Pinoyville: CDN a success in Montreal showing

Pinoyville: CDN a success in Montreal showing
For immediate release
November 27, 2008

Montreal, Quebec – On the evening of Sunday, November 16, members of the Kapit Bisig Centre performed the Montreal showing of Pinoyville: CDN, a theatrical presentation about the lives of Filipinos living in Cote-des-Neiges. To an audience of more than 100 members of the Montreal community, at the Cote-des-Neiges Community Centre, spectators were treated to cultural performances by Sinag Bayan, and to Pinoyville: CDN, a play outlining the common experiences of Filipinos as they integrate into Canadian society.

The evening also featured an art exhibit by MFA Marissa Largo in partnership with Kabataang Montreal, and paintings by Wing Diocson Yap depicting the plight of Filipinos as they work abroad and integrate into new environments. Guest speakers Ellie Israel of the English Montreal School Board, May Chiu of Quebec-Solidaire, and Cecilia Diocson of the Kapit Bisig Centre were on hand to congratulate the making of Pinoyville: CDN, and to reinforce the need to bring out the issues facing the Filipino community in Montreal.

"Pinoyville really highlights not only the harsh realities of systemic racism and economic marginalization that Filipino immigrants face, but the promise and determination of our youth to overcome adversity" says Mae Jane Nam, Board Member of the Philippine Women Centre of Quebec. "It is a real achievement for the community here in Cote-des-Neiges to share our stories of migration in such a poignant and creative way."

Audience members from outside of the Filipino community were equally impressed by the play, and were surprised by challenges and barriers that Filipinos face when coming into Canada. "Watching Pinoyville as a person outside the Filipino community was an eye-opening experience. It served as a reminder that systemic racism is very much alive and well in our country and that we can never stop fighting for equality and social justice", said April Hayward-Avila, spectator of the play. "It also highlighted the ways in which mainstream Canadians are too often unintentionally part of the problem. Awareness initiatives like Pinoyville are so important and should be made available to the general public".

The show was followed by a question and answer discussion between cast members and the audience. Plans to expand the play into a larger production are now underway.

For more information on the Kapit Bisig Centre or its member organizations, call 514-678-3901 or send an email to one of its member organizations:

SIKLAB-Quebec (Advance and Uphold the Rights and Welfare of Filipino Migrant Workers): siklabquebec@gmail.com

Philippine Women Centre of Quebec: pwcofquebec@gmail.com

Kabataang Montreal: kabataangmontreal@gmail.com