April 25, 2025 | Vol. 54, Issue 8

The only bilingual Chinese-English Newspaper in New England

Boston

Tufts Medical Center Dedicates Building to Dr. Deeb Salem

After contributing 50 years of resounding leadership at Tufts Medical Center, Dr. Deeb Salem will be celebrated on Friday, May 19th with the dedication of The Salem Building at 35 Kneeland Street on the TMC campus. Sampan had the honor of interviewing with Dr. Salem on the eve of this lifetime recognition. “ I come from an immigrant family and grew up in Brooklyn. My parents had almost no education. My mother came from Syria and my father came from […]

Mass. Mayors Sign Historic Compact Committing to Diversity in Real Estate

Mayors from Cambridge, Lynn, Salem and Somerville joined with leaders from the City of Boston and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll on Monday, May 8 to sign the CommonWealth Development Compact, committing to historic 25 percent Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) evaluation criteria in public real estate development projects within their municipalities, as well as groundbreaking DEI considerations in private real estate projects. Minority-and women-owned businesses have been severely underrepresented in real estate development, comprising less than one percent of developers […]

Katsushika Hokusai: One of the Most Famous and Influential Artists of All Time at MFA

Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) was groundbreaking at his time. He had a major impact on the development of Japanese art. He was innovative in his use of color, composition, and subject matter, and his work influenced many subsequent artists. Hokusai’s images of landscapes, nature, and everyday life have almost become synonymous with traditional Japanese art, and his influence can be seen in everything from anime and manga to contemporary graphic design. From now until July 16, 2023, the Museum of Fine […]

Virtual Public Meeting Scheduled Regarding Cannabis Dispensary Proposal in Chinatown

When it comes to arguments about safety and community safety and the ethics of legalized drugs, sometimes it’s hard to immediately dismiss the financial advantages. Massachusetts legalized adult-use cannabis in November 2018, and since then the state has collected $3.9 billion in total gross sales. Between January 1 and December 18, 2022, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission reported the sale of 1.42 billion dollars’ worth of cannabis and cannabis-related accessories. If we compare this to the other two members in […]

Fire Safety Event Offers Alarm Installation, Seeks Chinese-Speaking Volunteers

The Red Cross of Massachusetts is sounding the alarm on fire safety later this month — and seeking volunteers to help in its effort. The nonprofit will hold its “Sound the Alarm” event in Dorchester and Roxbury on Saturday, April 29, and offer free fire alarm installations and assistance. “Sound the Alarm” is part of a nationwide Red Cross effort to help reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by home fires, says the group. Home fires are the […]

Independent Iranians of Boston Keeping Protests Alive for Regime Change in Homeland

On a brisk Saturday afternoon, more than three dozen local Iranian Americans and their allies gathered in front of Trinity Church in Copley Square for another protest against atrocities committed by the Iranian government. Some draped themselves in the flag of the old Iranian government, symbolizing better times in their country, while others carried placards portraying victims who have been executed for peacefully protesting against the government’s human rights violations. “Zan. Zendegi. Azadi,’’ they shouted in Farsi, which translates to […]

Gambling Addiction: A Public Health Issue in Asian Communities

How much gambling has negatively impacted Asian communities nationwide becomes increasingly more apparent each time major casinos enter into bidding processes. In a 2019 chicagobusiness.com report, Wynn Resorts explicitly stated their interest in focusing on “high-end Asian gamblers” for their Encore casino in Everett. In a December 2022 New York Times article about Asians and casinos in the New York area, the “complicated relationship” the gambling industry has with its Asian customer base was even more clearly illustrated: “Many of […]

Chinatown’s Shops, Eateries Show Resiliency Amid COVID, Says Key Business Leader

Despite the obstacles faced over the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinatown’s businesses remained strong, enduring the toughest months of the outbreak. That was a key takeaway from an interview with Chinatown Business Association President Teresa Tsoi. The Sampan recently sat down with Tsoi to discuss the livelihood of the neighborhood’s shops and restaurants. Following is a lightly edited transcript: No one was prepared for the pandemic. In the Chinatown Business Association, about 98 % of the members are businesses in the Chinatown, […]

Cannabis Shop Plans Fire Up Some in Chinatown

“I’m a recovering substance abuser,” William told Sampan. “My friends know this, my family knows this. I am all too aware of the problems that come when an addict’s drug of choice, like tobacco and alcohol, is legal and easily available. I’m also aware of the regulations in place for sale and distribution and the resources available for treatment to prevent addiction.” He is 67 yrs old, and has owned a Cannabis Shop in Lowell for over 6 years. He […]

Mayor Wu’s Rent Stabilization Effort Draws Praise, Criticism

In a city synonymous with high housing costs, residents of Boston have long dealt with the soaring cost of rent. In fact, for the past several years, Zillow has listed Boston as one of the top 5 most expensive rental markets in the nation. A recent 2022 report by the Greater Boston Association of Realtors’ showed that between 2019 and 2022, is the same time for the median cost of a single-family home rose by 26%.          In the face of […]

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