Joy Kogawa named to Order of BC today!
May 18, 2006
13 People to Receive Order of British Columbia
VICTORIA
– Recipients of the Order of British Columbia for 2006 were announced
today by Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo. Her Honour praised the
recipients as outstanding citizens of B.C. who have contributed to
strengthening the province in a variety of exceptional ways.
Full news release and Backgrounder.
Joy recently e-mailed to me about recieving the award:
It's
got to the point now that one miracle after another after another just
keeps on flowing. I don't know how this blessed life has happened.
Joy recently wrote about what saving Kogawa House means to her:
The
fact of The Land Conservancy coming along and taking this on, the fact
that it just happened to be that Naomi's Road was made into an opera at
this time, that Vancouver Public Library chose Obasan as the One Book
for Vancouver–these were miracles enough, without it all happening at
this particular time.
the amazing miracle of the particular people who were drawn to the work
of saving the house — Anton Wagner, Ann-Marie Metten, Todd Wong. So
the house and the cherry tree and all these happenings and people are
signs of miracles and fill me with hope.
When
we look at the uncaring in our planet, here is evidence that
relationships can be rehabilitated, the formerly despised can be
embraced. The dream that writers who are presently among the despised
of the world, can come and write their stories here, fills me with even
more hope.
Racism
is a present tragedy in the world, as it has been in the past. Here is
one small way that we can say in Canada, that racism can be overcome.
Latest updates on Kogawa House at www.kogawahouse.com
Donations can be sent to The Land Conservancy at www.conservancy.bc.ca
Todd Wong
Save Kogawa House Committee – Vancouver
604-240-7090