- Subject: Commemorating Asian Heritage Month
- Event: Free movie screening of Exclusion: Beyond the Silence.
- Screening 1
- Venue: OPSEU SEFPO, 31 Wellesley St. East, Toronto
- Date: Friday May 23, 2025, at 7 p.m.
- Screening 2
- Date: Wednesday May 28, 2025, at 7 p.m.
- Venue: York Catholic Teachers OCETA, 180 Brodie Drive, Unit 4, Richmond Hill
To commemorate Asian Heritage Month, TYRLC Chinese Workers Network and OPSEU SEFPO Coalition of Racialized Workers (Region 5) are honored to present a free screening of award-winning actor and playwright Keira Loughran’s feature debut,
Exclusion: Beyond the Silence.This intimate documentary follows two granddaughters, Keira Loughran and Helen Lee, as they trace the bold legacies of their grandmothers, Jean Lumb and Foon Hay Lum, who fought for family reunification in the face of the discriminatory Chinese Immigration Act of 1923, better known as the Chinese Exclusion Act. Travelling across Canada and to China, Loughran explores the Act’s profound personal, familial, and cultural impacts on Chinese Canadian communities and documents artist-activists and cultural organizations working to amplify Chinese Canadian experiences.Following the screening, Keira Loughran (director) and Helen Lee will join us for a conversation about the making of the film, the impact of exclusionary practices and legislation on immigrant communities, and the resilient histories and present realities of Chinese Canadians.This event is presented in collaboration with TYRLC Chinese Workers Network, OPSEU SEFPO Coalition of Racialized Workers (Region 5), York Catholic Teachers OECTA and Asian Canadian Labor Alliance.
Learn more and RSVP here.Biographies of Kiera Loughran and Helen Lee
Keira Loughran
Keira Loughran works as a director, writer, and actor for theatre, film, and television. Directing credits include Comedy of Errors, The Komagata Maru Incident, and The Aeneid for the Stratford Festival, and Titus Andronicus for Canadian Stage, among others. She has multiple Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations for her play Little Dragon and her production of Pu-Erh by Norman Yeung. She has played leading roles for theatres across the country including the Stratford Festival, Theatre Passe Muraille, Night wood Theatre, Persephone Theatre, and Alberta Theatre Projects. She has extensive professional experience also as a producer and in senior arts management (Associate Producer for the Forum and the Lab; Stratford Festival; Artistic Producer, Summer Works Festival; Artistic Director, K’Now Theatre). Her work and research pursues the diversification of Canadian Theatre, decolonization, and equity and inclusive practices, particularly within artistic institutions and has been studied and published in collaboration with scholars at the University of Ottawa, Western University, McMaster University, and York University. She is currently on faculty at York University in the Department of Theatre, Dance and Performance. Exclusion: Beyond the Silence is her first feature-length documentary.
Helen Lee
Helen Lee has been a dedicated leader and advocate within the Chinese community, her church, and, more recently, as a passionate voice for residents and families in long-term care. With more than 30 years of experience in the Ontario Public Service, Lee spearheaded innovative initiatives in human resources, labor relations, and change management. She retired early to spend time with her grandmother, Foon Hay Lum, who moved into long-term care at the remarkable age of 107. Following her grandmother’s passing, Lee emerged as a prominent Seniors’ Advocate, championing improvements in long-term care and advocating for the preservation of public health care. She currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Halton Health Coalition. Lee’s outstanding contributions were recognized with the Orville Thacker Award from the Ontario Health Coalition, honoring her exceptional commitment to enhancing public health care for seniors in Ontario. Her involvement in the documentary Exclusion: Beyond the Silence revealed her deep connection to a lineage of strong, independent women, inspiring her ongoing mission to create meaningful change.You are welcome to join us at this movie screening.
