c L a u D i a L i
co - Founder ,
hua Foundation
age: 28
the story: Claudia Li
blends sustainability with
preserving and honour-
ing Chinese cultural tra-
dition. The product of a
large extended family from
Hong Kong, Li was born in
Vancouver and grew up in
Burnaby. After graduating
from
SFU with a degree in
business administration and
honours sustainability in
2009, she launched her first
nonprofit, Shark Truth, to
promote shark conservation
and alternatives to shark fin
soup. In 2013, she and Kevin
Huang co-founded the Hua
Foundation to strengthen
Chinese culture, heritage and
sustainability. In addition
to embracing Shark Truth,
the foundation last year also
launched the Choi Project,
which aims to increase food
security and food literacy
in Vancouver's Chinese
community by distributing
seasonal produce guides,
working with the Chinatown
Supermarket to label local
seasonal produce and hold-
ing cooking classes. In 2014,
Ashoka—an organization that
funds social entrepreneurs—
made Li a Global Ashoka
Fellow, providing her a salary
that she can share with her
foundation. Her long-term
vision is to become a mini
Ashoka for the local Chinese
community— supporting
and investing in young social
changemakers.
Markers oF success:
The Hua Foundation's annual
budget has grown from about
$2,000 in 2009 to $200,000
this year; in addition to Li's
salary from Ashoka, the
foundation also receives
support from Vancity, Van-
couver's Greenest City Fund
and various foundations and
businesses. Shark Truth has
saved about 8,000 sharks
(80,000 shark fins), and the
Choi Project has distributed
3,000 produce guides.
—F.S.
w h o i n s P i r e s M e t o s u c c e e D
"One of my favourite hobbies
is watching stand-up comedy,
and Louis CK is someone I
respect for his dedication,
entrepreneurship, crass honesty,
humility and comic genius. He's
able to make people reflect on their
lives and their values—sometimes
in a deep way—while making them
laugh at the situation and at them-
selves. This is truly a gift"
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bcbusiness.ca april 2015 BCBusiness 49
