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Breaking Barriers: Book Launch Evening
April 8 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Join us for a special book launch evening at the Okanagan Heritage Museum on April 8, 2026, from 6:30–8:00 pm, celebrating the release of two works that spotlight overlooked stories in Canadian history.
Co-author Chad Soon will present The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of Hockey. This inspiring true story follows Larry Kwong, the first player of Asian descent in the NHL who broke hockey’s colour barrier and challenged racism from outdoor rinks in Vernon’s Chinatown to Madison Square Garden.
The evening will also feature Jacqueline Louie and her book Honouring the Gold Mountain Dreamers, a thoughtful exploration of the impacts of the 1923 Chinese Immigration Act in British Columbia and Alberta, and the resilience of those who navigated this challenging period in Canadian history.
There will be an opportunity to purchase books from both authors.
Honouring the Gold Mountain Dreamers will be available for $20, with all proceeds going to the Chinook Country Historical Society. Payment can be made by cash or e-transfer to [email protected].
The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of Hockey will also be available for $25. Payment can be made by cash or e-transfer to [email protected].
This free community event includes light refreshments and offers a chance to hear directly from the authors followed with a short Q n A. Everyone is welcome!
Jacqueline Louie
Chad Soon
Jacqueline Louie is a Calgary-based freelance writer. Her ancestors immigrated to Canada in the late 1800s from southern China. Honouring the Gold Mountain Dreamers is her first book.
Chad Soon is an award-winning teacher, volunteer, and author. He currently serves on the Board of the BC Historical Federation and the Executive Committee of the Okanagan Historical Society (Vernon Branch). He acts as a Heritage Committee advisor for the OCCA Communities Association. Soon also coordinates and coaches the Larry Kwong Memorial Hockey 4 Youth program. Soon’s book, The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of Hockey, is this year’s winner of the Dr. Edgar Wickberg Book Prize for the Best Book on Chinese Canadian History.