where do i look to find you?
"One of our houses growing up was on Jones Avenue, 135 Jones Avenue. It was a neighbourhood that attracted a lot of immigrant families."
"There were a lot of Chinese families living around there, in the seventies. But we weren't immune from racism. Although, as teens, she always said that we had it better than they did when they first arrived in Toronto."
"I remember she used to preserve plastic cutlery, plates, and cups. She would wash them by hand like they were porcelain, and keep them in the dishwasher. The dishwasher was never used for anything but storage."
“When she came to Canada, y’know, she didn’t know any English. She actually attended George Brown College and received a certificate in housekeeping.”
"In Hong Kong, she was educated. Wanted an education more than her parents wanted to give her one. It was very brave of her to continue in Canada."
"Her skills in the kitchen were never the best. Remember eating the same things every time we went to visit? Rice, eggs and shrimp, green beans. But she used to cut us fruit, and trimmed the skin with care."
"She taught at a daycare back when she lived in Hong Kong. But here, she took a unionized job at Women's College Hospital."
"She worked there for 27 years before retiring. Afterwards, she cleaned houses. Later, offices. I remember being enlisted to help."
"16 Wallington, that was the house she bought by herself after the divorce. She lived there the longest, long after her kids moved out into their own places."
"If you're asking me about her legacy, it would be her work ethic. She received an education, raised three kids on her own. But balance is important, too. It's a bit sad, now, thinking about how all that worked stopped her from really enjoying life."
"She was never without that camera. Always halted cutting the birthday cake to take just one more photo of her family members. Being a grandmother was a big part of her identity."
"She was very social, and made lots of friends. Her focus was always her grandchildren, though. She loved playing with you guys. Laughed a lot. Her eyes would disappear when she did."