I need help witha Asian American Studies essay

Chinatown 10

Chinatown

Introduction

What is Chinatown? “A district of any non-Chinese town, especially a city or seaport, in which the population is predominantly of Chinese origin,” as defined by Google. But I would define it as a second home for Asian American’s to meet and practice their culture that they left behind to help their family back home in China. By 1852, the first Chinese were recorded to be in Los Angeles. There was an “identifiable” Chinatown in 1870. The community has grown so much since it first started. From Chinatown being one block to now in multiple areas in the Los Angeles County. Its rich culture is what makes so many people want to come visit it. Our research question for our project though is something not everyone thinks about when visiting the city. The question is there an issue with public health throughout the community and the restaurants as well. But first, let’s discuss the first location for Chinatown.

Identify and Discuss Location

There are two locations for Chinatown. There is old Chinatown and New Chinatown: Central Plaza. Old Chinatown was located on the southeast side of El Pueblo de Los Angeles. It was only one block and had about two hundred Chinese males living and working there. The street used to be called Calle de Los Negros, translated to the Street of the Dark Hued Ones. In 1931, the Supreme Court ruling approved of the destruction of Old Chinatown. Two years later, the Chinese community was kicked out of Old Chinatown. Around 1939, construction began for Union Station, and the Chinese had found their new location for the New Chinatown. The second location was then moved to the street Broadway which is about five minutes from Union Station. So they did not move very far from the original location, but it was a new beginning for them again. The new location was much bigger than before. This gave them more opportunities to start and build new businesses. They could pass down the family business to the next generation. This way the community will still have the authenticity for their sharing their culture with visitors.

Identify and Discuss Focus Issue

The issue that we are focusing on is public health in Chinatown; specifically in the community and within the restaurants as well. According to an article the restaurants in Chinatown have some of the worst health code violations in the Los Angeles County. Chinatown is famous for their authentic recipes but because they have a different culture then us, they are not use to the strict health codes that we have. There are some major boundaries with this issue. Some of it does have to do with culture. The owners of the restaurants may not speak English that very well. So when being told what is wrong, they most likely did not understand. Which is perfectly okay; there just needs to be a solution done for this issue inside the restaurants. Another issue that has to do with the public health is the lack of inspections. Once an inspection has happened and the restaurant receives a reasonable grade, then there might not be an inspection done for a while. Inspections should be made maybe every three months to keep enforcing the health code rules. The main rule that is being broken is the rule about controlling pests that come into the restaurant. If the inspectors can help resolve the issue, then it would help the owners out and they would not have to close down their business.

There is more of an issue in the restaurants than in the community. The community has non-profit organizations helping them. The organizations have many resources for the community. For the youth in Chinatown, they provide them with cooking classes and their own garden to plant their own food. The children wanted more cooking classes, so they can cook for their parents when they come home from work. The classes are teaching them how to cook nutritional meals for the family. Another organization provides medical, dental, and behavioral services. They have clinics where, you can get immunizations, x-rays, counseling, women’s and men’s health care issues, and surgery.

Factors that affect location and focus issue

Like many other communities Chinatown face certain issues. Although Chinatown is generally viewed as tourist attraction for many tourists around the world, it face some issues like decaying in population. Chinatown has been experiencing population decay over the years due to social ills such as homelessness and drug related problems occur in some urban areas. Homelessness and selling drugs affect the community safeness. Due to unsafe, many Chinatown businesses close around 5 or 6 pm. This required local police and Chinatown community member to work together to improve the safety and aesthetics of Chinatown. Lack of public health in restaurants and markets is another major issue in Chinatown. Restaurants are challenged by unfamiliar health standards that don't exist in China and by language barriers with inspectors. Rodents and cockroaches crawling through crumbling walls in Chinatown have contributed to a nasty vermin problem, making restaurants and markets in this historic area some of the most unsanitary and unsafe, according to the Department of Public Health reports. As a result, many restaurants are shuttered in Chinatown for major health code violations. Chinatown leaders should work with the health department to educate restaurant operators and their employees about food safety standards in order to improve public health in restaurants and markets. Public health departments should provide more inspectors and constantly inspection to check on food safety, restaurants staff, and food preparation area.

Demographics and Geography

Chinatown is a neighborhood in downtown Los Angeles, California that became a commercial center for Chinese and other Asian businesses. Chinatown has the highest number of residents who were born outside of the United States. Chinatown was home over 25,000 residents and the majority of them are Chinese male. They were manly worked as laundrymen, market gardeners, agricultural, ranch workers, and road builders. The distribution of age in Chinatown has a wide gap. According to Census Los Angeles Department of City Planning record, less than a fourth of Chinatown population is under the age of 17 (17%). While the majority of the population is between the age of 18 and 64 (59%), almost a quarter of its population is elderly or above the age of 65 (24%). Chinatown is located in the heart of Los Angeles and within the vicinity of areas such as Downtown, Lincoln Heights, and Echo Park. It is what is known today as Olvera Street, which is one of the oldest street in the Los Angeles County. Chinatown is flanked by the Elysian Park to the north, Lincoln Heights to the east, Downtown to the south and southwest and Echo Park to the west and northwest.

Identity and importance

Chinatown is a community where Chinese people can build and maintain connection with Chinese people who live in Los Angeles. Chinatown have been important in representing and organizing this diverse population that helps to build relations between Chinese and local people. Moreover, Chinatown is important in terms of identity, belonging, and notions of home. The Chinese have often been seen as a classic, so the first thing to recognize about Chinatown is the statue of dragon sculptures. Many agreed that dragons have always been the universal symbol for China. In fact, in Chinese lore, dragons are regarded as divine mythical creatures that symbolize power, strength, and good luck for people who are worthy of it. They use their powers to help and protect their community. Most Chinatowns stage festivals or parades celebrating holidays and special events, such as the traditional Chinese New Year celebration. Chinatown celebrate the 118th Annual Golden Dragon Parade at Central Plaza along Broadway and Hill Streets. The day of the Lunar New Year is the most celebrated holiday and it is celebrated with colorful festival, parades, dragon dancing, street food vendors, and most importantly large family gathering. This colorful celebrating with acrobatics, colorful lion and dragon dances, and fireworks along North Broadway add fun and excitement to the Chinese New Year celebration. By these festivals visitors can see and learn about Chinese culture.

History

The history of Chinesetown in Los Angeles can be traced back to the year 1852 since it was the year the first Chinese people reached Los Angeles. Continuous migrations of the Chinese people saw about 200 of them reaching the city in the year 1870 (Cheng, & Kwok, 2017). The 200 people had to settle in a small block which they called their home. They had to live in a broken alley which was low, and the natives of the city had neglected it. The alley was short about 50 feet wider and one block long.

The first Chinese people who reached the alley were mostly men. For this reason, they did so many activities to make a living. As laborers, they did activities like laundry, gardening, road building and lastly ranch work. The laundry and agricultural businesses led to the flourishing of the Chinese people as they held large positions in those fields. As a result, the Chinese population grew from the 200 people to 3000 people, and this called for the expansion of their territories which they did by taking more blocks and buildings.

Over the years, there were laws enacted which prevented the Chinese people from owning land, and so they had to rent or lease their business premises and the homes they lived as well. 1890 and 1910 saw China growing regarding the streets and the alleys it had. The population of China had 15 alleys and streets by those years. The town also had basic requirements like the temples, theaters and its phone which helped in communication. As women were still less, a law that allowed women and their children to travel to their husbands was lifted, and this created an organized community.

In the year 1937 with the help of SOOSOO, China population was allowed to own land by purchasing it (Cheng, & Kwok, 2017). The Chinese had to relocate since where they lived before was used for business purposes by the natives of the land. Money was raised for their relocation and people aimed at building 62 units in a single block.

Culture

The Chinatown populations were business people. They loved venturing into business, and they have done that since the first time they reached the alley. It was said that the Chinatown people did so well in the agricultural and laundry businesses. The men were the active players in those businesses since women were not so many in their population.

Also, the Chinatown population went to the temple for their spiritual nourishment. The temple was the popular religion constructed in the Chinatown. It was in there that they held all religious activities including prayers and sacrifice offerings. During the year 1937, the Chinatown people had managed to build three temples, and today they have a lot of them. The population was used, and people were hardly found worshipping in other types of religion.

Originally, upon the arrival of the Chinese people to Los Angeles, the main food they ate was the Chinese Cantonese. The food was not just any Cantonese but the traditional one which was brought to America by people from the Toishanese countryside. The Toishanese before lived in a city known as Canton, and that is where the name of their food originated from. The Cantonese food was found in a major restaurant, and the Chinatown people could also make it at their homes.

Conclusion

Chinatown is historically place which is the birth of Chinese people in Los Angeles community. Facing poverty, drugs, and low income in this community these days leads to many issues and most important is public health in Chinatown. Besides these issues most of the living in Chinatown are seniors which they are helpless. With public police, education, investment to bring more tourism, education, and Chinese people will bring this community to a growth of many ways and most important is public health. With all of the obstacles that Chinatown facing is still one of the historical and cultural places that represent Chinese in Los Angeles and many other areas that remains the representing face of Chinese people. 

Works Cited

Amit, Tina. "Chinatown - History." Preserve America - Los Angeles Asian Pacific Islander Communities.

Baer, Stephanie K. "Why Chinatown restaurants have more health, safety issues than most of LA County." The San Gabriel Valley Tribune. The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, 22 Aug. 2015.

Cheng, Sullen, and Munson Kwok. "The Golden Years of Los Angeles Chinatown: The Beginning." History of Old Chinatown Los Angeles

"New Chinatown in Los Angeles." Discover Los Angeles New Chinatown and the history of Chinese in LA.

Census 2000, SCAG, Los Angeles Department of City Planning.

Cheng, S., & Kwok, M. (2017). History of Old Chinatown Los Angeles. Oldchinatownla.com. Retrieved 1 May 2017, from http://oldchinatownla.com/history.html