Hello Sampan readers!
I hope you all are having a wonderful summer. It’s hard to believe that we’re already almost at the end of August. I’m personally looking forward to the fall, which is my favorite season in Boston. The weather is starting to cool down, the leaves are changing color, and there are always so many great things to do in the city. Oh and of course, I am all too excited to celebrate the August Moon Festival!
In my family, we usually celebrate the August Moon Festival by attending the festival in Chinatown. We also enjoy eating mooncakes, which are a traditional pastry filled with lotus seed paste or red bean paste (my favorite are the ones with two yolks in the middle). Mooncakes are often given as gifts during the festival, and they are said to represent family unity and prosperity.
I’m also excited to welcome back all of the college kids to Boston.
In the meantime, I wanted to take this opportunity to update you on some of the latest City of Boston initiatives from Mayor Wu.
Mayor Wu Bans Fossil Fuels in New City-Owned Buildings: Mayor Wu recently signed an executive order banning the use of fossil fuels in new city-owned buildings. This is a major step forward in our city’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.
City Invests in Bike Riding Instruction for Kids: The city is also investing in child bikes and bike instruction. This program will help connect Boston’s kids to more summer programming and the opportunity to build lifelong skills. The program will provide free bike instruction to kids ages 4-13 at 15 city sites.
Mayor Wu Announces Space Grants for Local Businesses: Mayor Wu also announced the awardees of the first round of SPACE Grants, which will support 24 Boston entrepreneurs opening new storefronts in vacant spaces throughout the city. This will help to revitalize Boston’s downtown, bring vibrancy to city neighborhoods, and close the racial wealth gap. The grants will provide up to $100,000 to each business to help with lease negotiation, accounting, taxes, regulatory compliance, marketing, and employee-ownership.
Mayor Wu Launches Summer Meal Sites and Farmers Markets: Finally, Mayor Wu launched the annual Summer Meal Sites and Farmers Markets program, which will provide healthy meals at no cost to all youth aged 18 and younger. This program is an effort to close the summer food gap and ensure that all youth have access to nutritious food. The program will operate at 110 sites throughout the city.
I know that these are just a few of the many initiatives that Mayor Wu is working on, and I’m excited to see what we accomplish in the coming months and years.
In the meantime, please stay safe and healthy. And if you see me around Chinatown, be sure to say hello! You can reach out to me directly at chulan.huang@boston.gov. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @ONS_Chinatown. The 311 Constituent Service Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year. Download the 311 app or give the City a call at 617-635-4500 if you have any questions regarding issues in your neighborhood.
Sincerely,
Chulan Huang
Mayor Wu’s Chinatown Liaison
