Business

November 20, 2020 0

Let’s talk about taxes… The do’s and don’ts, the why and why nots in filing taxes as an immigrant

Taxes are notoriously complicated. Most might know that it has to do with money, keeping records, and filing them on time. But what else should we know? As part of our Special Finance Issue, Sampan interviewed Melody Tsang and Richard Soo Hoo to provide us with some reminders and a brief overview on the significance of filing taxes. Melody Tsang is Asian American Civic Association’s (AACA) Multi-Services Coordinator and specializes in immigration and tax filings. “Everyone in America has to […]

November 6, 2020 0

Anti-Asian sentiment and lack of space disincentivizes Chinatown outdoor dining

by Christine Mui

By Christine Mui and Jun Li Outdoor dining in Boston has flourished during the last few weeks despite COVID-19 rates steadily rising, but one neighborhood seems to have been left behind. Restaurants in Chinatown, where the pandemic’s economic impacts hit first and hard, have stayed reluctant to make the switch to outdoor dining, choosing to stick to takeout only instead. Approval for outdoor dining requires obtaining temporary extension of a premise permit from the Licensing Board for the City of […]

October 8, 2020 0

Cathay Bank, Economic Justice Project, Ropes & Gray offer free business workshop to Chinatown Community

by guest

Bankers and lawyers have two of the poorest reputations of any professional groups, but on September 23 representatives of these occupations showed their potential for doing good: they teamed up to present the first in a series of free seminars for small-business owners in Chinatown. The event was the combined brainchild of the Economic Justice Project (part of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights), Cathay Bank, and Boston-based firm Ropes & Gray. The EJP has worked in low-income areas like […]

September 4, 2020 0

COVID-19 makes obtaining job training even more challenging

by Carey Lin

By Carey Lin Earlier this year, unemployment rates skyrocketed to 14.7% in April, the highest ever recorded since 1948, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, MassHire Career Centers and services have been limited due to mandatory social distancing measures. While not open to the public, MassHire can still be reached over the phone or online. Nonprofits such as the Asian American Civic Association (AACA) also have services available in career advising, job training, and placement. While many services […]

August 21, 2020 0

Chinatown Master Plan 2020 covers a broad spectrum of future development and community needs

by Lydia Lowe

The Chinatown Master Plan Committee released Master Plan 2020 with two recent launch events, involving more than a hundred participants from the community, local officials, and other interested stakeholders. Chinatown Master Plan 2020 is a 91-page report, with English and Chinese language versions, that includes data snapshots, updated community development priorities, and identification of four “opportunity areas” where development could support community health and stability. Drafted out of a year-and-a-half planning process involving residents, small business owners, community organizations, and […]

August 12, 2020 0

AACA gears up for expansion of job training in Metro-North

by ehsieh

During times of relative prosperity, such as when the unemployment rate was at a recent historic low of 3.5 percent, it is easy for some to ignore the plight of those that are homeless, unemployed, or even underemployed and stuck in a dead end job. Dismissing these individuals by telling them to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps and get a job fails to acknowledge the dirty truth. Existing workforce development systems do not play in the favor of […]

July 24, 2020 0

In an already vulnerable business sector, Black restaurant owners battle to stay open

by Anqi Zhang

At this very moment when the Black Lives Matter movement nationwide encountered the long-lasting Covid-19 pandemic, the situations of small local businesses, especially Black-owned businesses, have been brought to the forefront of public awareness. The restaurant industry in Mass. is approaching $5 billion in lost sales, and 200,000 employees have been laid off since the state government shuttered dine-in business for bars and restaurants March 17, according to Steve Clark, the Director of Government Affairs at Massachusetts Restaurant Association (MRA), […]

May 22, 2020 0

Asian cuisine restaurants coping during Pandemic lockdown

by Carey Lin

By Carey Lin Since Massachusetts went into lockdown due to Covid-19, restaurants have been coping by continuing their takeout business with “no-contact deliveries”. Some restaurants are weathering the storm. Tora, a Japanese restaurant on Tyler Street in Chinatown is “doing okay” and busy with takeout orders, according Eric, a Tora part-time worker. “Weekends are still pretty busy for us,” he said. But those who rely heavily on the dine-in experience such as hot pot, are not as fortunate. Hot […]

March 2, 2020 0

Taiwan trade office shows support for Chinatown businesses

by Yiming Zhao

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston hosted lunch Feb. 26 at the China Pearl to show support for local businesses. (Image courtesy of Yiming Zhao.) The outbreak of Covid-19 has many people worried about dining out, especially in the Chinatown area. Business has suffered because of these public health concerns. To show support for local restaurants, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston hosted lunch Feb. 26 at the China Pearl in Boston with city officials and […]

February 20, 2020 0

Local farm advocates for funding state Health Incentive Program

by Yiming Zhao

Chinese American shoppers buy bok choy from Siena Farms’ stand at Copley Square. Additional SNAP benefits for fresh produce will be unavailable Feb. 23, as state funding is unavailable until May 15. (Image courtesy of Anna Tse.) Chris Kurth has run Siena Farms for the last 20 years. The farm grows organic vegetables on about 45 acres of land, selling them at three farmers market locations in Boston. Kurth grows vegetables for Asian customers, such as daikon radish and bok […]

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