Joyce Liu on capturing stories with her camera and breaking bread behind it
Joyce Liu is all in
My mom knew I was a sentimental kid who had trouble letting go of things and emotions.
To prevent me from crying too much, she gave me my grandpa's vintage film camera and said, "Why don't you capture moments you want to remember?"
Since then, a camera has always been by my side, serving as my second pair of eyes, my pen, and my canvas.
Storytelling is my passion and sharing comes naturally to me. I explored acting, worked as a junior museum interpreter, news reporter and radio host, until I came to Canada at the age of 18.
The art of listening
Although my English was fluent enough for conversations and lectures, it wasn't sufficient to understand funny puns or respond when someone cursed at me on the street. Luckily, my camera was always there, allowing me to express myself visually and learn the art of listening before speaking.
The more I listened, the more I realized how much I didn't know about my Chinese community.- Joyce Liu
During an interview with a group of elders discussing their immigration experiences traveling from Kaiping, Guangdong Province, China, 10,000 kilometers away, to Halifax, 70 years ago, I discovered many similarities with my own journey.
It was a pivotal moment when I connected with my roots, understanding the origins of stereotypes, and delving into my own history on this land. This experience sparked my first venture into documentary filmmaking with "Why Halifax" an exploration of Halifax's Chinese immigration history.
Another significant moment occurred when a freshman student approached me at Dalhousie's School of Planning. She explained that she chose Halifax and the School of Planning because she could sense the genuine involvement and school atmosphere through the videos we shared on YouTube. It was then that I truly felt the purpose behind sharing content, as it fostered meaningful connections.
Building trust with my camera
People trust me to be a listener and share their intimate stories in front of my camera. They trust my skills to help them find a way to tell their stories that foster understanding. But what happens when language becomes a barrier to understanding each other?
During an interview with a refugee, she spoke in Arabic to my camera, "One night, I woke up thinking I heard a bomb. I sat up in bed, and after about a minute, I realized I was safe in Canada. It was just the noise of a garbage truck."
Without a translator, I wouldn't have been able to complete the interview. Even though she couldn't understand me, we managed to communicate by sharing food. When we parted ways, she cried, saying it was her happiest day in the last three months in Canada because she hadn't made so many new friends who came to share food.
Sharing salt and bread
This experience became the second turning point in my career. She taught me the Arabic saying, "I'm sharing my salt and bread with you," signifying deep friendship and trust.
That's when we embarked on a journey together and created Off The Eaten Path to empower immigrant and refugee communities through food.
Being 'all in' in Halifax as an immigrant taught me the power of love, resilience, empathy, patience, and the transformative nature of genuine connections. It showed me that by investing myself fully in a place, I could contribute to its growth while also finding personal fulfillment and a sense of purpose.- Joyce Liu
Through documenting and sharing stories, I have witnessed not only individual immigrant journeys but also the profound impact a community can have on one's life when they are willing to be 'all in'.
Get to know Joyce
Who or what inspires you and why?
My classmate Uytae Lee, who founded PLANifax, inspired me on ways to use multi-media when tackling urban planning topics and projects. Planning can actually be easily understood by everyone and super fun.
My professor, Frank Palermo, guided me on taking an unusual path, which is to listen to the community, think from their perspective and encouraged me to become a community planner.
Eric Yeung, a true leader in the Chinese community. Besides owning 5 May Garden restaurants, sharing Chinese food and flavours with our community, he's been so keen on connecting the Chinese community with Halifax through culture and art. He helped me find a sense of belonging.
What do you enjoy most about living on the East Coast?
The proximity to the ocean. Ocean is my therapy. I can finish work at 4:30 and lay on a beach by 5 p.m. This is a luxury to me growing up in the inland city of Shenyang, China.
What is your favourite wintertime/summertime activity on the East Coast?
Hiking, surfing, sailing, skiing.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Unbridled optimism.
Can you share a recent event or experience that gives you hope for positive change?
I recently started sailing after volunteering as the interpreter for the Chinese Sailing Team in the world championship in Halifax. It was my first time seeing Nova Scotia from the ocean's perspective! I feel so grateful this is the place I chose 11 years ago. It's beautiful from the land, sky and ocean.
What advice would you give your future self?
Keep sharing!
Where can people connect with you?
Instagram: @joycehfx & @off_the_eatenpath
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