Impact Report
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2 0 17- 2 0 18 IMPACT REPORT Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 1055 Marginal Road Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4P7 T: 902-425-7770 | F: 902-423-4045 Toll free: 1-855-526-4721 Pier21.ca | [email protected] Published by Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 Table of Contents 3 Message From the Chair 4 Celebrating Your Transformational Gifts 16 Recognizing Our Patrons 20 Special Event Fundraisers 26 Impact Highlights 38 Commemorating Your Contributions 42 Ruth Goldbloom Educational Bursary 43 Donor Acknowledgement Listing This is the first Impact Report I have overseen as MESSAGE FROM Chair and I am impressed with all that has been accomplished this past year thanks to the generosity THE CHAIR of our donors. From the wonderful Refuge Canada exhibition, to the many programs that welcomed thousands to the Museum, to acting as a platform for youth education, we are truly touching hearts and minds across the Nation. We are, of course, a museum of stories and it is our privilege and honour to celebrate the story of Canadian immigration and the individual stories of immigrants to Canada. Part of that celebration is the important process of finding, collecting and archiving those stories. Moreover, we make them available for our visitors in a way that will allow them to find sparks of connection and inspiration as they encounter these stories in the Museum. Thanks to our dedicated supporters, we are able to continue this vital undertaking, bringing Canada’s immigration story to light and life through our programs and interpretations of the stories we gather. Reflecting on all the wonderful things we have The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 is achieved together, I want to extend my thanks to all entrusted by the people of Canada to collect, share of you, whose contributions have made this possible. and pay tribute to the ongoing story of immigration I look forward to all that the Museum will achieve to Canada. We take great pride in this mandate as we in the years to come. endeavor to connect the public with our cherished stories and our immigration history in new and resonating ways. As you read this year’s Impact Report and reflect on the many ways in which we have accomplished our goals this past year, I want to acknowledge how Robert Vineberg, Chair of the Board of Trustees much of this was possible because of your support. 3 CELEBRATING YOUR TRANSFORMATIONAL GIFTS BMO Financial Group /6 CIBC /7 The Ralph and Rose Chiodo Family Foundation /8 Fred and Elizabeth Fountain /10 Marjorie Lindsay and Family /11 RBC Foundation /12 Scotiabank /13 The Sobey Foundation /14 TD Bank Group /15 R. Howard Webster Foundation /15 BMO FINANCIAL GROUP Left: Umeeda Switlo’s passport. Left: Umeeda Switlo’s Right: Umeeda Switlo today. Preserving the memories of a nation Our Oral History collection is central to our mandate of country’s Asian population. Umeeda arrived in Canada sharing the ongoing story of immigration to Canada with her family, one suitcase, $100 and some jewelry. with visitors near and far. Our Oral Historians work diligently to collect and preserve the immigration “So there are two parts of me, one part is experiences from people all across the country. This excited, and the other part is devastated past year we added 49 new oral histories to the wondering whether I’m going to see my growing collection. This vital work is made possible family again. … I’ve never been to North with the generous support of BMO Financial Group. America. I’ve never been to Europe.” Our newest exhibition, Refuge Canada, draws – Umeeda Switlo extensively from the Oral History Collection and is fostering moments of deep connection between visitors and the stories of people who came to Canada seeking refuge. For example, the resonating story of Umeeda Switlo who fled Uganda in 1972 after President Idi Amin ordered the expulsion of the 6 CIBC Students learn about Canada’s immigration story from immigration story from Students learn about Canada’s a Heritage Interpreter. Inspiring young minds Thanks to CIBC’s dedicated support of our School Group Education Program, we are able to engage “Thank you kindly for an amazing youth in conversations about where we come from experience and guided visit for our and why it matters. students recently. We thoroughly This past year we welcomed 4,739 young people from enjoyed it.” across the country to participate in programs designed – A thank you letter from Jennifer Field, specifically for classrooms. Each program encourages EB Chandler Junior High School, Amherst, the students to immerse themselves in the immigration Nova Scotia journey and take part in interactive workshops that connect them with the experiences of newcomers. The activities are developed to complement exhibition content and our growing story collection, ensuring that the students are connecting with the exhibits and having fun while learning. Our education programs continue to receive wonderful feedback from educators and students alike. 7 THE RALPH AND ROSE CHIODO FAMILY FOUNDATION (from left) Rob Vineberg, Rose Chiodo, Ralph Marie Chapman (from and Dan Conlin. Walking in the footsteps of a refugee Refuge Canada is the most ambitious temporary exhibition the Museum has ever done. Beginning “During my tour at the exhibit, I saw myself with “No one wants to be a refugee, anyone can in every corner of the exhibit. From the become a refugee,” the exhibition is an examination interview room; to the tent; to the lost loved of Canada’s place in the global refugee crisis. Powerful ones wall… When I look back where I was stories and artifacts connect all who visit with the two decades ago, I say life is a journey and determined individuals who sought asylum in Canada. you’ll never know where it will take you.” This timely exhibition came to be through the – Abshiro Abdille generous support of The Ralph and Rose Chiodo Family Foundation. The official opening welcomed hundreds to a reception with touching speeches and tours of the exhibition. We cannot wait to see how Refuge Canada will continue to inspire visitors while on display in The Ralph and Rose Chiodo Gallery until mid-November, before beginning a national tour in 2019. 8 Abshiro Abdille shares her perspective as a refugee. UNHCR refugee tent in Refuge Canada. Official Opening attendees discover Refuge Canada. Arvin Kovacevic stands with his passport on loan for Refuge Canada. 9 FRED AND ELIZABETH FOUNTAIN Artist-in-Residence, Andrea Tsang Jackson placing a quilt block on her Tsang Artist-in-Residence, Andrea community lead project. Quilt of a thousand stories The generous Canada 150 donation from Fred and Elizabeth Fountain allowed the Museum to bring “The project is less about my work as an the Canadian immigration story to life for visitors artist, and more about facilitating the telling through incredible programs including this past year’s of people’s stories. My hope is that visitors’ Artist-in-Residence, Andrea Tsang Jackson. interaction with quilting as a modern art Andrea’s “Here and Elsewhere Bee” was a communal form will be approachable, enlightening, quilting project that invited Museum visitors to and shed light on their personal histories.” contribute a block and a story. As visitors neared the – Andrea Tsang Jackson end of the Canadian Immigration Story exhibition, they encountered Andrea, her sewing machine and an opportunity to reflect on what Canada meant to them. The final project was a vast, 12-foot quilt with more than one-thousand blocks, each symbolizing an interpretation of arrival to Canada. 10 MARJORIE LINDSAY Letters from the Front. AND FAMILY Members of Halifax Dance’s Young Company perform Young Members of Halifax Dance’s Bringing history to life We are forever grateful to be a recipient of life-long volunteer and philanthropist, Marjorie Lindsay’s charitable contributions. Marjorie and her family’s gift helps us bring to life the stories of our past. With her support, we have offered poignant programs such as Letters from the Front, a three- part contemporary dance inspired by real love letters written between husband and wife during the Second World War. Letters from the Front was performed by Halifax Dance’s Young Company, and moved audiences through a series of site-specific dances in the Pier 21 Story exhibition on Remembrance Day 2017. It was a dance, a story and a unique and intimate homage to the sacrifices made on the battlefield and at home. 11 RBC FOUNDATION Abeng Canada: Day 1. Shauntay Grant and Tyshan Wright with their piece Wright Shauntay Grant and Tyshan in Continuing the conversations with Canada: Day 1 With support from RBC Foundation, Canada: Day 1 and how they interpreted the meanings and messages has visited 11 cities across Canada since its launch woven through Canada: Day 1 with their art. in 2014. This past year, visitors interacted with Canada: Day 1 in Halifax, Nova Scotia; Gatineau, Quebec and Simcoe County, Ontario. At every “We created Abeng in part to position stop, visitors added their voices by writing or Maroon history and culture within the drawing on luggage tags in the exhibit. A selection broader Canadian narrative. We hope the of the beautiful expressions of hope and thanks piece will encourage people to learn more are now on display in a digital gallery on our website. about this lesser-known group of migrants Programs developed alongside Canada: Day 1 to Canada’s eastern shore.” allowed visitors to hear from some of the artists – Shauntay Grant who contributed installations to the exhibition. Over the past year, we welcomed Soheila Esfahani, Charley Young, Shauntay Grant and Tyshan Wright for illuminating presentations about their artistic process 12 SCOTIABANK Bill Hart with the door that inspired his volunteerism.