The Asian Canadian Labour Alliance (ACLA) mourns the passing of Kent Wong, a visionary leader, educator, and founder of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA). Kent was a tireless advocate for workers’ rights, racial justice, and immigrant empowerment whose influence crossed borders and generations.
In 1997, Canadian labour activists Gayle Nye and Winnie Ng attended the APALA convention in San Francisco, joining 400 other Asian trade union delegates! It was an amazing experience that inspired them to build our own version in Canada. When ACLA was officially launched in 2000, Kent Wong was there offering his support, encouragement, and solidarity at our founding. His belief in the power of Asian and racialized workers to transform the labour movement helped to shape our beginnings and continues to guide us today.
APALA’s seven Principles for Collective Liberation and Organizing Stronger Communities, centered around the theme: “Have you eaten yet? We all eat.” – beautifully reflects Kent’s lifelong commitment to care and collective responsibility. As APALA explains, “Many people in Asian American and Pacific Islander communities show care by offering food and asking if you have eaten yet.” These words underscore “that it is up to ALL OF US to make sure WE ALL EAT. It is our collective responsibility to care for one another.”
We honour Kent Wong’s legacy by continuing to organize around these same principles — Worker Power; People Power; Racial Justice; Community & Chosen Family; Home & Sovereignty; Gender Justice; and Intergenerational Movement Building.
Kent’s light and leadership will continue to nourish and inspire our collective struggle for justice.
In solidarity,
Asian Canadian Labour Alliance
I’m deeply saddened by the sudden news of Kent’s passing. He was a friend, a mentor, bridge builder, and above all, an equity warrior in the labour movement. He inspired us to dream big and came to Canada a couple of times for our early ACLA gatherings. He was a YES, we can brother. As ACLA, we owe him a BIG thank you. We grieve with his family. His legacy will live on.
–Winnie Ng, ACLA Ontario Co-Founder
I remember Kent’s warmth when I attended the APALA Convention in 2021 — how easily he connected with everyone and made newcomers feel part of something larger.
Kent was also the President of the United Association for Labor Education (UALE) from 2000 – 2002 and continued to be an active member. For example, the 2025 UALE Conference was hosted by the UCLA Labor Centre where Kent had previously been the Director for more than 30 years.
–Patricia Chong (Former UALE Member-at-Large for Canada Representative)
Kent Wong invited and warmly welcomed Asian Canadian Union Staff and activists to APALA’s San Francisco Convention in 1997.
We were excited to observe APALA’s Convention proceedings, hear guest speakers and witness debates on resolutions. The experience buoyed us and we felt the vitality, determination and pride among the hundreds of APALA delegates gathered.
Most memorable was the Convention’s street action at Fisherman’s Wharf in support of striking Fish Plant workers.
With hachimaki tied on, picket signs and banners lifted up our rallying march began! So thrilling as Kent, who was among leaders of the action, jumped up and onto a truck tailgate shouting “There’s more than fish that stinks here!”.
Captivated and inspired by Kent’s fire that day, and ever since, we carried a torch home for the establishment of the Asian Canadian Labour Alliance (ACLA), striving for racial and social justice, workers’ dignity and human rights in our various Unions and communities across Canada.
Holding Kent in our hearts with reverence and thanks for his vision and his leadership. Kent fostered a legacy across borders from APALA to ACLA in Ontario, in British Columbia and continuing across Local, Provincial, National and International Unions.
With eternal solidarity,
–Gayle Nye, ACLA British Columbia Co-Founder