MAY IS ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH

Asian Heritage Month (also known as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the United States, or AAPI Month for short) is a whole month devoted to celebrating Asian diaspora within Canada and North America, and for reflecting on their achievements and contributions throughout history. This is a month for recognizing diversity, and for commemorating the legacy of all those who have worked to erase prejudices and stereotypes to pave a better way forward.

CELEBRATE WITH SOME SHIBA ARTWORK

Spreading Asian pop culture (and sharing our love for our mascot, the shiba!) has always been a major goal at Sukoshi Mart. As an Asian-owned company, celebrating, supporting, and promoting the Asian-North American community is an intrinsic part of our core values.

In celebration of Asian Heritage Month, we thought that it was only fitting that we take this time to showcase some amazing artists within the Asian-North American community by collaborating with artists to come up with some shiba artwork! These pieces will be part of a limited edition run of postcards to be included with every in-store and online purchase for the month of May.

CAM CHAN

Instagram: _baomii

Cam is a Los Angeles based illustrator of Chinese descent. Their favourite memories as a kid include going to the Chinese supermarket with their parents, and admiring the glossy pastries: bolo bao, dan tat, and yuk sung bao!

Shiba Bakery, Cam Chan, 2022

A walk through Chinatown isn’t complete without stopping by a Chinese bakery for some sausage buns and egg tarts! Stop by this whimsical shiba-run bakery to remind yourself of those comforting scents and flavours.

SONYA LEI

Instagram: sonyalei

Sonya is a Chinese-American illustrator who strives to create colourful characters and stories that resonate with people. One of the biggest ways that Sonya now embraces and connects with their cultural background is through food.

Warm Winter Solstice, Sonya Lei, 2022
 

Making dumplings with the family is always a slightly chaotic–and fun!–experience. This illustration perfectly captures the joy of those moments as we get a peek into this shiba family’s dumpling night.

VIVIAN HA

Instagram: viv_url

Vivian Ha is a Vietnamese illustrator based in Toronto. She loves going out with friends, street food, cà phê sữa đá, and the concept of driving a moped around the colourful, crowded streets of Vietnam.

Hanoi Street Market, Vivian Ha, 2022
 

Take a trip to the streets of Vietnam with this homage to Vietnam’s moped culture. Join this group of girlfriends as they cruise down the streets spreading colour and cuteness with their vibrant flowers and adorable shibas.

ENJOY SOME ARTWORK FROM OUR TALENTED IN-HOUSE DESIGNERS AS WELL!

JANET CHO

Janet is a Chinese-Canadian artist whose fondest summer memories include visiting night markets in Toronto with friends and family, and lining up to try a variety of delicious Asian street food.

Night Market Adventures, Janet Cho, 2022

One look at this illustration, and you’ll be instantly taken back to the excitement, thrills, and mouth-watering smells of summer night markets and food festivals. We can practically taste that corndog!

LEA CLARIN

Lea Clarin is a Filipino-Canadian graphic designer and illustrator. She enjoys visiting local coffee shops wherever she travels, and misses having freshly grilled seafood by the beach back in her hometown in the Philippines.

Cozy Conversations, Lea Clarin, 2022

Good conversation, tea, and fluffy steamed baos (as well as a fluffy shiba!) are at the focal point of this nostalgia-evoking illustration. Nothing feels as warm and cozy as spending an afternoon at grandma’s house and enjoying her home-baked goods.

OTHER WAYS TO CELEBRATE AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

• Challenge yourself to create an Asian dish that you’ve never tried before–if you need inspiration, we’ve got an onigiri recipe for you here!
• Consume media with Asian representation. If you’re stuck on what to watch, some recent releases that we can vouch for are Disney’s Turning Red, or the award-winning film Minari.
• Unwind at the end of each day with some words written by an Asian author! From Madeleine Thien, to Celeste Ng, to Ocean Vuong, there are a myriad of established and emerging Asian-North American writers who write across a range of themes and topics to choose from.
• Show support to organizations dedicated to fighting against Asian hate and prejudice—whether you do it through monetary means, or whether you donate your time and resources by volunteering or spreading the word, all help is appreciated!