Play, Learn, Grow.
Portland’s thriving Cantonese-speaking community faces a shortage of opportunities to learn and preserve our heritage language. While Cantonese natives were the first Chinese immigrants to America, existing programs focus exclusively on Mandarin, creating a gap for Cantonese-speaking families children's linguistic development.
Started in 2022 as the only Cantonese language program in Oregon, we are a free, community-supported initiative for young children and families.
Our main goals are:
Language Development:
Cantonese instruction through songs, games, and play, focusing on vocabulary building, conversational fluency, and comprehension.
Cultural Connection:
Host tradition informed events and activities that immerse children and families in Cantonese culture and customs.
Community Building:
Provide a supportive community for Cantonese-speaking families to share resources, sustain cultural continuity, and foster a sense of belonging.
Hello new friends!
Hi! I’m Theola and I’m so happy you are here. I am a 2nd generation CBC (Canadian born Chinese) who now lives in Portland, OR with my husband, stepdaughter and young son.
My mother and grandmother who lived with us, are from Hong Kong. My father’s side of the family is from Guandong Province, in Taishan County.
Our family spoke Cantonese at home, and I attended Cantonese weekend and summer school as a child. I am conversationally comfortable in Cantonese, though similar to most ABC’s (American Born Chinese) and CBC’s, English is the language I am most fluent in.
Now, married to an American, we speak mostly English at home though I speak to my son daily in Cantonese as best I can. As I am not a native speaker, but I push myself to teach him what I do know and keep learning together in the process.
My mission is to
Improve my own Cantonese
Teach my child Cantonese
Encourage others to speak Cantonese
Create community for Cantonese speakers and their families