It’s all Connected: From the Philippines to Turtle Island to Palestine—A Conversation with Lele Chan
On any given day, Lele Chan is wearing a keffiyeh, a Palestine flag pin, and sneakers that she designed with a black and white fishnet pattern—all symbols of the Palestinian resistance. It’s an everyday look for her as she manages and grows Tahanan Studio, a shared creative space in Mount Pleasant that opened in February 2025.
A community organizer and leader, Lele attended Lapu Lapu Day, a day of pride and celebration for the Filipino community. She witnessed the tragic events firsthand when a man drove a car into the block party, killing 11 people and injuring dozens more. She has since seen her studio space transform into an unintentional healing space and has also had to grapple with the barriers in accessing necessary support after the trauma.
WTC talked to Lele about the intention behind Tahanan Studio, how that organically transformed after Lapu Lapu Day, and why she does the work that she does. Here are snippets from our conversation in her words.
On Tahanan Studio, a Shared Creative Space
“The intention behind the studio was always to share what I already had. It’s not easy to lease a space outside of what you’re living in so we did a lot of work to find a place that was welcome, had natural light, and was affordable. I wanted to build more of an art space and a space for workshops. After many years of crafting and hobbies, I’ve accumulated printers, vinyl cutters, and so many paint supplies and now they have a home and can be shared. We have what we call our Friday Fun Days Club, where through my own journey, I realized I had to make time for play. We started doing this with a few friends and it evolved. Now we have games that just live here and we have a pull-down projector screen so we can really game or watch movies.”
On Grief and Laughter after Lapu Lapu Day
“The day after Lapu Lapu Day happened, I remember thinking that morning like it might feel really heavy because what if we’re all just sitting around crying? The first day was the loudest, most rambunctious party vibe. There were 40-50 people in here laughing so loud and there was so much food and games. I remember thinking, ‘Right, it’s the Filipino community. Why did I think we would be sitting around crying?’ Every Filipino funeral I’ve ever been to has been a loud hilarious family party. Some days were quieter, more introspective, andchill but it was neat how it naturally came about.
“I needed it as much as everyone else needed it. I didn’t want to sit at home by myself. It’s hardest to be alone with my thoughts and you’re constantly replaying what happened so I wanted to be here anyway. Once I opened the door, people wanted to come too. They needed somewhere to be that wasn’t at home, where it’s okay if you’re playing games and laughing—no one’s going to assume that means you’re okay.”
On Non-Trauma-Informed Barriers to Accessing Services and Community Care
“The systems that we have in place that are supposed to help us are not trauma-informed. It should be safe and straightforward but I’m explaining that I need therapy and acupuncture but I’m not physically injured. I’m trying to quantify my psychological trauma. Having to retell the story in specific detail in order to access resources, it just makes no sense. They still ask, ‘But why do you need physio if you’re not physically injured?’ Do you not understand that it is all connected? I need a way for my body to relax in order for my brain to process. They want to attach a dollar amount to how much my trauma is worth and how much is it going to cost them? As a survivor, it’s a lesson I’ve had to relive and relearn. I have to prove to you how much it hurt in order for you to care. That’s a ridiculous way to run a system which was put in place to provide care.
“I’m friends with different community organizers and volunteers that produced Lapu Lapu Day and we’re the ones taking care of each other. If you tell me you need a facial because the stress of this community is aging you rapidly, I will make sure you get a facial, no questions asked.”
On How “It’s All the Same Fight”
“The world has been a dumpster fire for over two years and that was traumatizing in itself. I just got out of a hole of depression from grappling with the Palestinian genocide and seeing it unfold. I don’t know if it was better or worse but I had been slightly desensitized from seeing so many horrific videos. When I saw it in real life [at Lapu Lapu Day], I wasn’t in shock. It took me weeks to process that that was actually a horrific thing to see but I had seen so much worse over the last two years.
“Sometimes I’ll purposely bring up [Palestine] but most of the time I just try to actively represent my beliefs. There are a lot of parallels to the Muslim communities in the Philippines—the same mistreatment, stereotyping, and racism happening globally against Muslim communities. I see it all tied together, the parallels that exist in the Philippines with the indigenous people and the Indigenous peoples in Canada and the Landback movement. The connection seems so clear that all our liberation is connected—it’s all the same fight.”
WTC honours the grief and resilience of the Filipino community and individuals affected by the Lapu Lapu Day tragedy.
Support United Way BC’s Kapwa Strong Fund, where 100% of donations will help provide immediate assistance to community members.
FilipinoBC's Care Team supports all communities impacted by the Lapu Lapu Day tragedy. Connect with them at at care@filipinobc.com.
Follow Tahanan Studio on Instagram to find out more about their upcoming events and Lele Chan to learn about her work and philosophy.
