ChileCanStories

Call For Pictures of the Chilean Exile & Diaspora in Canada
50 years + after the civic-military coup

The Context:

The USA-backed civic-military coup in Chile resulted in the forced exile and displacement of Chileans all over the world. It’s estimated that nearly 1 million Chileans left the country during the Pinochet regime between 1973-1989 due to political repression, forced exile, and the economic shocks that devastated the working class. New generations of Chileans emerged all over the world, including in Canada, where 45,685 were reported to be of Chilean descent in the last 2021 Census, many of whom consider themselves Chilean-Canadian.

Part of preserving this important history is to create an archive of photos of the generation representing this time period and to share the experiences across the country that have imprinted the lives and journeys, 50 years plus later, of so many Chileans.

Our Ask:

We are collecting pictures from individuals who, as children, either emigrated to Canada themselves or were born in Canada to families who emigrated during the years 1973-1989 for political and/or economic reasons.
Please send a picture that captures part of your story, such as your family leaving Chile, arriving, or settling into Canada. Add a caption to your picture, including year, name, and location. Share and withhold as you like. We will then upload pictures to the public @ChileCanStories Instagram account to witness each other’s stories.

Who are We:

Evelyn Encalada Grez and Litzy Baeza are Chilean-born women who grew up in Canada. Both co-created this project through volunteer labour with the intention of creating space for this generation’s stories that have forever marked and changed the destiny of the lives of so many Chileans. You can find out more about Evelyn and Litzy, by clicking below the names.

The Goal

Our goal is to create an archive of visual imagery and representation of the Chilean exile and diaspora experience in Canada. We want to share these stories in a published format that could be turned into a book that will continue to live on for future generations.

Send us your image here!

Upload and describe your image below.  Send us an email at chilecanstories@gmail.com if you encounter issues.