My Home and Native Land: Jacey Chae
NARRATOR: My home and native land, personal stories of coming to Canada. JACEY CHAE: If I had an opinion at a dinner or something, you know, I would be thrown a comment like, well, what do you know? You’re a woman. NARRATOR: Jacey Chae, Guest Services Manager, Toronto Blue Jays, emigrated from Korea in 1974. JACEY CHAE: If you’d like to stand here, when the players are done with batting practice, we’ll try to get some autographs. Our father was very well educated and he put himself through school. Upon graduating from university, he couldn’t really find a job. Korea was in post-war situation. NARRATOR: After fleeing to Canada, Jacey’s father was able to sponsor his family. In 1988, Jacey returned to Korea and married. In 1991, she left her marriage and returned to Canada. JACEY CHAE: I realized then that I am no longer Korean, Korean, and I think that’s when I truly made the commitment. I would only now visit Korea as the land that I was born in. This is my home and now, once I have taken that journey and came back in 1991 is when I became a true Canadian. I can actually say our mom would be proud. She said she wanted to raise two girls who can survive on top of a mountain with no food. Well, they certainly, you know, achieved that. Just by bringing us to Canada. To be Canadian is to have freedom to do whatever you want and whenever you want. Okay, this is the Jays’ dugout. Freedom for me to speak whenever I want without being shut down to say what do you know? You’re a …
