr Choi has extensive clinical experience in adolescents and family therapy. His focus is on youth addiction and trauma recovery. Dr Choi is currently focusing on mobilising youth and youth workers from different cultural backgrounds and equipping them to become global citizens. Dr Choi has developed an inclusive community sharing platform for multi-cultural youth in Kam Tin, a suburb village prized for its rich cultural heritage and ethnic diversity. It explores new ways of living through innovative attempts such as social enterprise, heritage preservation, upcycling and community building.

Topic: Converting Crisis into Chances
Speaker: Larry Law
Facilitator: Dr. Terence Yuen
Language: Cantonese
Date: May 10, 2020 (Sunday)

Larry Law is the CEO and founder of Living Water Resorts at Collingwood. The vision of the organization is to be a fun and caring company. Larry and his staff are actively involved in the community in hopes of spreading love and care, bringing a positive impact to locals. In addition, Larry is also a member of the Advisory Board at Across U-hub.

Topic: Music Sharing
Speaker: Michael Liang & Tweety Lai
Facilitator: TBA
Language: Cantonese
Date: May 17, 2020 (Sunday)

Michael Liang is a song writer and a member of the Chinese Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) band ZiON NOiZ. He was first in touch with Across U-hub as part of the song writing team in the musical drama, “Coffee and Tea” in 1997.

Tweety Lai is a song writer and a band member of lost ‘n found from Toronto. She have participated in song and script writing in one of Across U-hub’s theatrical production “Together, Shall We..” in 2018.

Topic: Pandemic & Climate Change
Speaker: Winnie Hwo
Facilitator: Gracelynn Lau
Language: Cantonese
Date: May 24, 2020 (Sunday)

Ms. Winnie Hwo is the Senior Public Engagement Specialist of David Suzuki Foundation. Her expertise include Sustainable Diversity Network, bringing new Canadians and Indigenous communities together; Richmond’s Butterflyway Rangers project. She was a Former news and current affairs director for Fairchild Television, and reporter for the Vancouver Sun and CBC Vancouver; won the first Chinese language Jack Webster Award. She is passionate in bringing people together, including as a matchmaker.

Topic: Faith & Pandemic
Speaker: Dr. Alfred Lam
Facilitator: Gracelynn Lau
Language: Cantonese
Date: May 31, 2020 (Sunday)

Dr. Alfred Lam is a seasoned leader with over 25 years of senior leadership experience and a proven track record of success in both the religious and non-profit sector. He was the Senior Pastor of East Toronto Chinese Baptist Church and now is the Centre Manager at Centre for Immigrant and Community Services. He is an experienced motivational speaker specializing in promoting causes relating to mental wellness. A trainer/coach in leadership and communication skills. A writer, speaker and musician who combines the arts and communication skills to create a positive environment to empower change in both the work place and on stage.

Topic: Pandemic & Media
Speaker: Kenneth Li
Facilitator: TBA
Language: Cantonese
Date: June 7, 2020 (Sunday)

Kenneth Li is Cantonese News Anchor of Omni TV. He has studied Journalism in Hong Kong Shue Yan University and worked for Hong Kong Commercial Radio after graduating. After immigrated to Toronto in 1994, Kenneth has worked for different Chinese media outlets including Fairchild TV. Over his 20-year career as a producer and reporter with OMNI, Kenneth has covered some of the community’s biggest stories, including the SARS outbreak and the Chinese Head Tax Redress. He is also active in supporting community events.

Topic: The Impact of racism on our community
Speaker: Maria Yau
Facilitator: TBA
Language: Cantonese
Date: June 14, 2020 (Sunday)

Maria Yau is an educational researcher at the Toronto District School Board. Her research covers a wide range of educational issues related to equity and diversity, with particular attention to racialized and historically marginalized populations. Maria is actively involved in community work as she serves as a Member of the Board of Directors of Across U-hub, a non-profit organization whose mission is to nurture the holistic development of youth of East Asian descent.

Topic: Online Entertainment and Pandemic
Facilitator: Joel Lam
Language: Cantonese
Date: June 21, 2020 (Sunday)

Topic: AI & Pandemic
Speaker: Wilfred Fong
Facilitator: TBA
Language: Cantonese
Date: June 28, 2020 (Sunday)

Prof. Wilfred Fong is the former Chief Information Officer and Director of IT at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. He is currently an Academic International Program Advisor with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the development of a Data Science program at their School of Information Studies. He is a data analytics instructor with the Hong Kong Management Association. He is on the Advisory Board of the Across U-hub and a program Advisor of Vision Youth.

Topic: The Impact of racism on our community II
Speaker: Flora Chong
Facilitator: TBA
Language: Cantonese
Date: July 5, 2020 (Sunday)

Flora Chong was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to Canada in 1987. She earned her Master degree in Social Justice and Education at the Institute of Education, University of London. Currently, she serves as the Executive Director in ALPHA Education. In the past 16 years, Flora has worked with many survivors, scholars and peace activists in Asia and North America in promoting global awareness of the Asia Pacific War in the interest of furthering the values of social justice and humanity education.

Topic: The intersection of culture and identity: Indigenous and Chinese
Speaker: Gracelynn Lau (劉頌恩)
Facilitator: Joel Lam
Language: Cantonese
Date: July 12, 2020 (Sunday)

Joyce is a Ph.D. Candidate in the School and Clinical Child Psychology program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on the needs of Chinese international high school students and how these students can be supported through an intentional intercultural program, Friendship Across Cultures. Joyce is currently on parental leave from her job at Surrey Place where she works with children and adults with developmental disabilities and autism in Toronto and in First Nations communities in northwestern Ontario. She has also received training in school and clinical psychology from the York Catholic District School Board, SickKids Hospital, and the SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health (formerly Hincks-Dellcrest Centre). She has been a volunteer at Across U-hub for over 10 years.

Topic: Friendship across cultures
Speaker: Joyce Mak
Facilitator: Joel Lam
Language: Cantonese
Date: July 19, 2020 (Sunday)

Gracelynn Lau (劉頌恩) was born and raised in Hong Kong when it was still a British colony. Since moving to Canada in 2005 for her Master in Worldview Studies, ecofeminist theology has changed her world “downside up.”
Self-identified as a settle of colour who is dealing with a triple-colonized past, Gracelynn had lived in communities with orphans and earthquake survivors in rural China before joining the ecovillage movement.

She is a nature-based expressive arts therapist (Ontario Expressive Arts Therapy Association) and Gaia Education certified facilitator. Since 2017, Gracelynn has been teaching Ecovillage Design Education program and permaculture at OUR ecovillage in BC, where she facilitates school programs, internship, women’s circle and sustainable wellness retreats. Currently a PhD candidate in cultural studies at Queen’s University, her research focuses on community-led intercultural healing initiatives and indigenous-settler relationship through arts-based inquiry, but her real intention is to increase more “biodiversity” within the academic ecosystem by being part of it.

Topic: Participation in Art and Life
Speaker: Samson Wong
Facilitator: Joel Lam
Language: Cantonese
Date: July 26, 2020 (Sunday)

Coordinator, educator and researcher of artist engagement in communities. Samson’s community/socially-engaged practice integrates his experience in music, theatre and the visual arts, enabling him to bring together artists of different media in participatory projects in Hong Kong, China and India. Currently a student in husbandry, fatherhood and humanity, he studied Arts Management and Music History & Culture at U of T, received his Master of Worldview Studies at the Institute for Christian Studies and his PhD at the Lingnan University. He teaches creative thinking, arts management, community arts, aesthetics, culture. He loves reading sci-fi, misses backpacking, cooks a mean Teochew cold fish and is still trying to absorb the sociopolitical changes around him.