Globe Trekker: Chinatown – Lunar New Year Screening

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In the 21st century, China’s population reached 1.3 billion making it the most populous country in the world. Presently, there are 34 million Chinese living overseas. The migration of Chinese communities across the world means that nearly every country has a Chinatown…

In this special edition of Globe Trekker Chinatown, Lavinia Tan, Justine Shapiro and Megan McCormick travel worldwide to explore the magic and mystery of Chinatowns across the globe.

Lavinia Tan begins the journey in Malaysia and Singapore where overseas traders led the earliest migrations of Chinese people. Then it’s off to Lima to trace the history and influence of the Coolie trade on Peruvian culture. The journey continues from there to the United States, where Justine Shapiro visits San Francisco and learns about the Chinese participation in the Gold Rush of 1849.

Meanwhile Megan McCormick explores New York’s Lower East Side, home to the largest Chinatown in the Western Hemisphere.

After a short trip to London’s Soho, Lavinia Tan ends this journey with a visit to Hong Kong exploring the world famous film industry and the 21st century migration of Chinese back to their homeland.

Along the way…

  • Visit one of Penang’s five famous clan temples
  • Try a Chinese spin on the traditional Peruvian dish, guinea pig
  • Learn traditional kung fu from Hong Kong martial arts actors
  • Customize your fortune cookies at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory

URL: http://globetrekkerstore.com/dvd-chinatown

Following the screening, Wellington Z. Chen, Executive Director of the Chinatown Partnership Development Corporation, will lead a discussion on some of the current challenges facing, and accomplishments made by, New York City’s Chinatown since 9/11. Through a broad range of programs, the Chinatown Partnership has engaged the community and lead efforts to improve the neighborhood’s physical environment, provide opportunities and services for local businesses and entrepreneurs, showcase arts and culture, attract public and private investment, advocate for a fair share of government services and create a dynamic and diverse 24/7 neighborhood.

URL: www.chinatownpartnership.org

Online Notes

Author Bio

Presented By:

Wellington Chen is Executive Director of the Chinatown Partnership Local Development Corporation.

Wellington is a highly respected public servant and long-time community advocate, urban planner and urban affairs specialist. As senior consultant/advisor of the Planning Advocacy Group for the past decade, Mr. Chen--a long-time Flushing resident--has been deeply involved in numerous community projects, including the downtown Flushing revitalization plan. Wellington was also the first Asian American to serve as a Commissioner on the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals. Mr. Chen co-founded Tri Plus Construction Corporation in 1989, a company dedicated to creating affordable housing in New York City.

An architect by training, Wellington worked for renowned architect I.M. Pei from 1980 to 1985. He has been a member of Community Board 7Q for over 13 years, and currently sits on a dozen other boards, including the City University of New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Queens Economic Development Corporation, and Asian American / Asian Research Institute.

Wellington was born in Taiwan and grew up in Singapore, Hong Kong and Brazil.