GCCA - CCBA - YMCA - CPC - Interview Transcripts - Interviewers

Contents 1 Interview with Ryan Moy of CPC 2 Interview with Johnson Lee of CCBA 3 Interview with Kendra N. Lee of GCCA 4 Interview with Jie Ling Chen of YMCA

Interview with Ryan Moy of CPC

What’s your job here and how long have you been working?

• I’ve been here since August 2006. I’m a development associate so I’m concerned with social events (fundraising for example).

Do you (CPC) have any political influence?

• Well, it’s not our main focus; scope is local and we have strong relationships with one of the congresswoman. We work with mostly state and city-wide officials. We haven’t gone national

Describe CPC’s integration into the American main stream (how it maintains the integrity of the Chinese culture).

• Integration isn’t the right word. We celebrate traditional Chinese culture and also help the Chinese understand what’s appropriate in this country in order for them to adapt to life here. We have interviewing technique classes and English class. Our clients do keep their traditional values (cooking and music). We keep them (clients) up to date and inform them about child abuse and neglect issue policies; this is because laws have to be uniform (groups with stratified rules can’t be maintained).

Can you tell us a bit about CPC’s civic and political participation?

• We started in Manhattan in the 80’s and expanded to other boroughs because there were emerging communities; it’s not the primary focus but it’s been a part of a lot of our cases. About 6 years ago the first Asian counsel member was elected (culmination of years). We do have ties with political figures; Ellen Young for example (woman in politics) tries to get people actively engaged.

What was this organization’s reactions to 9 11?

• After 9 11, a lot of restaurants and garment factories shut down—state and city official recognized that CPC had a lot of influence in terms getting the Chinese back up (case management assistance to people who suffered from 9 11). Our services are open to people regardless of race. We don’t do background check and the services are free.

What types of people get money?

• We helped people in benefits and entitlement assistance.

In terms of employment how did this organization help people get back?

• It’s ongoing but exasperated after 9 11. What CPC has done historically is : have ESL, and a specific location with specific programs (ex. Clerical English program; hotel program (train people for front desk of hotel)), had a pattern making program (garment); helped people get jobs basically; we have an open house 3 days a week in order to point people in the right direction (people can just walk in and present their skills).

What exactly can you tell us in term of the success rate of this organization?

• We’ve had Ikea and other business open and channel people into these businesses while working with corporations to see that people who shop there are from the community as well as outside (for them to get higher paying jobs). So we’re doing well.

Does this organization preserve historical aspects of Chinatown?

• Chinatown has expanded over the decades. Preserving historical aspects isn’t part of our direct goals but we are involved organizations concerned with history. We do park cleanups and maintain the community as a whole.

Do you work with any other organizations?

• Other organizations we work with come from joint collaborations. We also bring in other organizations: nonprofit; Community partnership initiative (provide coordination of child welfare, workshops etc); Charles B Wong Community Health Center (free vaccines during flu season); and, we make referrals to other organizations when it’s out of our scope.

How do demographics and serving people based on that work?

• Well services are available to anyone regardless of age or gender (except Childcare—for parents who work long hours ;and, Project Cope—community outreach public education—focusing on providing workshops for legal advice and immigration issues). We reach out to community that didn’t have a strong voice in other community organizations. A lot of people are informed of us through families and Chinese newspapers (and radio). We have a family day fair in the summer—showcase community services division (has games for children and information and packages to let people know about the different kinds of services—ex. earned income tax credit that helps raise income levels).

Interview with Johnson Lee of CCBA

What’s your job here and how long have you been working?

• I’m a secretary and worked here for a year and a half.

How and when did the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association get started?

• The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association got started 125 years ago; there were only a few thousand immigrants here at that time. Starting in the 1950’s, Chinese citizens were free to come here from China. The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association helped people get jobs at that time and start businesses.

Who exactly does this organization serve (what needs does it serve)?

• We provide serve to tourists and restaurants. Tourists are provided with information about Chinatown and we help restaurant owners successfully maintain their businesses.

What needs was the CCBA serving the needs of Chinatown residents before September 11th?

• We were doing well at that time. Garment factories moved out from Chinatown to Mexico because the cost for business was too high; the garment factory workers (mostly women) went to home care services as an alternative for jobs and we helped refer them to these jobs.

How was the CCBA helping the Chinatown Community after the aftermath of September 11th?

• People were unable to reach Chinatown due to the roadblocks that existed following the attack; our main role was to relieve these roadblocks to allow people to get to work and to access the Chinatown community for other vital needs. As a result, we went to court to help free traffic and open roads but the courts said that it was necessary for security.

What’s your success rate in serving the Chinatown Community?

• We serve by referring people to CPC and other organizations to get jobs. We have a Chinese School and Day Care here and we get money from the 4 stores we rent out downstairs. We welcome the city government and federal government and we work together with them to better the needs of our constituents.

Do you have any political affiliation?

• No political affiliation.

Who are your services open to?

• Our services are open to anyone in the public; we refer people to CPC or housing Asian American for Equality, federally funded organizations.

Interview with Kendra N. Lee of GCCA

What’s your position in the organization? How long did you work here?

• I’m the executive director and I’ve worked with the Greater Chinatown Community Association for 6 months.

When was this organization started?

• Our organization was founded in 1972.

What are the functions of the programs? Did they change over time? If so what were some past functions?

• Our vision remains the same and we serve over an average of 1000 people per year.

What type of people are your services open to? (in terms of financial status, age, etc.)

• Our services are open to Adults and seniors and if necessary we refer them to greater federally funded organizations such as the CPC and the AAE.

Is this organization connected with any others in Chinatown? If so, which ones and how do they help?

• We are starting to form partnerships with the Transfiguration church, the Community Hamilton Madison house, the Chinese planning council, the Chinatown Manpower Project and the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association.

What are the needs that this organization provides the people and how?

• We provide residents of Chinatown with funding which we receive from the city government. What we also do is provide our vision of improving Chinatown to particular organizations and we are allowing clients to teach other clients particular skills, and people who do projects for us basically spread the message of this organization by word of mouth.

What’s the mission of this organization?

• Our mission is to provide the Chinatown Community with Medicare, healthcare, adult education and recreational and Cultural Activities.

How do people learn of this organization?

• People learn of this organization by Word of mouth, our reputation for serving the community for the past 25 years brings us a lot of clients. Since the transfiguration church houses us, their teachers’ reputation helps bring us clients.

What exactly are the functions of this organization?

• We Primarily serve the Chinatown community and we inform politicians in direct manner because they work with their clients 1 on 1, which draws resources and pools a lot of information.

Interview with Jie Ling Chen of YMCA

What’s your job here at the Chinatown YMCA?

• I’m a program assistant and I’ve worked here for 6 years.

How is this YMCA different from others?

• This one is located inside a school and all the programs are government funded.

What are the Functions of this YMCA?

• We provided counseling services for families that just moved in from China to teach them the ways to raise their children in America. Also, we counsel children who are not working nor studying to help them get back to school or receive job training. In addition, we have tri-care program for children, which is actually the only fee-based program available (if one is eligible one could have the fee waived by the DYCD. The DYCD provides funding for after school programs for 11+ children. We have technological, recreational and after-school programs on premises. We are federally funded so we don’t charge for the programs we offer. We have a main branch upstate—YMCA of Greater of NY; every year we have different events that make them get together to see how they can improve

What are the Demographics of the people that this organization serves?

• We are located in Chinatown so we mostly serve Chinese residents.

What are some Special programs that this organization has?

• Some special programs that we offer are the New American Welcome Center and free ESL and computer class for people below 21 years of age. We also offer English classes to immigrants.

How do you advertise?

• We advertise through community newspapers, the radio and flyers.

When the organization was established there?

• 1974.

How have the functions of this organization-changed overtime?

• Since 1974 we have been growing bigger and bigger. ACS (Administration for Children Services and DYCD are family support programs that we offer. They serve families concerning domestic violence, kids who don’t go to school who have family programs and may need money for court. Any children under 18 have different problems: education neglect, domestic violence, cutting, parental abuse according to laws here; they give counseling—help the family to stay together.

What is this organization’s mission statement?

• Our mission statement is to help with family reunion and basically help them stay together under a stable, safe environment for the kids to grow.

How was this organization affected by September 11th?

• As a result of September 11th, a lot of parents lost their jobs and came here for job training (for example home attending for Chinese mothers who only need to know home English); and they helped children who were depressed or scared get into this program. They provided them with games and various trips to help them open-up emotionally and let go of any fears that they might’ve had. We not only provided relief during September 11th but also during another crisis, the 2003 blackout. During the blackout the kids were walked by the counselor (they went to visit a museum) to the precinct here and stayed here until the night until the parents came to pick them up.

Has this organization seen success in helping the community to adjust after September 11th?

• Absolutely, I have seen a lot of success and improvements.

With what other organizations does the Chinatown YMCA work with?

• We refer clients to the CPC, especially concerning SSI.

Does this organization have any political or religious association with the Chinatown community?

• No, we stay away from the community.

Who does this organization service?

• We service families, teenagers under 18 and children. We are open to all ethnic groups.

Extra info (what happened at a time of crisis):

During the blackout the kids were walked by the counselor (they went to visit a museum) to the precinct here and stayed here until the night until the parents came to pick them up.