On Saturday, April 26, 2025, an individual drove their car through a crowd at the Lapu-Lapu Day Block Party, killing at least 11 people, injuring dozens, and impacting thousands. Those attending the Lapu-Lapu Day Block Party included friends and families, elders and children. All had gathered to celebrate the richness of Filipino and Filipino-Canadian culture, deserving only safety and joy, expecting to return home with their loved ones after a day of festivities.
Room Magazine mourns and rages against this awful loss of life, and adds our voice to those raised worldwide and locally in support of the victims and those they love. For the month of May, Room Magazine will be dedicating a portion of magazine sale proceeds to those directly affected. As we head into Asian Heritage Month, our collective grieves and directs our efforts toward supporting the wellbeing of especially the Filipino community in Vancouver and beyond.
This tragedy, this cruel act of incredible violence, has shattered the Filipino community’s peace in a constellation of ways. As more information about the attack comes to light in the coming weeks, Room will continue to share resources and requests for aid, and hold space for fury, for recuperation in community, for grief, for Filipinos and all those affected who should still be with us.
Room Magazine expresses its heartfelt gratitude to first responders and all those, including within our own collective, who hold each other in care and move with their heartbreak toward what justice and recovery they can find. We are together in this grief; we are together, always, in solidarity.
Resources:
- Compilation by local organizers of support points, including fundraisers by and for the affected families
- Mabuhay House list of community resources
- Canada Blood Services for donating blood to victims
