在唐人街上雕刻未来的年轻人

This is the second in a series of "Community Voices" articles developed by New Mainstream Press in partnership with the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, with support from the Independence Public Media Foundation. The "Community Voices" project aims to increase the visibility of the Asian American communities in Philadelphia. The series, sourced from grassroots networks and community leaders, will further highlight the Community’s  strengths, challenges, and histories through a yearlong feature series of journalistic work about post-COVID reopening.

When you catch sight of an ancient-style Chinese archway, you know you are in Philadelphia’s Chinatown. Through the arch, past a myriad of shops proudly displaying neon Chinese characters, a trendy little ice cream shop comes into view. Behold Surreal Creamery.

Wayne Chen is a 22 year-old Drexel University student who makes the daily commute from Northeast Philly to work at Chinatown’s Surreal Creamery.

Although Wayne 's family doesn't live in Chinatown, he is no stranger to it. His parents immigrated from Fuzhou, China, to the United States many years ago and ran a restaurant in Chinatown. Two months after Chen Xuehai was born, his parents moved out of Chinatown in their search for better living conditions and a safer environment.. His father now works as a chef in a restaurant in Northeast Philly and his mother manages a doughnut shop.

Despite having moved out of Chinatown as an infant, Wayne’s life remained closely intertwined with that of the Chinatown community. "Although I don't live in Chinatown, I often visit and occasionally go there with my parents to visit some friends."

In high school participated in the "Young Leaders" programs spearheaded by the "Asian American United" organization, Tutoring young children through the program greatly benefited him, giving him further insight into Philadelphia's Chinatown. Regarding changes in Chinatown, Wayne  says, "I think there have been significant changes in Philly's Chinatown. It has become more diverse. Now, you can find various types of shops, including many trendy ones. In the past, it felt like there were mostly Chinese people on the streets, but now you see people of all ethnicities and many tourists as well."

The ice cream shop where Wayne works is a "hotspot" loved by many young people. While some customers speak to him in Chinese, he also increasingly communicates with English-speaking customers.

Apart from work, Wayne also spends time in Chinatown with his friends. "Recently, I've been enjoying eating at 'Cily Chicken Rice' in Chinatown with my friends, and we also come here to sing karaoke." Wayne also described a personal Chinatown favorite,"It's called 'Ming River Sidewalk Cafe,' a small place selling Fujian breakfast and snacks. I also like Western food, but I still maintain my 'Chinese stomach.' Maybe it's because I frequently ate at this little eatery when I was very young, so every time I go there, I feel very comfortable, like coming home."

Stanley Gao and Miranda Gao are siblings living with their parents and grandparents in Chinatown. Their parents came to Philadelphia about 20 years ago, their father previously working in restaurants and now being employed as a construction worker while their mother takes care of them at home. Their residence is on the quieter side of Chinatown, near Vine Street.

Elder brother Stanley Gao is a student at Central High in Philadelphia. Miranda attends school a few blocks away at McCall Elementary and Middle School. Having lived in Chinatown for many years, the siblings hold a deep affection for this small corner of the city. "I think what fascinates me most about Philadelphia's Chinatown is the variety of cuisines," said Stanley. He believes that even though Chinatown is small, its value is underestimated.

For Miranda, regardless of where she wants to go, Chinatown will always be her starting point. "I find Chinatown very convenient; from here, I can easily reach all the places I want to go, such as restaurants, shops, green spaces, bus stops, museums, and schools, not to mention the amazing food here."

Speaking about the changes in Chinatown over the past few years, Miranda feels that "compared to before, it seems like more people are coming to Chinatown. But there are concerns, too, because it seems like more stores are closing, and many people have moved away. Many Chinese students are in our class, but only 4 or 5 live in Chinatown." Stanley observed that Chinatown became less safe after the police station moved away. He said, "I also heard from my mom that they plan to build a juvenile detention center on the former site of the Chinatown police station. Honestly, I'm shocked and feel it's not good for Chinatown."

Like many of the students living in Chinatown, Stanley commutes to school using the Septa subway. He still vividly remembers the incident in the fall of 2021 when a Chinese female student was assaulted on the Septa. He had just started high school. "Later on, I became a contact between various communities and school districts to ensure that the Philadelphia School District is well-informed about all students’ safety, including Asian students," said Stanley.

Regarding the increasing number of Asians who share their stories today, Stanley believes that Chinatown will bring a greater sense of identity to Chinese people. He said, "I am a  member of the Philadelphia Suns Lion Dance Team. I have participated in the Lantern Festival auction and volunteered at the Mid-Autumn Festival event in Chinatown. I actively participate in various activities because they help us understand our culture."

As for the topic of identity, Miranda believes that "a sense of identity is an inner feeling that can come from many sources, such as our family and parents. Although I live in Chinatown, I don't deliberately set something to feel the presence of Chinese culture; it naturally gives me a sense of identity."

When asked what they would like to ask the Mayor of Philadelphia if given the opportunity, Stanley had no hesitation in answering, "I want to ask him to prove the new stadium for the 76ers and the juvenile detention center are good for Chinatown. Government officials always claim these projects are good for Chinatown, but I haven't seen any data or specific reasons. How do you prove they are good?"

Miranda's attitude is even more resolute, "We need better public safety and more green spaces. The Chinese businesses in Chinatown are stable, and we want more traditional Chinese restaurants. Adding other stores is also okay if there is space for them, but we don't need projects like the 76ers' stadium, and let's forget about the juvenile detention center too."

Nina Zimmerman is a 20 year-old white college student at Tufts University. Having been born in Hong Kong and then having lived in Beijing for fourteen years, Nina is a fluent Mandarin speaker.

Six years ago, Nina bid farewell to China and moved with her family from Beijing to Philadelphia. For this reason, Philadelphia’s Chinatown evokes fond memories of her time in Beijing. She says, "The vegetables and fruits sold on the roadside and the people walking on the sidewalks always remind me of China. It's very similar."That being said, the compactness of Chinatown prevents Nina from fully feeling like she’s back in Beijing. “Chinatown might create a stronger connection to China if it could span more streets as opposed to being something reminiscent of an isolated island in the center of Philadelphia ”

Given the fact that Nina currently attends college in Boston, she hasn't had many opportunities to visit Chinatown. That being said, whenever she has the time , she heads straight over to enjoy the various food options. Her favorite restaurants include Mango Mango Dessert and Nom Wah, and she especially enjoys "Happy Lamb" hotpot, saying, "It's so yummy!"

When Nina heard about the plans for the new stadium for the 76ers, her face expressed shock. "It's terrifying! Every citizen in Philadelphia should be treated equally, and any action that drives them away from their homes is unacceptable." According to Nina, while Philadelphia may pursue brotherly love and the development of sports and the economy, none of these goals should infringe upon the historic and cultural districts of the city.

"I think Chinatown not only should not be encroached upon but also needs better protection, such as being designated as a historical and cultural preservation district, and anything that doesn't align with Chinatown's essence should be removed to make it purer."

Following our interview, Nina left  for Taiwan where she will study and spend her summer vacation. She anticipates trips to Chinatown upon her return to Philadelphia; hopefully, Chinatown will still be quietly waiting for her everytime she returns.

Olivia Mack is a teacher at Folk Arts Cultural - Treasures Charter School and she primarily works with students struggling with their studies as a result classes being moved online post-pandemic. . Her job is to help students who are struggling with their studies. Due to the pandemic, many classes have shifted online, and the effectiveness of online learning is not as good as in-person classes, resulting in some children falling behind.

This year marks Olivia's third year working at the Folk Arts Cultural - Treasures Charter School. Most of the students there are of Chinese descent living in or around Chinatown and they converse in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Fujianese, allowing Olivia to navigate her work. Her fluency in both Mandarin and Cantonese is especially handy as she is able to translate for her English-speaking colleagues. She believes that when students work with Chinese teachers using language they understand, it helps them better connect with the learning process. Olivia takes pride in her work and speaks fondly of her experiences.

Like many young people, Olivia's parents moved away from Chinatown during her childhood. However, she still has profound memories of. Her parents are both of Chinese descent，her father being born in Vietnam and her mother being born in Laos. They immigrated to the United States when they were very young. Olivia's early years were spent living with her parents in a fish shop they owned in Chinatown. She recalls the busy atmosphere of the shop, both people and delivery trucks coming and going.

"Chinatown was vibrant back then, with many festive events like Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival. People used to have barbecues near the church in Chinatown. Some of these activities still happen, but not as frequently." Unfortunately, a fire broke out in her parents' fish shop, leading them to move to South Philadelphia. Her father currently works in construction and her mother works at a bank.

However, Olivia's sense of belonging to Chinatown found continuity through Chinese New Year lion dance performances. Her uncle was a member of the Philadelphia Suns Lion Dance Team in Chinatown when he was in high school. After graduating, he continued to be involved in community activities, including coaching a junior lion dance team. "I remember that after playing basketball, we would spend 20 minutes together learning lion dance techniques, such as walking and performing like a lion. If someone wanted to learn more, we practiced on Sundays, wearing lion heads and costumes, following the music."

"I was pulled into learning lion dance by my uncle. When I got there, I found many of my friends, including teammates I played basketball with at school, were also part of the Sun Lion Dance Team. We all lived in or near Chinatown and knew each other, so we became friends."

Even before joining the Philadelphia Suns Lion Dance Team, Olivia had some exposure to Lion Dance. Her grandmother bought DVDs of lion dance performances and showed them to Olivia and her brother. Those videos featured more professional performances, with lions leaping and doing acrobatics on poles. Witnessing live Lion Dance performances awakened a deep sense of cultural identity within Olivia’s heart.

During the Chinese New Year, the Philadelphia Suns Lion Dance Team in Chinatown would be very busy, performing almost every weekend from February to April. "I usually don't do the lion head in the performance because it's more challenging. I prefer to handle the lion tail." During the interview, Olivia recalled a time when she exerted all her strength to swing the lion's tail. "I enjoy performing Lion Dance because so many people are watching, and they love it. I didn't realize how joyful it is to share my culture with others." Lion Dance  connects Olivia to both Chinatown and e rich traditional Chinese culture, she celebrates its significance.

Although she doesn't live in Chinatown, Olivia still cares deeply about its future. "Regardless of whether I live here or not, Chinatown is my home. I am familiar with everything here, and I can always find friends to hang out and chat with. People in Chinatown are so nice and caring."

Like many young people, Olivia worries about Chinatown's future.  She fears that more shops will close and more people will leave. She also expresses concern about the plans for the new stadium for the Philadelphia 76ers. "I personally don't think it's a good idea. There have been previous plans that squeezed Chinatown, such as casinos and highways. I feel that these things bring more traffic and make Chinatown smaller. It's not what Chinatown needs, and it's not fair to the longtime residents of Chinatown."

As the sun sets in the west,  the Philadelphia Chinatown is bathed in a golden glow. Stanley Gao and Miranda Gao are diligently completing their family homework. Wayne Chen is sitting at Ming River sidewalk cafe,having just been served a bowl of wonton soup. Olivia Mack is watching the last few students in her class being picked up by their parents.

Coincidentally Folk Arts Cultural - Treasures Charter Schoolwhere Olivia works, is an example of the  growing movement to protect Chinatown. This charter school, which has received the prestigious "Blue Ribbon" award, was developed as  the direct result of the successful efforts of the unified Chinatown community’s ability to  prevent infrastructural plans of building a baseball field and casino from going into effect.

The Folk Arts Cultural - Treasures Charter School 's presence is intertwined with everything in Chinatown, bearing witness to the trials and tribulations the neighborhood has experienced and carrying the weight of its future...

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