Museum celebrates two families’ contributions to BC in new Pocket Gallery exhibit

Release

VICTORIA, BC–Today, the Royal BC Museum welcomed members of the Louie-Seto and Guichon families to celebrate their contributions to the museum’s Pocket Gallery exhibition, A Tale of Two Families: Generations of Intercultural Communities and Family Lessons.

“We are honoured that these families have shared their stories with us and with the people of BC,” said Dr. Daniel Muzyka, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Royal BC Museum. “Their generosity and openness helps us gain a better and more complete understanding of the challenges immigrants have faced and still face today.”

The Louie family, renowned for operating several significant businesses in western Canada, including IGA and Fresh St. supermarkets and London Drugs, is one of two featured in A Tale of Two Families. The other is the Guichon family, a name familiar to many BC residents as the Hon. Judith Guichon served as the 29th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia.

Brandt Louie, Chairman of London Drugs, used the opportunity to speak about racism’s impact on his family history and on contemporary civil society.

Mr. Louie’s speech addressed the recent resurgence in racism against Asian Canadians, what he called “the shadow pandemic.” He was unequivocal in his rejection of racism’s normalization, noting that “racism and intolerance have the ability to impact our country profoundly, not just socially and culturally, but also in terms of economics, innovation and future growth.”

Much like the museum’s exhibition A Tale of Two Families, Mr. Louie’s speech also focussed on the transformative power of education, community bonds, hard work and human kindness.

Access to the Royal BC Museum’s Pocket Gallery, located in Clifford Carl Hall on the main floor, is free, though attendance is currently limited by new Covid-19 health and safety requirements such as timed ticketing and physical distancing. Visit https://royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/we-woolly-missed-you for full details.

 

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Media contacts:

ROYAL BC MUSEUM
Erik Lambertson: 778.677.4553
​news@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca

MR. LOUIE
Wendy Hartley (Hartley PR): 604.817.2758
wendy@hartleypr.com