Toronto run crew hosts virtual solidarity runs with Chinatown Runners

Since the start of COVID-19, anti-Asian racism has been on the rise in Canada and other parts of the world. This left Toronto runner Michelle Kay feeling anxious and worried and wanting to do more to bring attention to the issue. When she saw that Victoria Lo, a runner and graphic designer in New York City, had created an Instagram account called Chinatown Runners, she reached out to see if she, along with her long-time running group, the Parkdale Road Runners, could get involved with the movement. This led to the creation of the virtual Chinatown Solidarity Runs to educate runners about Asian-Canadian history and anti-Asian racism in Canada.

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Their first virtual run took place in March, with the route starting in the Spadina Chinatown and heading 5K east to the Chinatown in the east end, giving participants the option to double back if they wished. In the lead-up to the run, Kay researched Chinatown’s history, including its formation, the discrimination Chinese people and other Asians faced and the fight against gentrification and displacement, something that is still happening today. She then posted what she learned on the Parkdale Runner’s Instagram stories to give participants context and something to reflect on while they were running.

“We encouraged people to donate to the Cecil Centre, which is a community centre located in Chinatown that offers community support and programming to residents in the area,” adds Kay. “We also encouraged people to support Chinatown businesses after they were done the run, which is important since Chinatown has been greatly impacted by COVID.”

Their most recent run highlighted Koreatown, because, Kay says, Chinatown Runners isn’t meant to be just Chinatown or belong to any specific ethnicity, crew, group or city. She explains that when Lo started Chinatown Runners, she wanted it to be a decentralized movement for places that have Asian diasporas to create their own runs, generating local support. The second run took place shortly after the killings that happened in Atlanta, so donations raised from this event went to ButterflySW, a Toronto-based organization that supports Asian and migrant sex workers. They partnered with local artist TJ Garcia, who created an illustration of Korea House, the oldest Korean restaurant on Bloor Street, and Rally Beer Co., which donated beers for them to give to runners along with TJ’s prints. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to do this because of the new COVID-19 restrictions, so they are still trying to figure out how they’ll distribute these items to the participants.

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Kay says the runs have gotten tremendous support from the Toronto running community and hopes that they’ve helped highlight the discrimination faced by Asian Canadians to this day.

“Anti-Asian racism is nothing new,” says Kay. “It has ramped up because of COVID, but Canada has a history of discrimination, which includes official policies like the Chinese Head Tax in 1885, the Continuous Journey Regulation of 1908, the Komagata Maru incident in 1914, the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1923 and the internment of Japanese-Canadians during WWII. These policies were born from a form of xenophobia, ‘Yellow Peril,’ which has longstanding repercussions today.”

Today, she says anti-Asian racism is much more insidious, characterized by jokes, stereotypes, microaggressions and other harmful beliefs, but Asian Canadians and allies can help by speaking out against racism when they see it happening and checking in on the person after an incident to make sure they’re OK. She also encourages people to be curious and learn more about Canada’s history as well as what is happening now.

“Even though we are living in the present, what is happening now will eventually be a part of history and we have to participate in it as fully as possible. That means checking your own biases, centering those who are marginalized and needing help, not getting defensive or playing devil’s advocate.”

The Parkdale Road Runners will be hosting more virtual runs in the future, and they’re planning the next one for May, which is Asian Heritage Month in Canada. They are also hoping to build cross-community solidarity with BIPOC communities, LGBTQ+ groups and other marginalized populations and to support local, grassroots organizations. Finally, Kay says anyone in Canada can organize their own Chinatown Runners solidarity run by getting in contact with her, or by heading to the Chinatown Runners website for more information.

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