Documentary

Ten years ago, I remember attending my first FACL event as a law student. It was an experience that I’ll never forget because it was the first time I felt like I belonged in this profession.

Like many of you, I was the first in my family to attend law school. My parents were immigrants who came to Canada with next to nothing in their pockets. They worked hard so that we could have a better future. Despite getting into law school, I couldn’t help but feel like an outsider. Even my dad was worried that the colour of my skin would put me at a disadvantage —he was not wrong.

Attending my first FACL event changed all of this. It was the first time I met lawyers who not only looked like me but were also willing to lend a hand. FACL gave me a sense of belonging, a sense of community, and a sense of family. 

I believe that this is what sets FACL apart from other organizations. And as a family, we support each other, we advocate for each other, and we lend a helping hand to others in need.

The rise of anti-Asian hate crimes in the past two years has shown us the importance of organizations like FACL BC that we can lean on for advocacy. We are now at a pivotal moment in history where we have the social license to speak up. We now have a seat at the table. And now is the time to send the elevator down to support the future generation of lawyers. 

I am grateful for the support of our FACL BC community. I am grateful for our dedicated volunteers and directors. Finally, I am grateful for members like you.

It is our members who continue to inspire us towards promoting equity, justice and opportunity for Asian Canadian legal professionals and the wider community. In return, I invite you to continue promoting our mission, to take part in any of our active committees, and to connect with me or any of our directors. 

This year marks our 11th year in BC, and we’ve only just begun.

Steven Ngo

President, Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers BC

Follow us @faclbc