July 19, 2013 was a warm summer evening when Chinatown Community for Equitable Development (CCED) opened its photography exhibit at the Chinese American Museum. About 290 people came out to celebrate the opening of “The Streets Between Us” which showcases the visions and voices of Chinatown residents and small businesses.
As part of the on-going struggle to keep WalMart out of Chinatown because of its track record of taking out the neighborhood small store owners, local residents and small businesses were given disposable cameras to photograph what they call “home.”
As CCED’s Facebook page for the exhibit states:
“The Streets Between Us” tells the story of community member’s daily lives in a rapidly changing Chinatown. Through the eyes of nine community members and participants, the exhibit creatively documents the everyday experiences of long-time Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Thai residents and small business owners of different ages and genders, and what they hope for Chinatown.
All exhibit text is in English, Chinese, and Spanish
“From their unique perspectives, scenes of a familiar ‘home’ emerge, despite the growing reality that the neighborhood is at the crossroads of a development and housing struggle.
“CCED holds ‘The Streets Between Us’ to show the beauty of the neighborhood but also fight for its preservation.”
The exhibit will be on-going until September 19, 2013, thanks to the community support from the Chinese American Museum (CAM). There is also a complementary exhibit at CAM on the history of Monterey Park (aka Chinatown East).
CCED has been the only Chinatown grassroots organization to organize, mobilize, and create a presence in Chinatown that is opposed to the destruction of the mom-and-pop store character that has historically made Chinatown Chinatown. CCED just marked its first anniversary with a successful celebration dinner last month. From its beginning last year in June when CCED joined the powerful ranks of union labor against WalMart, the heart of the organization has been high school and college students who have grown up in Chinatown representing Asian and Latino residents—but CCED is a multigenerational group of students, teachers, residents, older adults, and activists. “The Streets Between Us” gives testament to the creative energy and contagious spirit that makes CCED one to watch for!
Resident and small business community photographers” and supporting organizations of “The Streets Between Us.”
Trilingual captions
A lively crowd attentively listens to program of speakers.
Featured speakers for program: (from left) Stefanie Ritoper, Jenny Lin, and Preeti Sharma, the three organizers of the exhibit, are introduced by John Allan Angkham, one of the local business owner/photographers in the exhibit.
Steve Wong, Interim Director and Curator of the Chinese American Museum (CAM).
Bob Lee, Chinatown small business owner, speaks to an enthusiastic crowd.
The senior ladies of Chinatown and CCED organizer Sophia Cheng look at photographs together opening night.
Plentiful and refreshing food for the warm summer night made a festive event.
CCED’s own “mom-and-pop” Diane Tan and King Cheung.
Diane Tan introduces CAM board members and important guests attending the evening’s event.
Amerasia on Facebook!
Thank you for the excellent coverage, Mary!