Founded in 1996, Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society (VAHMS) is a non-profit society dedicated to recognizing Asian Canadian participation as an integral part of Canadian society. VAHMS organizes explorASIAN Festival, an annual festival every May that celebrates National Asian Heritage Month.
The Festival’s mission is to promote understanding, and appreciation of Asian-Canadian arts, heritage, and culture. ExplorASIAN festival includes programs, activities and events produced in collaboration with various partners from the diverse communities in Metro Vancouver.
As the President of VAHMS, Ms. Leticia Sanchez presented VAHMS and explorAsian 2020 to patrons of the Rotary Club of Richmond over the Internet on May 6, 2020.
In 2002, following the adoption of a motion proposed by Senator Poy, the Government of Canada signed an official declaration to designate May as Asian Heritage Month. It has been celebrated ever since. After fifteen years, the Asian Heritage Month has become a nationwide festival. In its 24 years of not-for-profit work, the VAHMS has dedicated itself to promoting cultural and educational awareness of the diverse Pan-Asian cultures living in Vancouver.
In 2002, following the adoption of a motion proposed by Senator Poy, the Government of Canada signed an official declaration to designate May as Asian Heritage Month. It has been celebrated ever since. After fifteen years, the Asian Heritage Month has become a nationwide festival. In its 24 years of not-for-profit work, the VAHMS has dedicated itself to promoting cultural and educational awareness of the diverse Pan-Asian cultures living in Vancouver.
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VAHMS has advocated for equity, inclusion, collaboration, and social integration of Asian-Canadian Communities in a multicultural society. At the same time, it has also opened social opportunities and strong partnerships for less-visible Pan-Asian communities by reaching out and to the many organizations, educational institutions, and individuals interested in knowing more about Asian Heritage, and inviting them to participate in programming and supporting VAHMS' vision.
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Leticia is the President of VAHMS, she holds a Masters in Education from Anahuac University in Mexico, and is a certified Overseas Teacher of English from Cambridge University via the British Council. In Leticia's more than ten years tenure as the Head of Cultural Experience at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Leticia led the operational organization of the Garden Museum including Art Programs and Exhibitions. As an independent curator, Leticia has produced different art and community projects such as “Embracing Multicultural Languages”.
in 2015, “Following the Silk Routes and Beyond in Vancouver” 2016 to 2018, Leticia acted as an advisor for the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre Exhibits & Programming Advisory Committee at UBC, is a member of the Canadian Society for Asian Arts and the Chinese Canadian Historical Society. She joined the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society Board of Directors in 2015 and was appointed President of the board in 2018. In her role as VAHMS volunteer President of the Board, Leticia strives to uphold the organization’s mission, vision, and values by promoting understanding and appreciation for Pan-Asian and Asian-Canadian heritage, arts, and culture.