Day 5

It’s our last full day in New York. We went over to Flushing, Queens for the first time
this trip and ate some of the best Xiao Long Baos, but of course that was not the purpose of the
commute. There, we met with a community group called Asian Americans For Equality (AAFE),
who does similar things as our organization, such as serving those in the Chinatown
neighborhood, help find/provide housing for immigrants and families that are low income, and
maintained a youth program that also assist with the community through volunteering events.
They gave us a tour of Flushing. They talk about medical, business, and street design in
Flushing. I have learn that New York was first colonized by the Dutch. However New York was
named after the Duke of York known as King James II. King Charles II of England, James’s
older brother, who had entitled James II to be a proprietor, ownership of New Netherlands and
New Amsterdam property. From the land that England had took from the Dutch. The town hall
in Flushing was designed in Romanesque revival style. The town hall had been used in different
ways such as an opera, prison and now an art museum.

The structure of their youth program is a bit different from ours, which could just be their
own preference, but other than that it’s similar in the way that we both serve our communities.
Some differences between AAFE and CCDC are AAFE split up their youth program depends on
their grade (Freshman and sophomore) (Junior and senior), CCDC (AAA, YSRO, Campaign,
CATS). CCDC youth program is youth run youth lead. Asian American For Equality provided
after school program for the youth in school. AAFE’s youth program has connections with the
school.

Through their presentation and tour about Flushing, a neighborhood in Queens, I learned
that their Chinatown has a different story in comparison to Manhattan and San Francisco’s which
their stories are very similar. First off, just by taking a step into that area, I immediately notice
their Chinatown looks very modernized, with newly constructed buildings while Manhattan and
San Francisco’s look old with their hundred year old buildings. However, the most interesting
part, which is really the part that defined their differences, is Flushing Chinatown is being gentrified by their own people, while in Manhattan and San Francisco; gentrification is done by
outsiders who are more affluent. It might seem weird how Manhattan and Flushing Chinatown
are both part of NYC but yet are polar opposites. The reason for this could be the fact that
Manhattan is a busy and developing city, just like San Francisco is which is why I think land and
space in those cities are in high demand. As a result, it makes it extremely easy for tech workers
and others with high paying jobs to come into poor/lower income neighborhoods like Chinatown
and out compete small businesses and residences in rent prices and other expenses.
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-Chao Zhang, Diana Li, Nikki Wong