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Dim sum Chinese dumplings sold at blob joint restaurants

March 5, 2021 0

Blob Joints: a history of dim sum in the U.S.

The delights of dim sum! Numerous trolley carts of bamboo steamers with bao, dumplings, and other dishes are pushed around the room, and you simply point at the dishes you want. Sometimes you order off a menu, selecting from a long list of intriguing choices. You might have your own favorite dim sum spot in Chinatown, or maybe elsewhere. When did dim sum first come to the U.S.? What was the first dim sum restaurant in Boston’s Chinatown? Its origins […]

A shot from Jon Osaki's documentary "Alternative Facts," about Japanese internment

March 5, 2021 0

‘Alternative Facts’ sheds light on Japanese American internment

by Shira Laucharoen

The incarceration of Japanese Americans in internment camps happened during World War II, but the culture of false information and political manipulation that went on then is still very active today, according to filmmaker Jon Osaki. His movie, “Alternative Facts: The Lies of Executive Order 9066,” was featured in “Shared Stories,” a monthly film series that began streaming from February 24 – 28. The program was a collaboration between the Boston Asian American Film Festival, Boston Latino International Film Festival, […]

February 19, 2021 0

Amidst new state initiatives, bilingual senior home residents reflect on overcoming vaccine hesitancy

by Christine Mui

For weeks, a coalition of local organizations and medical professionals have urged Governor Charlie Baker to prioritize the state’s minority and immigrant communities during COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Further slowing vaccination efforts, vaccine hesitancy stemming from historical health inequities persists among eligible seniors in those communities. Two Chinese residents of the Brown Family House, who received the COVID-19 vaccine as part of Phase 1 of Massachusetts’ rollout plan, spoke to Sampan about the experience and why they overcame their vaccine hesitancy. […]

February 19, 2021 0

Wen-hao Tien wields metaphorical meanings in her new exhibit: Home On our Backs

by Mandy Sun

Photo: Wen-Hao Tien’s Home on Our Backs: Dust to Mountains, Red Dress, and Nostalgia at the Pao Arts Center 2021 (Photo courtesy of Warren Patterson Photography) “We believe mountains can be moved, that worlds exist within a rock, and respond emotionally to the color red.” These metaphorical words perfectly exemplify Wen-Hao Tien’s new exhibit at the Pao Arts Center: Home on our Backs. Originally, Tien is trained in calligraphy and monochrome works, but she has recently taken a turn into […]

February 19, 2021 0

Sam Wah Kee: Chinatown’s wealthy merchant turned fugitive

by Richard Auffrey

During the late 1880s and 1890s, Sam Wah Kee was the most wealthy Chinese merchant in all of New England, a leader of the Chinese Free Masons, and the uncrowned king of Chinatown. His ultimate fate is unknown, as he fled from federal authorities and apparently was never apprehended. It’s a fascinating tale of the rise and fall of an influential Chinese merchant in Boston’s Chinatown. Sam Wah Kee, whose family name was actually Ah Moy, was born on October 1, 1856, in […]

president Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden sworn in on inauguration day

February 19, 2021 0

Advocates cautiously optimistic about Biden’s immigration policies

by Shira Laucharoen

City representatives and advocates have said that president Joe Biden’s newest immigration policies have brought them hope, but that there is still skepticism in the community. While Biden’s sweeping reforms have appeared bold, it will likely take time for the former Trump administration’s actions to be reversed. One of Biden’s first steps was to sign a memorandum on January 20 that ordered the attorney general and the secretary of Homeland Security to preserve and fortify the Deferred Action for Childhood […]

February 5, 2021 0

Boston’s first Kaisen don restaurant: TORA Japanese restaurant review

by Anna Ing

Tora Japanese Restaurant in Chinatown is Boston’s first Kaisen don restaurant. Four years ago, Tora (Japanese for tiger) was opened by owners Kenix Wong and Patrick Zhong after three years of research around Japan and training in Hong Kong. The restaurant space is simply decorated in hues of grey, white and black with minimal decor. COVID protocols were strictly adhered to with hand sanitizers, spaced out tables to provide a safe dining experience. Kaisen don means seafood on rice, unlike […]

the celebration of Chinese New Year in Boston, with lanterns

February 5, 2021 0

The 150th anniversary of Chinese New Year in Massachusetts

by Richard Auffrey

This year, Chinese New Year starts on Friday, February 12, beginning the Year of the Ox. It’s also the 150th Anniversary of the first public celebration of Chinese New Year in Massachusetts. Although you might suspect that the celebration occurred in Chinatown, it actually began in North Adams, a city in the far northwestern region of the state. Prior to 1870, there were only a handful of Chinese living in Massachusetts, and any celebration of Chinese New Year was more […]

February 5, 2021 0

H1-B workers on 4 years of Trump and new administration change

by Christine Mui

As the Biden administration works to reverse Donald Trump’s immigration policies, H1-B workers reflect on their experiences during the last four years and share hopes for the changes in store and their future in the country. From the start of his term, the Trump administration has tightened up on the skilled worker visa program, framing changes under the guise of protecting American jobs. In 2017, the former president called the H1-B program a “theft of American prosperity” and vowed to […]

February 5, 2021 0

Immigrant History Initiative hosts parent workshop on race

by guest

By Mandy Sun and Karen Mai On Jan. 22, the Immigrant History Initiative hosted a workshop that addressed how parents, specifically immigrant parents, could talk about Asian American identity and racism with their children. The workshop emerged in light of Asian racism during the pandemic and the language inaccessibility that prevented immigrant families from understanding how this might not only impact their children but how they would handle it. “This sort of space is sorely needed,” says Kathy Lu, one […]

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