April Sora
About
April Sora has spent the better part of her career working and volunteering in the immigrant and refugee sector both in Toronto and Saskatoon. She has also worked for the federal government in various roles including Senior Development Officer, Human Resources Advisor and Employment Equity Consultant. She now works for the City of Saskatoon as the Immigration, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant.
Both April’s mother and father were sent to internment camps in BC during WW2, with all their possessions confiscated and sold to pay for their own internment. Men were separated from families and sent to road camps. After the war they were forced to move east or go ‘back’ to Japan even though they were born in Canada. All because of the colour of their skin. April is proud of her Japanese Canadian history and the legacy of the resilience and strength of her ancestors. This is the background that informs her work and her life. Being invited to act as co-emcee for the Wîcihitowin conference is one of the greatest honours of April’s professional career.
On the fun side, every Monday and Friday night you can find April practicing taiko (Japanese drumming) with the Saskatoon group, Living Sky Taiko.