Boston

June 7, 2024 0

Pride Month, and a Ways to Go for Some

Two decades after Massachusetts legalized gay marriage and after decades of battles for equal rights for gays and lesbians, the struggle for acceptance still continues for some, especially in Asian American communities. “I came out to my parents in high school, where I hoped that they would be accepting of the fact that I had a girlfriend, instead of their Christian Korean boyfriend standard,” a Korean-American Boston College student, who wishes to keep her name private, told the Sampan recently. […]

June 7, 2024 0

Clean Energy Activist Frank Pao Sees the Light

by Kristen Si

The U.S. Small Business Administration is lifting a loan program cap for clean energy projects for small businesses. With these new regulations, small businesses will be able to take out as many loans as they would like for up to $5.5 million to fund energy reduction or clean energy projects. These new policies come as part of a series of policy changes urging for cleaner energy from the Biden-Harris administration.Amid these new policy changes, Sampan had the opportunity to speak […]

May 24, 2024 0

U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su Reflects on Family’s Immigration, Value of Unions

by Tracy Huang

Secretary of Labor, Julie Su, spoke at a conference in honor of Asian American Heritage Month on May 13, reflecting on her family’s own path to the U.S., including her mother’s union job and trip to the U.S. from China on a cargo ship.Su is an American attorney and government official who has served as an acting United States secretary of labor since 2023. She’s also the 37th United States deputy secretary of labor, serving since 2021. Elaine Lan Chao […]

May 24, 2024 0

AstraZeneca’s Jab Ends; Officials Urge Getting Covid Boosters

by Kristen Si

AstraZeneca is pulling its Covid-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, which had been OKed in several nations in Europe and elsewhere.The U.K. company’s official reason for withdrawing the vaccine was a lack of demand, as the pandemic has largely cooled since it first flared up in China after the first cases were detected in late 2019. The vaccine was granted full marketing authorization in the European Union in 2022.But just before the vaccine’s run was to end, AstraZeneca publicly admitted in court documents […]

May 24, 2024 0

Preview: Immigrant History Trail Paves Way for Chinatown’s Legacy

by Anita Yip

The Immigrant History Trail celebrates Boston Chinatown’s resilience and enduring cultural heritage on June 8 at 1 p.m. with its launch, marking a significant milestone toward efforts to designate Chinatown as a cultural district.Following decades of urban renewal, zoning injustice, and institutional expansion, Chinatown faces one of its biggest threats yet: the erosion of cultural identity. As luxury developments encroach, surging housing prices and rising rents are displacing long-standing residents and small businesses. Consequently, both the immigrant, working-class residential and […]

May 24, 2024 0

Gov. Healey Honors Asian Heritage Month, Community Leaders

by DongDong Yang

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and leaders from communities across the state gathered on May 20 at the State House to commemorate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Secretary Yvonne Hao from the Office of Economic Development presided over the event as the master of ceremony. Gov. Healey and Sec. Hao recognized the significant contributions of five community leaders: Lydia Lowe, director of the Chinatown Community Land Trust; Helen Chin Schlichte, co-founder and president emeritus and current board […]

May 10, 2024 0

AACA Forum Tells of Gambling’s Perils, Resources

by Brandon Wong

Jodie Nealley has had a tumultuous history with gambling. Her addiction started in 2005 following a work excursion to a casino, Nealley explained late last month at a panel discussion at the Asian American Civic Association on problem gambling. After winning money at a slot machine, Nealley was at a “tipping point.” Gambling was an escape from family and work stress. She was gambling online and in person. Feeling devoid of responsibilities and pressures, she explained that this dopamine effect […]

May 10, 2024 0

Editorial: How Free Speech Gets Canceled

by Editorial

“Many people feel that when they hear views that they deeply disagree with, that’s threatening to them. That’s not how universities operate. You are not entitled to feel intellectually safe. You are entitled to be physically safe.” That quote is from attorney and former Brandeis University president, Frederick M. Lawrence, as he spoke to Democracy Now! recently about the military-like response we’ve been watching at universities nationwide. Actual threats should be protected against, said Lawrence, but police in riot gear […]

May 10, 2024 0

Mental Health Among Immigrants, Minorities Often Gets Overlooked

by Zoe Liu

National Minority Health Awareness Month was in April, bringing awareness to the challenges immigrants and people of color in the U.S. face when seeking access to health care. But what’s less often discussed is mental health support. Psychologists, researchers, and governmental institutions are increasingly calling attention to the mental health of immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees, as studies and statistics have shown that they experience extreme stress, consistent vulnerability, and life-long health consequences due to the inability to receive psychological […]

April 26, 2024 0

50 Years After the War: The 1975 Vietnamese Diaspora Commemoration Seeks to Heal

by Tony Le

The VietAID Community Center in Dorchester on April 20 hosted the “Intergenerational Cultural Commemoration Event” to mark Black April and look toward healing trauma and creating a cultural and generational bridge for the old and young. The event was led by the 1975 Vietnamese Diaspora Commemoration Initiative, which is creating the “1975: A Vietnamese Diaspora Healing Memorial.” Sampan was there. Black April is viewed as a critical moment in the Vietnamese diaspora and coincides with the fall of Saigon. Since […]

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