Ten women tell their stories of how they immigrated and adapted to life in Canada through the lens of a pair of shoes.
The show, called the shoe project, takes place at The Capitol Theater on Sunday at 2pm.
The cast took part in a 10-week workshop taught by author Heidi LM Jacobs and drama educator Alice Nelson.
Some of the participants shared their stories before the performance.
Grace Wang moved to Windsor with her daughter from China in September 2019. Her daughter inspired her.
“I believed that Canadian education could help my daughter enjoy learning, enhance her innovation, and provide her with a bright future,” she said.
The shoes she shares were a gift to herself after a promotion.
“I brought these shoes to remind myself to be generous to myself,” Wang said. “And I want to continue to achieve my goal in Canada.
Vicki Liu, also from China, moved to Windsor with her husband and daughter in April 2022.
“I chose the shoes because it’s a pair of shoes my sister bought me,” Liu said. “They are important because she doesn’t have the opportunity to go abroad. These shoes carry my sister’s blessing. The hope for me and the expansion of their own dreams. I am very grateful for the kinship between us.”
Amy Tian moved to Windsor with her daughter from China four years ago. Her shoes were a gift that showed Tian the beauty of Canada.
“I picked out a pair of hiking shoes,” Tian said. (During COVID-19) I wore these shoes and built a garden. And after the pandemic, I wore these shoes to explore the Rocky Mountains.”
Karyna Nikashyna also shares her story on the show. She escaped the war in Ukraine and found a new home in Windsor.
“These are lightweight sneakers I came in with,” said Nikashyna. “This is the only pair of shoes I had when I came to Canada in May 2022. I left Ukraine in March last year and only had one suitcase.”
she said The shoe project is an excellent opportunity to tell their story of resilience, new opportunities and friendship.
“I’m still getting used to all of this,” she said. “When you realize I’ve been running, running, running and then I realize this all happened. Maybe a month ago when I really realized what happened to me.”
