Exploring Heritage and Intergenerational Stories with Hollie Ha

Some stories sit quietly for generations, waiting for someone to ask the right questions. That’s where the TELUS STORYHIVE Voices series Holding Heritage: Unspoken Stories begins. Through laughter, reflection and surprising honesty, the series explores and uncovers stories that connect families, spark dialogue and bring communities together. 

We chatted with Hollie Ha about the personal journey behind the series, what the word “heritage” means to her and the impact of generational storytelling.

STORYHIVE: Tell us about yourself! What is your background, and how did you first come to apply for STORYHIVE Voices with your series Holding Heritage: Unspoken Stories?

Hollie Ha: Growing up on Vancouver Island, like many Asian Canadian kids, I just wanted to fit in. I wanted to be “Canadian” first. I think that’s something a lot of Asian kids experience, trying to blend in.

I’ve had a bit of a patchwork of experiences. I was really into music growing up, so after finishing business at SFU, I went back to study music production. I worked in the music industry for a few years, which was really fun, but then when the pandemic hit, we moved back home and started working remotely. That’s when I started thinking more about my own family stories and wanting to understand my heritage.

During that period of reflection, I realized I had a real passion for documenting these stories. With my background in audio production, starting a podcast felt like a natural step. 

It was first for my family and me so that future generations could go back and hear their grandmother or parents share their stories. It was this personal archive of our lives and memories. That’s how Holding Heritage started, as a podcast with hopes of becoming a bigger cultural brand.

STORYHIVE: Holding Heritage: Unspoken Stories features powerful conversations around culture and identity. How did you approach building trust with participants and shaping those stories with care?

Hollie Ha: Many of the participants were family or family friends; both my grandmas, my brother, my cousins, people we already had some relationship with, which helped. But adding a camera and lights changes everything. When you tell someone, “This is going online, and people are going to watch it,” it can feel really intimidating. A few people decided they weren’t ready, and that’s totally fine.

What helped the most was that this was an intergenerational project. A granddaughter asking a grandma, or a daughter asking a father, “I want to learn about you,” that intentionality mattered a lot. Once they started talking, it was incredible. A lot of people assume older generations don’t want to talk, but that’s not true. They just don’t always think anyone wants to listen.

That’s really the heart of Holding Heritage: Unspoken Stories—creating a space where stories are not just shared, but genuinely heard. It’s almost sad when elders say, “I didn’t know you wanted to know.” This project created a space for that conversation to happen intentionally, and in a way that felt safe and meaningful.

STORYHIVE: How has your own relationship to heritage influenced the way you tell these stories, both behind the camera and in conversation?

Hollie Ha: Growing up, I was proud of being “Canadian” and kept a distance from Chinese traditions. Choosing creative arts over a traditional career caused tension because I was coming from this North American lens of “Follow your dreams,” while my parents had been in survival mode, focused on keeping us safe and providing security.

It took me a long time to see their perspective. Now I understand that coming to Canada was their dream. Realizing that sparked my deeper curiosity about my culture. It changed the way I view heritage. It’s an ongoing journey, and I’m still learning.

STORYHIVE: Do younger and older generations define the word “heritage” differently?

Hollie Ha: Absolutely. At first, I thought language was the core of heritage. I don’t speak Vietnamese, but I understand Cantonese. I used to worry that not speaking the language meant losing my heritage. But heritage is bigger than language. Food, music, family traditions and stories are all a part of heritage. 

Even when people say, “Your story is the same as my dad’s,” it isn’t. Each person’s experience, their feelings, the way they lived it, makes it unique. That is my favourite part of heritage. It’s personal, it’s historical and it captures everything in a way textbooks and museums can’t.

STORYHIVE: You recently hosted a premiere event in Vancouver that brought out over 100 attendees! What did it feel like to see that kind of community response in the room?

Hollie Ha: It was wild. I honestly thought maybe 50 people would show up. As creators, you have moments of self-doubt, especially with a topic like this. You start thinking, maybe people won’t care, maybe no one wants to talk about these stories. And that can sit in your head for a while. 

But seeing the launch confirmed that we weren’t the only ones who thought this mattered. People genuinely resonated with the stories, and that was so validating. Even if there was just one father in the room who then goes home and decides to talk to his daughter or one kid inspired to ask their grandma some questions, that would have made it all worthwhile. 

Having already facilitated the conversations with participants beforehand, we had seen the impact already, but seeing the community response at the premiere just added this whole other layer. It was motivating, affirming and honestly, it was a little emotional too.

STORYHIVE: You were also featured in the Vancouver Guardian for your work. What does it mean to have your storytelling recognized in that way within your local community?

Hollie Ha: It’s kind of surreal. These are my family’s real stories, things that are so close to home. It’s not scripted or dramatized for a movie; it’s real life, with all the messiness, the humour, the pride and the vulnerability that comes with family stories. 

Having people outside my family or community genuinely interested in that reality is amazing. There’s a mix of intimacy and community that feels really special, seeing people connect with these stories as if they were their own. It makes all the effort, the nerves and the long nights of editing feel totally worth it.

STORYHIVE: What does Lunar New Year represent to you, and how do the themes connect to the heart of Holding Heritage: Unspoken Stories?

Hollie Ha: Lunar New Year has always been about family for me. I just went to my grandma’s for a massive family dinner recently, and it was really lovely. When you’re a kid, you think it’s about the red envelopes and the food, and that’s great. You’re excited to get money and celebrate, but as I’ve grown older, it’s become more about pride and connection. Celebrating together, wishing health and prosperity and just being with your family, that feeling has really taken on more meaning for me.

STORYHIVE: Looking back on your journey as a STORYHIVE creator, what did the experience teach you about yourself as a storyteller?

Hollie Ha: Honestly, it taught me that it’s not easy. But it’s also whatever you make it to be. STORYHIVE provides incredible support and guidance. If you put in the time, engage with your Program Manager, plan a community event, do the marketing—even if it feels cringy or uncomfortable—and fully commit to your project, it can really change your perspective, your confidence and your approach to storytelling.

Before this, I wasn’t sure if video was for me. I loved audio, but video felt intimidating. Now I actually love it. Video editing allows for so much more emotion, nuance and creativity than audio alone. 

It’s colourful, expressive and the way you can capture people’s reactions and presence really adds depth to storytelling. The program encourages experimentation and creativity in a way that I hadn’t experienced before, and that has been a huge takeaway for me.

STORYHIVE: STORYHIVE creators may now see you around in your new role on the TELUS Local Content team! How does it feel to support other creators after having been in their shoes?

Hollie Ha: It’s incredibly exciting! Coming from a learning and development background, I love being able to support creators while also continuing to grow myself. I get to work on content I’m genuinely passionate about, pair it with skills I enjoy using and help other creators navigate their own projects. It’s rare to find a role that merges your passions with your work life so seamlessly, and it feels really rewarding to be on the other side, helping people who were once in my shoes.

STORYHIVE: Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Hollie Ha: I love connecting with anyone curious about their family or heritage. I’m really open to anyone reaching out, and I hope people check out the website or the series! We’re also working on additional offerings like translation services, VHS digitization and community events. I hope people stay engaged and inspired by the project, and that it encourages them to start their own conversations and preserve their family stories.

Join us in congratulating Hollie on her incredible success! Explore Holding Heritage: Unspoken Stories and all other Voices series now streaming on TELUS Optik TV Video on Demand channel 9, Stream+ and STORYHIVE’s YouTube channel. 

Follow Holding Heritage: Unspoken Stories on Instagram!