For the Aunties, with Love

Notable for its bright yellow buds and distinctive shape, yarrow is a plant that grows across Asia and North America. It has been used medicinally for years and is known for its resilience: yarrow grows robustly, even in poor soil.

The Yarrow Intergenerational Society for Justice, named for the plant, was founded in Vancouver’s Chinatown and Downtown Eastside in 2015.

According to the non-profit’s founders, the Chinese character for “yarrow,” or 蓍, has the character for “old age” or “elder” as its centre 老 — speaking to how the organization has cultivated an intergenerational network of care in service of social justice.

Yarrow brings together young people and Chinese seniors in Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside, helping seniors overcome barriers to meeting basic needs.

Young people support the seniors by attending medical appointments with them, translating important documents and operating a variety of programs — for example, educating seniors on their rights as tenants, and connecting them with affordable, culturally appropriate food. A memorable collaboration took shape during the early pandemic years, when young people procured, packaged and delivered culturally appropriate groceries to seniors living in isolation.

Even and especially when dealing with the heaviest subject matter, Yarrow’s team of young staff consistently infuses their work with a cheeky spirit of fun and creativity that is as inspiring as it is sustaining.

A current example is a recent collaboration between Yarrow’s young staff and elderly participants and artists Patty Szeto, Sunny Chiu and Sophia Hsin to celebrate how food connects people across culture, time and generations.

Hsin, a Vancouver still and life photographer, took the photos of the Yarrow seniors for the project.

“I’m Taiwanese and lived in China for a couple of years. It’s so nice to be able to relate to the seniors through language and my memories of Asia,” Hsin told The Tyee.

“Food is a shared language and a bridge back to the world we left behind, and it was so good to reminisce with the seniors about Chinese food culture and stories.”

Hsin’s photographs will be part of a Dec. 15 exhibition in Vancouver featuring the seniors’ stories about food. They’ll share memories of their homelands and some of their most cherished recipes.

For Hsin, the show is a reminder of how special it is to make art — particularly art that celebrates the experiences of people who might be unlikely to find themselves in the spotlight.

“My parents immigrated from Taiwan to Canada a few years ago, and language and age are particularly challenging barriers when it comes to assimilation or having a voice or platform to share about themselves beyond their usual circle of friends,” she noted.

“Their generation can be more traditional and conservative when it comes to being in front of the camera.”

The process of taking photos of the Yarrow shoot was a delightful step into the unexpected, she added.

“We had some visual ideas, but I felt it was important to let the seniors roll with it and have fun,” Hsin said.

“It was so fun to see their personalities shine.”

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‘Family Heirlooms: Tales and Tastes Across Generations’ is exhibiting Dec. 15 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Damian’s Project in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood at 301-63 W. Sixth Ave.

The project is presented in partnership between the Yarrow Intergenerational Society for Justice, Patty Szeto, Sophia Hsin and Sunny Chiu and is supported by the City of Vancouver’s Communities and Artists Shifting Cultures grant.