Asian-Canadian actor Russell Yuen does not hold any grudges against North Bay despite having recently dealt with an ugly racist incident in the Gateway City.
The Canadian actor told the Toronto Star he was a victim of COVID-19 racism in North Bay in early March.
Russell Yuen was in North Bay as part of the crew filming the movie "Swan."
See that Toronto Star article HERE.
Yuen, who is Asian-Canadian, told the Star he was going for a walk near Lake Nipissing when he claims a man started making racial comments to him relating to the COVID-19 virus.
According to Yuen's account, the man asked him, "It's so much nicer here than Toronto. We can get away from that Chinese Virus."
The conversation escalated as the man went on a vulgar racial tirade.
"You f---king Chinese man, why aren't you wearing an f---king mask?"
North Bay Mayor Al McDonald reached out to Yuen via Twitter to apologize for the incident.
"On behalf of the City of North Bay I apologize Russell Yuen for your experience," McDonald stated via Twitter on Wednesday.
"We are proud of being welcoming & inclusion. This person doesn't represent our views/values. We are appalled by remarks. We have spoken out publicly denouncing words of hate, being silent is not an option."
Yuen replied via Twitter and accepted the apology. He believes the culprit was not a North Bay resident. Yuen went a step further and wrote a letter to Mayor Al McDonald as well.
"I wanted to make it clear to you and all the citizens of North Bay that what happened to me was in no way a reflection of my personal experiences when I interact with the great people of your town," Yuen stated in the letter to North Bay's Mayor.
"Every time I hear that I will be working in North Bay, a huge smile covers my face. I always feel welcomed with open arms when I get to go to North Bay. It’s like going to 'Cheers' the town where you go once to any place and the next time you go, it’s like everyone knows you and your name."
Yuen was also humbled by the amount of support he got from other North Bay residents.
"I cannot begin to tell you how much all the kind/wonderful words you and your citizens have sent means to me," Yuen said.
"They were heartfelt but not necessary as I know this was not the North Bay I have come to know. It was just some random person passing through your town. Something no one has control over. However, the number of messages and comments I have received have really shown me how much the people of North Bay care. One can see they really not only care about the reputation of their town but also about the people/visitors of their home."
As for the COVID-19 crisis, Yuen feels this is not a time for divisiveness or finger-pointing.
"We are all the same, we are all humans and we all bleed the same color," said Yuen.
"We can all get through this together. I hope in some way the situation we are all living in somehow makes our little blue marble called earth a better place. After all COVID-19 does not discriminate, it attacks ALL people equally. Together we can move a mountain, separately we can only move a pebble. Again, thank you and all the people of North Bay. I will be back with bells on and hope to scream a big thank you to all."
