Kelvin Lou is a palliative care physician in Coquitlam. We met after the Unspoken Stories launch event and connected over intergenerational relationships and what he's observed in his work. In this episode, we talk about approaching illness and end of life, and how he's found a more life affirming way to see these stages. Expect honest stories, useful metaphors, and a conversation that stayed with me.

The creative team looks back on standout moments from the seven-part series, reflecting on how the project grew from an idea into a deeply meaningful undertaking, filmed on location in Vancouver.

45 years after being sponsored to Canada, Rainbow finally shares her full gratitude with the family who sponsored her, aided by a translator. Both sides reflect on a bond of love that's only grown across generations.

Rainbow tells her grandson Andrew about fleeing Vietnam with a family of eight as Boat People refugees. Now a grandmother in Vancouver, she reflects on the devotion and sacrifice that held her family together.

Michael shares how faith carried him through his escape from Vietnam and his sponsorship to Canada. His daughter Cassandra reflects on the strength it took to rebuild, and the love that shaped who she's become.

Over tea, Joe finally has a long-overdue conversation with his father Tom about his journey from Vietnam to Vancouver Island. The episode reveals quiet, unspoken bonds shaped by a hardworking upbringing.

Genie speaks with her father Trong, who captained a refugee boat at just 19 years old. He opens up about the risks he took, the day Genie was born, and unspoken questions about fatherhood he'd never voiced before.

Hollie sits with her grandmother Mui, who fled Vietnam in 1978 with seven children, leaving her detained husband behind. The two cook Vietnamese-style dumplings together while Mui recounts survival, sacrifice, and rebuilding life in Vancouver.

A refreshed guide to Cantonese and Vietnamese Lunar New Year greetings for the Year of the Rabbit/Cat, with a downloadable PDF of greetings available on the website.

Syrian artist and photographer Sarmad discusses his immigration story to Canada and building his camera goods store, Phototech Fotosource, in Campbell River.

Taj, owner of Campbell River's first Pita Pit, shares his immigration story from India and the path that led him to entrepreneurship in his adopted community.

A visit to the JRV Filipino Asian Store in Campbell River, including a snack tasting, as part of the ongoing Newcomer Entrepreneur collaboration series with the Immigrant Welcome Centre.

Hollie's uncle Kenny joins to discuss heritage, belonging, and passing values to the next generation — including how he and Hollie's dad became lifelong best friends and brothers.

Hollie's grandmother recounts a police raid on her family's home in Hanoi during the 1978 currency unification — a tense, formative memory told in both English and Cantonese.

Marking Journey to Freedom Day and the podcast's first anniversary, Hollie and her mom read aloud a letter her late grandfather wrote to the nine families who sponsored them to Canada.

The final entry in this round of the entrepreneur series features Thanushi, owner of Wild Bee Florals, discussing her path to opening a flower shop in the Comox Valley.

Juan, who left Nicaragua in his mid-twenties during a period of political upheaval, shares his immigration story and the path that led him to build his own landscaping business.

Tania discusses building Gold Phoenix Asian Foods, offering Cantonese and Vietnamese cooking classes and small-batch dim sum in the Comox Valley community.

Linh, who immigrated from Vietnam, shares how she opened her own nail salon at just 23 in the Comox Valley — part of the ongoing Newcomer Entrepreneur collaboration series.

A rundown of Cantonese and Vietnamese Lunar New Year greetings to help listeners ring in the Year of the Tiger, with a printable reference guide available on the website.

Two friends discuss growing up speaking Ngai, a lesser-known Chinese dialect, and how they navigated identity while raised in different countries — one in Canada, one in England.

Annie's mom recounts a harrowing moment from her refugee journey while several months pregnant, followed by Annie's own reflections on cultural identity and community as a second-generation daughter.

Raymond shares his family's sponsored journey from South Vietnam to Winnipeg, where they opened the city's first Southeast Asian grocery store — food becoming a bridge to preserving heritage.

Hollie's uncle Trong recounts organizing and captaining a refugee boat at just 19 — from fixing the damaged vessel mid-journey to eventually reaching a refugee camp in Malaysia.

Nina Le, a researcher in Applied Linguistics focused on heritage language maintenance, joins for a thoughtful discussion on why preserving language matters for cultural identity across generations.

The final chapter of Sinh's story — his memory of the day the family walked to the beach to board the boat that would carry them to Hong Kong and, eventually, freedom.

The second installment covers the imprisonment of Hollie's grandfather and eldest uncle, and the mounting pressure that led the family toward their eventual escape by boat.

Part one of a deeper dive into Hollie's dad's early life — his childhood in North Vietnam, memories of wartime bombings, and his family's noodle-making business.

In honor of Mother's Day, Hollie's mom Phuong shares childhood memories from Vietnam and the family's refugee journey through China and Hong Kong, touching on the bonds that carry across generations.

Hollie reflects on her identity as a second-generation Chinese Canadian and explains the history and significance of Journey to Freedom Day, honoring the Vietnamese refugee exodus.

A gentle first step into opening up conversations with parents about their past. Hollie's dad Sinh, who fled Vietnam as a teenager, shares early memories to kick off a deeper multi-part conversation.

Hollie introduces the podcast and her family's story as Chinese-Vietnamese refugees who fled after the Vietnam War, laying the groundwork for the show's ongoing focus on heritage and generational connection.