Larry Wong Prize for Chinese Canadian Community and Public History
This prize is to recognize a significant exhibition, educational project or program, or any effort made by an individual or organization to make an impact in public history pertaining to Chinese Canadian history and heritage. This prize will be decided annually, with the possibility of more than one project, program, organization, or person being recognized in a given year.
Deadline: November 30, 2025 (including supporting documentation)
Deadline: November 30, 2025 (including supporting documentation)
General Information
The Larry Wong Prize for Chinese Canadian Community and Public History is administered and adjudicated by a committee appointed by the Board of Directors of the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC. Chaired by a CCHSBC board member, the committee is responsible for determining which nominees will be recognized with a prize. The prize may not necessarily be awarded every year.
This award is named after Larry Wong, former President of CCHSBC, and a prominent community historian who has been devoted to community-based projects and public education to promote understanding of Chinese Canadian history in British Columbia. As the second President of CCHSBC, Larry Wong helped facilitate conversations between scholars, community researchers, educators, and a broad array of people interest in promoting research and education, as well as becoming a well-known community elder and storyteller sharing Chinese Canadian history with a broader public through radio, television, film and newspaper stories.
Larry's impact has been through his generosity and passion for historical education, whether through museum and public exhibitions, archival collections, lecture series, school programs, Heritage Fairs, oral history projects, and a wide range of community projects and public history. His role in many organizations such as CCHSBC, the Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society, the Vancouver Historical Society, and his support of educational institutions such as the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and many K-12 schools has had a power impact on many students.
This prize has been created to honour those who, like Larry Wong, have endeavoured to help Canadians young and old to understand in intimate and personal ways the challenging effects of anti-Chinese legislations and discrimination and the efforts of Chinese Canadians to overcome racism, and to promote through public history a broader appreciation and understanding of Chinese Canadian history and heritage.
This award is named after Larry Wong, former President of CCHSBC, and a prominent community historian who has been devoted to community-based projects and public education to promote understanding of Chinese Canadian history in British Columbia. As the second President of CCHSBC, Larry Wong helped facilitate conversations between scholars, community researchers, educators, and a broad array of people interest in promoting research and education, as well as becoming a well-known community elder and storyteller sharing Chinese Canadian history with a broader public through radio, television, film and newspaper stories.
Larry's impact has been through his generosity and passion for historical education, whether through museum and public exhibitions, archival collections, lecture series, school programs, Heritage Fairs, oral history projects, and a wide range of community projects and public history. His role in many organizations such as CCHSBC, the Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society, the Vancouver Historical Society, and his support of educational institutions such as the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and many K-12 schools has had a power impact on many students.
This prize has been created to honour those who, like Larry Wong, have endeavoured to help Canadians young and old to understand in intimate and personal ways the challenging effects of anti-Chinese legislations and discrimination and the efforts of Chinese Canadians to overcome racism, and to promote through public history a broader appreciation and understanding of Chinese Canadian history and heritage.
Who can make nominations?
Nominations may be made by members of the public, any member of CCHSBC, organizations and institutions for programs and projects in which they were involved.
What supporting documents are required?
Letters of support or other evidence for the significance or impact of the nominee are appreciated for helping the committee in its deliberations.
2018 Winner - LiterASIAN
Congratulations to 2018 Winner - LiterASIAN! As a pioneering annual festival that encourages and honours the achievements of Asian Canadian writers and artists - including Chinese Canadians - LiterASIAN has been instrumental in the promotion of Asian Canadian literature and showcasing this work through author readings, workshops, and panel discussions that facilitate critical discussions and networking opportunities for a diverse range of attendees. Their dedication to this festival throughout the past five years has firmly helped to stimulate and sustain this type of work in Canada.
2025 winners - Vitality & Debbie Jiang
Vitality – Carol Lee, Susanna Ng, and Ramona Mar, Chinatown Storytelling Centre
Vitality brings together Fred Herzog's iconic Kodachrome photographs from Vancouver's Chinatown with deeply personal stories gathered through community interviews, revealing the lives and experiences behind these celebrated images. Curated by Carol Lee, Susanna Ng, and Ramona Mar for the Chinatown Storytelling Centre, the exhibition explores themes of resilience and hope across generations, documenting what it meant to thrive in these historic neighborhoods despite facing immense challenges. The accompanying book, featuring rarely-seen family photos from Herzog's collection, transforms these images into living history and represents both a vital preservation project and a testament to the enduring vitality of the community.
Debbie Jiang
Debbie Jiang has dedicated herself to uncovering and sharing the stories of Chinese Canadian contributors – both celebrated and forgotten – driven by a passion to ensure Canadian students learn about the inventions, achievements, and historical milestones accomplished by this community often in the face of tremendous obstacles. As guest editor and co-author of Kayak Magazine Issue 85 "Beyond Gold Mountain," which reached over 100,000 students nationwide, she created engaging and accessible content including articles on Chinese immigration history, her own family's experiences, and relationships between First Nations and Chinese Canadian communities, along with her feature "From Head Tax to Hockey Heroes" exploring the Chin family's hockey legacy and questions of racism and belonging. Through meticulous research, interviews with families and descendants, and clear presentation suitable for readers of all ages and backgrounds, Debbie has brought these vital stories into classrooms, museums, and communities across Canada, inspiring the next generation including her niece's award-winning Heritage Fair project on Chinese Canadian history.
Vitality brings together Fred Herzog's iconic Kodachrome photographs from Vancouver's Chinatown with deeply personal stories gathered through community interviews, revealing the lives and experiences behind these celebrated images. Curated by Carol Lee, Susanna Ng, and Ramona Mar for the Chinatown Storytelling Centre, the exhibition explores themes of resilience and hope across generations, documenting what it meant to thrive in these historic neighborhoods despite facing immense challenges. The accompanying book, featuring rarely-seen family photos from Herzog's collection, transforms these images into living history and represents both a vital preservation project and a testament to the enduring vitality of the community.
Debbie Jiang
Debbie Jiang has dedicated herself to uncovering and sharing the stories of Chinese Canadian contributors – both celebrated and forgotten – driven by a passion to ensure Canadian students learn about the inventions, achievements, and historical milestones accomplished by this community often in the face of tremendous obstacles. As guest editor and co-author of Kayak Magazine Issue 85 "Beyond Gold Mountain," which reached over 100,000 students nationwide, she created engaging and accessible content including articles on Chinese immigration history, her own family's experiences, and relationships between First Nations and Chinese Canadian communities, along with her feature "From Head Tax to Hockey Heroes" exploring the Chin family's hockey legacy and questions of racism and belonging. Through meticulous research, interviews with families and descendants, and clear presentation suitable for readers of all ages and backgrounds, Debbie has brought these vital stories into classrooms, museums, and communities across Canada, inspiring the next generation including her niece's award-winning Heritage Fair project on Chinese Canadian history.