Greater Chinatown Community Association
Annual Fundraiser Builds Unity

It’s Chinese New Year and 2009 is the Year of the Ox. This evening I had the pleasure of learning more about the Greater Chinatown Community Association’s (www.gccanyc.org) work impacting citizens and youth who live in lower Manhattan.

Representing a diverse array of civic and leadership groups, GCCA was established in 1972 and works to support the nation’s largest Chinese American population, which reside within New York City’s five boroughs. Executive Director Kendra Lee did a fabulous job of managing the annual fundraiser, which benefits a wide range of
unique individualized program services.

The festive evening included a Lion Dance, whereby dinner guests presented envelopes of money, a symbol of good luck. Perhaps the highlight was performer Jian Rong Zhao, who deftly performed a ninja “face-changing” performance, literally changing masks in mid-air from ebony black … to red … to white … to red/white/blue and a few colors in between.

What a strong message; Jian was a true chameleon celebrating how our society is constantly blending, changing, evolving … as he worked the room from the main stage to the perimeter.

In addition to BPRSNY (www.bprsny.org) colleagues Mike Millis and Gordon Balkcom, my dinner companions included and a warm introduction from Japanese-American Suki Terada Ports who despite her career in the health arena, has the natural charm of a PR pro.

A community health organizer with expertise in AIDS outreach to multicultural patients and their families, Suki has founded several organizations, including the Family Health Project, that give people hope and help them beat the odds. Petite and driven, she introduces me to June Jee, a Verizon executive who turns out is a graduate of City College where I teach. Needless to say, June is a role model and supporter and embraced by many in the room.

The crowd brimmed with optimism, which ultimately breeds opportunity. You just can’t stop the natural momentum of honest exchanges between races.

As we all remarked on the beauty of our broad cultures, Suki explained how one of her children was born at now-defunct Convent Avenue Hospital, where her Japanese American physician was granted privileges; other hospitals decades ago would not allow him to practice or patients to be treated. She also revealed how when she lived in Georgia, how she had to always ask herself which fountain she could or should drink from, the one marked “colored” or the one marked “whites only.”

Suki, a 74 year old Japanese American woman, offered to share the story of the internment camps with youth who participate in Howard Chin’s Chinese American Student Exposure after school program. He explains young people often don’t truly understand the civil rights movement and other important milestones which have provided benefits for all Americans. He tries to informally teach these lessons as he befriends them, encouraging them to get involved in student government and participate in community affairs. He advises youth to look out for others instead of only being out for self.

Many dinner partners shared that it is our job as elders, teachers and community leaders to keep EVERYONE’S story alive.

Me, I remember learning about internment camps about 15 years ago, during a PBS television special. Wondering if I had somehow been absent that day from school when it was discussed, I surmised it probably wasn’t taught in the South where I grew up. At best, it was a paragraph and if there wasn’t an Asian American student in class to relay the full story, it probably got short shrift.

Back in my day, I grew up learning about the civil rights movement from my parents in grandparents; my grandmother was an attorney. She and others made sure others’ rights were protected.

Yes, there were a few Asians at my high school but not many. Perhaps that’s why I was ultimately drawn to New York. Deep inside I’ve always had a fascination for all things cultural, which led to a career as a multicultural marketing specialist.

Suki is the same age as my mother Juanita and it seems their stories are so similar.

As the evening continued, other wonderful souls joined the conversation, including a lovely woman who patiently gave me tutoring in proper chopstick use. Yes, I manage to fumble in restaurants or at home, but the time she took to prep me was simply priceless.

From my long and frequent walks throughout Chinatown and the Lower East Side, I feel a wonderful connection to Asian cultures and other people from faraway lands.

It was a wonderful Chinese New Year and an eye-opening way to spend Martin Luther King’s birthday; a night I will long remember. It’s incumbent on my generation to pass on these messages and strengthen the ties that bind. Too many people have died for the right and honor we all have to sit and reflect on how far we have come.

A CNN newscast today featured friends of Medgar Evers who was assassinated in Mississippi during the civil rights movement. The reporter asked the friends what Medgar might have said on the eve of an African American president?

“You’ve done well, brother” said a comrade. Then, in lock step they agreed the fight of past generations was not in vein. It’s incumbent upon us all to broaden our circle of friendships and connections to get accomplish even more.

Onward, in lock step as we continue to achieve, together!

[ FYI, my favorite Chinatown shops are Lin Sisters Herbal at 4 Bowery Street and T’s Herbal on 197 Hester Street. A kind Asian doctor helped me about 4 years ago with a wonderful brew that eased clogged circulation. He advised me to be patient and said it would take time. I took his advice, drank the bitter potion and was cured in about three months. I also took his advice to reduce stress, take better care of myself and that’s when I got even more serious about my walking regimen. Those were the days; days I have to get back to, because long walks offer the ultimate relaxation. GCCA plans a few walking tours in the spring; stay tuned! ]