Vancouver’s Lifeguard Legend

“Ruby Smith Diaz (l.) examines the life of Joe Fortes, a Black lifeguard in Vancouver, during a time of rampant racism, exploring his legacy and identity through research, personal reflections and poetry.FULL STORY

 

Haley Healey

July 27th, 2023

Haley Healey writes books that inspire, often focusing on the accomplishments of pioneering women from historical British Columbia. These true stories tell of hardships, overcoming expectations and great bravery. Her latest children’s book, Kimiko Murakami: A Japanese-Canadian Pioneer (Heritage House $19.95) recalls the lives of Kimiko Murakami and her family. Kimiko grew up on Salt Spring Island, where she made a living as a farmer. When World War II broke out, Japanese Canadians were labelled as “enemy aliens,” and Kimiko and her family were sent to internment camps. They worked hard to return home, only to find out their farm had been sold and they had to rebuild their lives. Throughout these injustices, Kimiko adopted the “ganbaru spirit,” which means to push through hard times and never give up. Kimiko’s strength and perseverance are reflected on the book’s pages in illustrations by Kimiko Fraser. 9781772034318

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