Latest news with #MuseumofChineseinAmerica
Time Out
29-05-2025
- General
- Time Out
This NYC food tour shares the real stories of Chinatown
Chinatown has a special place in Chloe Chan's heart. Born and raised in New Jersey, Chan and her family would make regular visits to Manhattan's Chinatown, picking up goods from local marts and eating at local restaurants—Chan even took piano lessons from a teacher in the area. After graduating from New York University with a degree in public health, she sought ways to stay involved in her community. So she signed up to be a volunteer tour guide at the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA). Around the same time she started, Anna Huang also began, having previously worked as a tour guide in Boston's Chinatown. The two became friends while working as docents at the museum, giving tours to corporate clients and participating in special events. Eight months in, they began training to give tours outside of the museum and to host historical walking tours around Chinatown. But just as they got certified, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the city, effectively turning the area into a ghost town. 'Everything is always open, especially Chinatown,' said Chan as she recalled the early days of the pandemic, mentioning that whispers of the virus had reached the area in January. 'It was such a hub for nightlife, and people always go after a night of drinking. It was really jarring to see.' Overnight, restaurants, bars and small businesses closed in the area, many for good. Alongside concerns for public health, the Asian-American community faced a rise in AAPI-hate due to racial stereotyping and misinformation. In light of this, Chan and Huang decided they could use their shared historical knowledge to combat racism and bring about a positive change in their community. 'We thought this was a teaching moment where we could draw parallels against history because this is not the first time we've gone through something like this,' said Chan, citing the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 that restricted immigration into the United States, which particularly impacted Chinese immigrants. 'That's what the museum really prepared us for—this moment where we could be of use to the community.' And so at the height of the pandemic, the two formed the Mott Street Girls (MSG). The name holds a double meaning—one that alludes to one of the most popular streets in Chinatown, while the acronym of the business, MSG, nods to the umami flavor compound commonly used in Asian cuisine. Their mission? To make Chinese American history and culture more accessible through public tours, education via social media and working with local community organizations. Differentiating themselves from other tour guides, particularly those led by outsiders with questionable sourcing, Chan and Huang leveraged their shared heritages and skill sets to create tours for the community, by the community. 'Being second-generation Chinese Americans, we've experienced what it's like to be a marginalized group in the community, faced certain barriers and we lived through COVID," said Chan. "We [are] the best candidates to tell the stories of our community.' Currently, the volunteer-based tour company hosts two types of tours with slots available every other week. Putting what they learned from the museum into practice is the Relive Life Under the Chinese Exclusion Act tour. Their most popular option, the tour guides attendees through what life was like for Chinese Americans when they first arrived in the United States, from the barriers they endured to the eventual creation of Chinatowns across the country. Meanwhile, Flavors of Old Chinatown Food Tour tells the story of the community through its food. While other tours focus on what's buzzing, be it famous restaurants or where to get the best bubble tea, MSG's food tour focuses on small, mom-and-pop stores. Stops include the area's oldest tofu shop and businesses that opened up post-pandemic. Yet, both Chan and Huang are careful to center the people behind the food. 'During COVID, a lot of people heard statistics about Chinatown—the revenue that people lost and how many businesses closed. But you don't develop that deeper relationship with the community until you hear their stories, right?" said Chan. "Actually, step inside their stories, engage with the owners and taste a bite of their most famous dish. That's what we wanted to do with our tours: tell authentic stories of the people that have lived, worked and made a life for themselves in Chinatown.' Five years later, MSG's mission has expanded to fortifying Chinatown for years to come. Incorporating social justice into their business, each tour highlights current issues affecting the community, from lingering effects of COVID-19 to the construction of the world's tallest mega jail in the area. MSG's website acts as a resource with interactive guides that map shops, bakeries and tea shops in both Manhattan's Chinatown and Flushing, plus a backlog of over 60 articles that tell the stories of businesses in the area. The company has collaborated with other nonprofits and community boards, including Send Chinatown Love and Run for Chinatown. They also began working with local institutions, including Poster House, with a coming tour with The Met on the horizon. On their social media, Chan and Huang highlight Chinatowns found around the world, showcasing communities in Calgary, Canada, and Incheon, South Korea. And while Chan is regularly asked if MSG plans on hosting tours outside of Manhattan's Chinatown (New York has nine Chinatowns in total), Chan knows that her mission is here.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Families remember Chinese immigrant railroad workers
NEW YORK (PIX11) — Railroads and infrastructure help shape a city and a country. Chinese immigrants had an important role in the creation of the first railroad across the United States. But some of their family members say their contributions have been forgotten. More Local News The first Transcontinental Railroad was finished officially in 1869, and it connected the western and eastern United States. Joseph Luo from Brooklyn can trace his family back five generations to a great-great-great-grandfather who worked on the project. He has copies of letters and pictures that reveal more of the history and emotional aspects of the construction. He says his grandma in China first told him about the connection to the Chinese immigrants who built the first railroad connecting the U.S. 'The documents show they worked in hard and dangerous conditions to build the railroad,' Luo said. More than 12,000 Chinese immigrants are believed to have been among the crews working on the giant project that began from both an eastern and western front. Luo is involved with the Chinese Railroad Workers Descendants Association. The Chinese immigrants were essential to the completion of the work through the mountains of the West. The group is working to shine a light on the depth of the immigrants' stories. They were laid less for more work in dangerous conditions. The association has created a mobile exhibit. When the tracks met in Utah, workers and officials appeared in famous pictures. The Chinese crews are not a part of the showcase. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State Michael Lee is the director of the Museum of Chinese in America on Centre Street in Chinatown. 'Either they were done with their work, or they weren't invited to the celebration. You can see how history is written through a single image,' he said, pointing at a famous image. The museum features an area on labor and construction. Stanley Ng is a Chinese American who wants to help educate more people. He says it also refocused the narrative on discrimination. and unfair practices. 'The story has been passed down. They were here all alone. No family. They were motivated to make money and send it back home,' he said. William Colton is A New York State Assemblymember representing Brooklyn. 'We want to help people learn and credit them for the family history. That brings us together. It's what the American dream is really all about,' Colton said. The family association is working with the state of New York to bring presentations to museums, schools, and the New York State Fair. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
