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Victoria Chan

Writer — identity, memory, stigma

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Selected writing (print + online)
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The Evolution of Cults 

Now, you don’t need to shave your head, drink the Kool-Aid or join a commune to belong; you just need WiFi.

Lore | November 2025 | In print only
The cheongsam is everywhere right now — and its return is charged with new meaning

More than just tradition, the cheongsam, in all its varied forms, speaks to those who live at the intersection of cultures, generations and identities. 

CBC Life | June 2025

Foreign familiar

In London, a new generation of Hong Kong creatives is reshaping home—blending cultures, identities, and memories.

King Kong Magazine | May 2025 | In print only
How the Queens of Dim Sum are Serving Up Queer Culture and Asian Heritage

But here, tradition isn’t just being preserved—it’s taking on new life. 

RepresentASIAN Project | April 2025

The History of Daddy 

Over the past decade, the sexual use of “daddy” has bulldozed its way to the forefront of our cultural zeitgeist. But rather than referencing literal fathers, it’s associated with an energy, a mindset, a way of life.

Lore | January 2025 | In print only

Kenneth Lam invites you to a seat at the table
“I like how objects can symbolize or represent a memory. When you curate or create a still life, you’re working with things that aren’t alive, but making them seem alive.”

FLUX Magazine | January 2025

Generation gap
Clinging to millennial stereotypes has not helped me confront the fact that I’m terrified of aging, or even face the reality that I’m getting older.

Generation Gap | September 2024

The perks of yearning
Nostalgia has always seemed more bitter than sweet to me. But every time I indulge in it, I find it serves a purpose, even if I know I won’t be satisfied.

The Walrus | March 2024
The limits of self-care
In my culture, there’s an unspoken rule that sometimes it’s better to remain silent about your pain in order to protect the feelings of others.

The Walrus | September 2023
Anti-Asian hate is skyrocketing in Canada. Here’s how communities can fight back.
“It’s important for us to amplify, not only that there’s a need for solidarity, but that solidarity is already happening.”

Vice | March 2021
If you hate anti-Chinese racism, you should hate anti-Black racism, too
“Everything is about building relationships, and the only way you learn is to aid, abet, and struggle together.”

Huffington Post | July 2020
The criminal lawyer who was outed as a sex worker
How to rebuild — Nadia Guo’s professional reputation was wrecked by Canadian tabloids, forcing her to rebuild her life from the bottom up.

Huck Magazine | July 2020

This Vancouver dancer wants to teach you to vogue
“The community aspect is what really inspires me, even more so than the dancing – like how people hug after every competition. Even if there’s shade or drama, there’s still this root of community, which is very beautiful to see.”

This Magazine | July 2020

I Was Harassed for My Interracial Relationship—So I Tracked Down My Troll
With no fake account to hide behind, I recognized that beyond the screen, he was a real human being—like me. And there’s nothing virtual about that.

Fashion | July 2020
The fight to save Hong Kong’s underground music scene

A punk prayer — Despite the city’s darkening political climate, its youth have found a space of freedom and resistance in Hidden Agenda – a local punk venue on the brink of extinction.

Huck Magazine | July 2020
Criminalization Makes It Harder to Study Ayahuasca, Scientists Say

For Isabelle, the need to seek out ayahuasca as an alternative form of treatment came after a long and continuous battle with an eating disorder growing up.

Vice | November 2017

How selfies and social media changed bodybuilding
“It’s almost like your best commercial is standing in front of your phone, taking a selfie, and writing a little blurb.”

Vice | December 2016
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ABOUT

I’m Vic, a writer based in Toronto.
My work gravitates towards the personal essay, blending memoir, commentary and research. 

Since completing my master of journalism at Toronto Metropolitan University, I’ve contributed essays and features for outlets like The Walrus, Vice, CBC Life and Huck Magazine. My work explores how we create, perceive and perform identity, and how nostalgia, shame and stigma shape our inner lives.    

Behind the scenes, I’ve spent over seven years in digital communications, helping legacy organizations tell stories, build their brands and connect with audiences. Highlights include creating cross-channel content for the Park Hyatt Toronto, and most recently, leading a multidisplinary team at the Canadian Digital Service in creating digital presences for various products. These roles have sharpened my interest in how narrative and design intersect—a thread that continues to shape how I write and think about identity, culture and change.   

Other things I love: Y2K throwbacks, my cats Cleopatra and Anora, travel, cleaning, exercising, street food, Wong Kar-wai and reality television. 
Linkedin
Instagram


Email:
victoriakay.chan [at] gmail [dot] com






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Rather than wishing away my nostalgia,
I thanked it for this moment.

SITE DESIGN: JENNIFER CHAN