Asian American Studies 197A
Winter Quarter 2002

Political Tour of Communities

Political Tour of Chinatown
By Aimee Pham

Initially, I wanted to visit the Garment District since my committee topic involves that area. Then, since Steve Wong and Leslie Ito-Wong generously offered their expertise to lead a political tour I decided to sign up for a visit to Chinatown. During the time leading up to the tour, I was looking forward to a visit to Queen’s Bakery for some rice puffs. Also, this was an excellent move because by some misunderstanding I was not able to complete the tour of the Garment District in time to write this paper.

My previous knowledge of this community was limited. Since I am from Northern California, and this is my first quarter here at UCLA, I was not even aware of most of the significant issues affecting Asian Americans in this area. Earlier Asian American Studies classes I had taken at my community college equipped me with some basic knowledge and history of Asian Americans. I learned about subjects like the travelers to the Gold Mountain, the Southeast Asian refugees, laborers in Hawaii, prisoners in U.S. internment camps, and "picture brides." I did not come across information about current issues specifically affecting Asian Americans often, but when I did learn things, they mostly involved members of the Bay Area. Although I was aware that labor struggles existed for Asian Americans, it has never seemed so real until I moved to Los Angeles. One class I had taken last quarter better prepared me for the issues involving the growing class disparities and the use of race by those in power, to divide and conquer the masses. The new knowledge I learned in this class better prepared me to visit ethnic enclaves with a more open attitude.

Prior to my political tour of Chinatown, I began checking sites on the internet to get a feel for what was important to those in the area. I found out that by 1852, the first Chinese immigrants could be found in Los Angeles and that by 1870, about 200 immigrants had settled in the Calle de lost Negros or what my tour guide said was a euphemism for Nigger Alley. These immigrants had jobs as farm laborers, servants, road builders, and small shopkeepers. I also discovered that with a population of almost 400,000 people, the Chinese American community played an instrumental part in the development of Los Angeles and maintains a similar position in Los Angeles County today.
Based on our discussions in class, I wanted to examine issues like housing problems, sweatshops, immigrant lives, government authority, community organizations, corporate presence and history from a political standpoint. While I do not know for a fact that this is true, I think that these issues are well-covered in Asian American and Ethnic studies classes at UCLA. Again, my judgment may not be accurate because I have not taken many classes yet.

One aspect of the community that was well emphasized during my political tour was the artistic expression of community members. Steve began by showing us several works of art beginning at the Union train station, also known as the site of the Old Chinatown. He began with Richard Wyatt’s Mural 95 and continued with Oscar Weathersby and May Sun’s Aquarium, May Sun’s Riverbench and Floor. From there, we moved onto Olvera Street and viewed Eduardo Carrillo’s Father Hidalgo in Front of the Church of Dolores Tile Mural, Luis Becerra’s Libertad, and David Alfaro Siqueiros’ Tropical America.

Furthermore, we visited China City which opened in 1938 and served as a place for Chinese populations to move after the destruction of Old Chinatown. Next we saw Cathay Manor, a senior citizen low-income project where elderly Chinese Americans can spend the latter part of their life and the Chinatown Service Center and its Youth Center, which are nonprofit multi-service centers that provide multilingual social services, medical services, employment training, and counseling to Asians. I was especially impressed with the goals of this organization because they wanted to assist Asians in enhancing their abilities to contribute to the social, economic, and cultural aspects of American society.

Next, we stopped at Cathay Bank, which is the first Chinese-American owned bank in Southern California established in 1962. Steve pointed out the significance of this bank to us by reminding us that Chinese-Americans had a difficult time finding a safe place to keep their money. They often kept their valuables in their homes, since they did not trust the American businesses to keep their money, and thus were subject to many robberies. This was an establishment they could trust.
After that, we passed by Superior Poultry, a victim of the culturally insensitive food officials who claimed that the methods of preparation for the Chinese roasted duck were not sanitary. They argued that the rather ancient methods of immersing the duck in salted water and then leaving it in un-refrigerated conditions created a breeding ground for bacteria, thus making the duck unsafe for its consumers. The officials then insisted that the restaurants either change their methods, stop serving the duck, or close down. Resistance from the community forced the officials to have the ducks taken to a laboratory and tested for bacteria. No bacteria were found and the ancient traditions continued.

Then we proceeded to New Chinatown which is the home to many old storefronts as well as some new chic fashion boutiques and art galleries. We went inside Tokyo a go-go where we were surrounded by the latest fashions with a uniquely exotic twist. It was my first taste to Chinatown’s newest generation. Likewise, we stood outside of the many art galleries that are the homes to aspiring new artists. It was Saturday, so most of them were not open, but I hope to return and see them soon.
I would love to share my knowledge with UCLA students through being a part of political tours of Chinatown and other ethnic enclaves. I believe that bringing knowledge to the masses is truly an instigator for change. I am an example of one student who did not know much about Chinatown, but thought what I knew was adequate. There is so much more to Chinatown and other ethnic enclaves than the delicious food and the well-priced artifacts. There is a history with real people and live culture that should be made known to anyone who will listen or even those who will not.

I think the only way I will be able to continue to increase my minimal understanding of Chinatown is to become a part of it. During the tour, the one place that stuck in my mind was the Chinatown Service Center’s Youth Center. Also, my fellow tour go-er had participated in an internship at the Chinese American Museum of Los Angeles two years ago which helped him learn much more about Chinatown. I think I will look into ways I which I may be able to maintain a presence within this community, so that I may be able to witness changes, assist with any actions that need to be made and learn more about the people that make Chinatown their home.

I think with some more research about Chinatown and some more visits there I will be able to conduct a future political tour for other students. I think it is a fantastic opportunity to pass on your knowledge and your own view of the place that others may not see. I found it interesting how during most of my tour, Steve concentrated on the artwork throughout Chinatown. I loved seeing what he thought was important and worthy of our time. I am sure that others would be as interested as I was and would like to know what I think is important about Chinatown.

Based on my political tour, I feel that students should accumulate knowledge so that they may be more culturally aware during their visits to an ethnic enclave. They should not just go there to shop and eat, but also observe the changing dynamics of the storefronts and the people. Moreover, they should actively participate in the revitalization of these communities, whether it is by volunteering to tutor students or by donating their time to help change the lives of low-income residents by educating them.