Spring 2020 Newsletter
Resiliency. Reflection. Rebuilding.
Dear Friends of ACDC,

We are continuously amazed by the resiliency of the Asian community. We are living in a time of new unknowns - amidst a global health pandemic and a global movement for social equity.

When one is awakened to injustice, it is tempting to look the other way. Instead, we see a multigenerational, multiracial movement that forces one to look within oneself. At ACDC, we are proud to be a part of this movement.

Our work is far from done. In this newsletter, you will learn how our team has been responding to the COVID-19 crisis and the movement for racial justice. We need your support to assist more low-income Asian families in accessing relief and assistance, and achieving housing and financial security; to empower our youth to become tomorrow’s leaders; and to rebuild our communities with equity and justice.

As social justice movement grows, Chinatown takes stock

In the aftermath of a peaceful protest that ended in sporadic violence and looting a couple of weeks ago, Angie Liou sat down and wrote her community a letter.

Read more
www.bostonglobe.com
This month, the 2020 Boston Chinatown Master Plan was officially released.

ACDC has been integral to the two-year community planning process that culminated in this plan, which calls for more affordable housing, better zoning protections and enforcement, more public realm improvements, and historic preservation. We also need a comprehensive econo mic development plan to ensure the viability of our small businesses in light of the pandemic.
In Quincy, we:
  • knocked on 1,000 doors;
  • completed phone and text banking to 3,275 people;
  • disseminated 5,000 flyers; and
  • reached an estimated 100,000 people through newspaper ads.

ACDC is conducting outreach to our communities of Quincy and Malden. Responses help fund programs and services including housing assistance, community health centers, SNAP and more benefits.
In Malden, we:
  • provided bilingual education to senior centers and 115 elders signed pledge cards;
  • distributed bags with bilingual information to 359 local health care workers; and
  • conducted 1,648 phone banking attempts.
Our Building Blocks program provides immigrant families with the tools for financial and housing security.
In response to COVID-19, our staff has increased their time and capacity to help the Asian immigrant community access resources such as Unemployment Insurance, Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT), and more.

We have moved our first-time home buyer workshops to a virtual platform until October. See our schedule and register here.
As of June 1st, 2020, the Asian Community Emergency Relief Fund has helped 245 families, totalling 721 individuals.

The Relief Fund has brought to light the social inequities and racial injustices faced by immigrants of color.
  • For many applicants, the Relief Fund was the first time they had heard about resources they were eligible for. Many required language assistance to apply.
  • Hate crimes against Asians have increased.
  • Immigrants who have been in the US for less than five years are ineligible for most public benefits. There is fear that becoming a “public charge” will prevent them from gaining citizenship.
A-VOYCE pivoted its programming to take action in light of current events by:
  • planning to host food carts in Phillips Square;
  • marketing local restaurants to support businesses; and
  • creating virtual cookbooks to encourage care, storytelling and representation.
A-VOYCE youth celebrated the end of the school year program. During this time of racial consciousness, youth compiled and created a bilingual toolkit to have challenging and thoughtful conversations about race in light of xenophobic sentiments and anti-Blackness. Youth attended the vigil for George Floyd hosted by the Malden Community Organizing for Racial Equity, and continued to grapple with their own cultural identities, privileges and stereotypes.
Residence Lab is a collaboration between ACDC, BCNC Pao Arts Center, local residents, and creatives to shape Chinatown amidst change. It is generously supported by ArtPlace America and the Barr Foundation.

ResLab is a 4-month program that equips immigrant working adults - who are often excluded from traditional public planning - to shape land decisions using art. Participants are provided with stipends, interpreters and laptops to remove barriers of entry for working immigrant adults.
When I won the lottery to move to Chinatown, I was nervous because coming from mostly Black or Brown communities, I was worried it would be like the one time I lived in suburbia and neighbors called the cops on me for playing music, or that I would be considered to be too loud. But I've loved living here and feel welcomed.I grew up in Jamaica Plain and saw gentrification happening there, so I know how important it is to preserve culture and want to honor Chinatown's rich vibrancy. - Dianyvet, 88 Hudson Street Resident
The Heart of the Community Dim Sum Breakfast has been rescheduled to Friday, September 18th at 9:30am. Please join us to celebrate 33 years of building affordable homes, empowering families and strengthening communities, as we honor those who have worked tirelessly to support working families and the Asian American community.