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Melissa Li and Kit Yang wrote the Chinatown musical

August 20, 2021 0

Chinatown: The Musical

Company One Theatre and Pao Arts Center held a virtual concert and conversation about a new musical informally titled the “Boston Chinatown Musical,” on August 19. The show was written and performed by Kit Yan and Melissa Li, the 2020-21 C1 PlayLab Pao Fellows, and the artists have given Sampan an inner look at their creative process. “This particular story is based on our own personal experiences in Boston Chinatown,” said Yan. “Melissa’s family lives in Chinatown. Based on some […]

August 20, 2021 0

The first August Moon Festival in Chinatown

by Richard Auffrey

In 1885, Boston’s Chinatown celebrated their first public celebration of Chinese New Year, their most important holiday. Curiously though, their second most important holiday, the August Moon Festival, wasn’t celebrated publicly in Chinatown until 1970. It is unclear why it took so long for this festival to be celebrated, but it would continue to be celebrated nearly every year afterwards. The history of the August Moon Festival, also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Moon Festival, and the Mooncake Festival, […]

August 6, 2021 1

The origins of American chop suey

by Richard Auffrey

For those growing up in New England, especially during the 1960s-1980s, American chop suey was ubiquitous, at restaurants, functions, school cafeterias, and at home. The basics of this casserole dish included ground beef, macaroni and tomato sauce, with some variation of other ingredients, such as the addition of onions, peppers, or even Worcestershire sauce. I ate and enjoyed plenty of this hearty dish, which was considered inexpensive and easy to prepare. Many people believe that it is primarily a New England dish, largely […]

Chinatown's farmers market tents customers

August 6, 2021 0

Introducing Chinatown’s farmers market

by Jacqueline Church

Farming in these days of unpredictable weather is challenging. Running a food business in these days of the Coronavirus pandemic is also challenging. Feeding a family when unemployed could be almost impossible. A recent study by UMass Boston on aging in Boston notes, “Poverty rates are especially high among Asian Americans and Latinos. More than one-third of these residents aged 60 or older live below the poverty level.” Bringing food purveyors, growers, and neighbors together is one way Boston Chinatown […]

August 6, 2021 0

Underdog Hot Chicken

by Anna Ing

Underdog Hot Chicken (first location with another in Fort Lee, New Jersey) is a recent entry in the former Kim Tofu’s space located in Allston to serve hot chicken. They have a simple menu of three kinds of combos: Hot Chicken Sandwich, Chicken Tenders and the 3 wings and 3 drumsticks all come with one side and a drink. They do have a simple array of sides. They take inspiration from the Nashville Hot chicken which gets their spicy heat […]

August 6, 2021 0

Covid cluster in Provincetown

by Sampan Staff

On July 25, officials in Provincetown held an emergency meeting to escalate the Town’s COVID-19 public health advisory to a public health mandate. This mandate requires all workers and customers to wear face coverings in indoor public spaces, except when doing so is not possible due to a medical condition or disability. The initial advisory was issued in response to an increase in positive COVID-19 cases linked back to Provincetown after the July 4 weekend. The advisory notes that 132 […]

August 6, 2021 0

Call for Biden to end Southeast Asian deportations

by Shira Laucharoen

Under the Biden administration, Southeast Asian refugees have continued to be deported, and in Boston, community organizations and legislators have collaborated to combat the problem. Over the past few years, Greater Boston Legal Services’ (GBLS) Asian Outreach Unit and the Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW) have served as advocates and fought in individual cases. This past June, 15 senators and 44 other representatives joined the Massachusetts House Asian Caucus to sign a statement condemning “the disproportionate rise in deportations of […]

July 23, 2021 0

Chinatown Braces for the end of the Eviction Moratorium

by Shira Laucharoen

The federal eviction moratorium, established by the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), will expire on July 31, leaving many to grapple with an unstable housing situation. While residents have been facing the risk of displacement prior to the lifting of the moratorium, executive director of the Chinese Progressive Association Karen Chen said that when the end of the month comes around, many will be losing their safety nets. Chinatown residents, many of whom are working class people, will […]

July 23, 2021 0

Ruling in Texas Halts DACA, Throwing Many into Uncertainty

by ehsieh

On July 16, US District Judge Andrew Hanen of the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas ruled that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy is unlawful. This decision does not immediately harm the over 600,000 individuals that have previously attained lawful status while protected under DACA or that have had their DACA applications approved. However, it does effectively halt the DACA review process for approximately 60,000 immigrants currently hoping to receive protection and work authorization […]

July 23, 2021 0

What is Affordable? The Availability of Housing in Boston

by Jacqueline Church

It’s no secret that Boston is an expensive city in which to live. You may have heard that people should spend no more than 30% of their income on housing though this reference point is widely acknowledged to be decades out of date. The new budgeting guidelines popularized by Sen. Elizabeth Warren in her book All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan include the 50/30/20 rule. 50% of one’s after-tax income on needs (housing, food, car payments, utilities); 30% […]

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