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October 20, 2023 0

Life-sized exhibit highlights contributions of women of color in STEM

Female scientists stood near life-sized statues — all in vibrant orange — near MIT recently to highlight women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics — fields struggling to close a nagging gender gap. The display, part of #IfThenSheCan exhibit showcasing trailblazers in STEM, paired 3-D printed statues with contemporary women of color innovators at the Cambridge Science Festival at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In the male-dominated world of STEM, both organizers and attendees stressed the importance of showcasing the […]

October 20, 2023 0

A New Strategy for Mass and Cass – and the Opioid Crisis?

by Jeff Millman

Ten years ago, the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard did not yet bear the moniker “Mass and Cass”. Millions of dollars were not spent on emergency services or police overtime in the area. City councilors did not debate about what to do there, and articles were not written about it in national papers. The area’s devolution into its present state as a full-blown humanitarian crisis mirrors the development of the opioid epidemic in the United States, which […]

October 20, 2023 0

The Story of NASA Astronaut Jose Hernandez Is Out of This World

by Tracy Huang

Jose Hernandez was rejected by NASA eleven times. And then, against all odds, he made it to space. Hernandez’s story — and how he went from working farms with his migrant Mexican parents as a child to an astronaut for the U.S. space agency — is portrayed in the film “Million Miles Away.” The movie tells how a poor child was able to make his way to space through consistent training and persistence and was finally able to achieve his […]

October 20, 2023 0

Celebrating the Resiliency of Philippines

by Zoe Liu

Filipino American History Month is annually celebrated in October, to honor the day of the first arrivals of Filipinos in Morro Bay, California in the United States on October 18, 1587. This year, Sampan had the opportunity to speak with John F Maisto, President of the Washington based US -Philippines Society. He explained, “Filipino American History Month is an opportunity to focus on everything Filipino that we have in our country” Politically, this important month marks 75 years of bilateral […]

October 20, 2023 0

Family Style: Memories of an American From Vietnam / Interview with Thien Pham

by Harmony Witte

Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam is the engrossing and heartfelt tale of a family that leaves Vietnam and eventually settles in the United States. It is told from the point of view of a man remembering his time from his childhood through his maturation into an adult. This biographical story is relayed in a graphic novel that Thien Pham wrote and beautifully illustrated. With its depiction of the struggles his family faced, Family Style takes an unflinching look at the realities of life for many immigrants. […]

October 20, 2023 0

Blue Triangle Gallery: Opens with Brash Colors and Words

by Harmony Witte

There’s a new art gallery in Chinatown and it’s proving to be quite the hot spot. The Blue Triangle Gallery, at 17 Edinboro Street, invites visitors to climb a steep set of stairs to the 3rd floor and then they enter into a world of color and words The walls are currently covered in plywood and are wheat pasted from floor to ceiling with posters and framed art by prettycoolstrangers in his first gallery show and first offline art exhibition. […]

October 20, 2023 0

Guaranteed Universal Basic Income Provides Financial Freedom to Work and Grow

by Brandon Wong

The City of Cambridge announced its pilot program, Recurring Income for Success and Empowerment (RISE), in April 2021. Directing attention toward individuals below 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, RISE recently became the “first non-lottery direct-cash assistance program of its kind in the country. This reporter had the pleasure of recently speaking with Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui. She explained, “ Regarding this progression, Cambridge is often referred to as a tale of two cities: on the one hand, we are known around the […]

October 20, 2023 0

Frank Chin: In Memoriam

by Jeff Millman

In 1969, Frank Chin started studying voter registration lists. A community activist, he had been appointed by Boston Mayor Kevin White to co-chair a grievance committee to address problems in Boston neighborhoods, and he wanted to see how many of Boston’s Chinese residents were able to vote. The numbers were not encouraging. “I looked at all the voter lists and there were only 300 registered Chinese voters,” Chin told the Boston Globe in 2007. Determined to change this, he and […]

October 6, 2023 0

Humanity, Nature Shine Through Japanese Island’s Dark History

by Adam Smith

Surrounding Oshima, a tiny island in Southwest Japan, is the calm, blue Seto Inland Sea. The island itself is a place of beauty: Nearly everywhere are manicured trees and shrubs including matsu pines that look like over-sized bonsai, Japanese maples, mountain peach trees, and tsubaki, a type of camellia with deep green leaves that in winter blooms vibrant red flowers. Views of other mountainous islands further out at sea are visible from all over Oshima, especially along the winding trails […]

October 6, 2023 0

Cultivating Mental Well-being: The Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center’s Healthy Minds Project

by Sherry Dong and Lisa Hy

In an era where mental health awareness is taking center stage, community organizations play a pivotal role in ensuring that individuals of all backgrounds receive the support they need. One such organization, the Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center (GBCGAC), has embarked on a remarkable journey through its “Healthy Minds Project,” aimed at addressing the mental health needs of Chinese-speaking Asian seniors in the Boston area. Overcoming the Stigma: Breaking Silence in the Asian Community Mental health challenges within the […]

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