📌APIA Every Day (63) - Lam Brother’s Food Store, situated on D’Antignac St. near 11th Street in Augusta, Georgia, was established by Jack Lam, a Chinese immigrant, in 1941, alongside his father and brother. The building, adorned with a sign in the front window labeled “Old-Fashioned Butcher Shop”, resided in an Irish neighborhood before the implementation of Jim Crow zoning laws. Following his family's departure to other pursuits, Jack independently managed the store for over five decades, also assisting other Chinese immigrants in obtaining U.S. citizenship.

Born in China on December 13, 1920, Jack Lam had been a resident of Augusta since relocating from China in January of 1941. A prominent figure in the business community, he was a member of the Augusta Chamber of Commerce and the Chinese Benevolent Association of Augusta. The Daughters of the American Revolution honored Mr. Lam with the Americanism award and medal in June of 1972. As a member of the First Baptist Church of Augusta, he faithfully attended the Chinese Sunday School Class for over half a century. Jack Lam passed away in 2006 at the age of 85.

Lam departed from the business in the early 1990s, and since then, the building remains unoccupied. Though information about Jack Lam and Lam Brother’s Food Shop is limited, the remnants of Asian-owned businesses in the South offer valuable insights into the hidden histories of Asian Americans in Louisiana.

📌APIA Every Day (62) - Situated in Arkansas, Fort Chaffee, originally named Camp Chaffee, was designated as a processing center for Indochinese refugees in the aftermath of the fall of Saigon. Established in 1941 as a training center and German prisoner-of-war camp, it later became the relocation center for the 1975 Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act project, also known as "Operation New Life.” By December 20, 1975, the fort had processed 50,809 refugees from Southeast Asia.

Among these refugees were diverse populations, including Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian, and Hmong, who were granted permanent legal residence in the U.S. They received support from sponsors and host families, with coordination provided by agencies such as the United States Catholic Conference.

Local reactions to the refugees varied with xenophobic and racist sentiment mentioned. Despite these challenges, efforts were made to assist their transition, such as English language classes and cultural events. However, life at Fort Chaffee presented hardships, evident in a demonstration on June 20, 1975, expressing refugee frustration. While tensions persisted, some refugees eventually settled in the city of Fort Smith, creating the ethnic enclave visible today.

Although only a small fraction settled in Fort Smith, the city's social landscape changed with more Indochinese migrants. In the 2000 Census, Asian Americans, including those from Indochina, comprised 3.6 percent of Sebastian County's population. This cultural impact included the establishment of Buddhist temples, Asian grocery stores and restaurants, with refugees' native languages integrated into daily life. In 2002, the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith documented this period through oral history interviews, recording interactions between locals and refugees at Fort Chaffee, which closed in 1995.

📌APIA Every Day (61) - Minoru Yasui, born in Hood River, Oregon, in 1916, was a distinguished civil rights leader and lawyer who served as the director of Denver's Agency for Human Rights and Community Relations. Yasui was one of the first Japanese Americans to earn a degree from the University of Oregon Law School and the first Japanese American member of the Oregon Bar. His career led him to work at the Japanese Consulate in Chicago until the Pearl Harbor incident in 1941, prompting his resignation.

On March 28, 1942, Yasui contested a military curfew imposed on Japanese Americans in Portland to test the legality of the orders. Despite Judge Alger Fee declaring the orders unconstitutional for American citizens, Yasui and other Japanese Americans were unjustly classified as enemy aliens. This resulted in Yasui receiving a one-year prison sentence and a $5,000 fine. The Supreme Court, in 1943, upheld that their rights could be overridden based on race during times of war, deeming Japanese Americans a military threat. Following most of his sentence, Yasui was later sent to the Minidoka camp in Idaho [APIA Every Day 32] under Executive Order 9066 until his release in 1944.

After his incarceration, Yasui relocated to Denver in 1944, where he continued his legal practice and emerged as a civil rights advocate for Japanese Americans. In 1982, he reopened his case, alleging racial discrimination in the curfew order. Although his indictment was vacated, an evidentiary hearing on racial discrimination was denied. Actively participating in the Japanese American Citizens League's initiatives for governmental redress regarding incarceration in Denver, Yasui served on a mayoral committee from 1946 and assumed the role of director of the Commission on Community Relations in 1967, maintaining the position until his retirement in 1983. Yasui passed away in 1986, the same year his criminal conviction was overturned.

In 2015, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Yasui the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his significant contributions to Japanese American civil rights, making him the first recipient from Oregon. The following year, the Oregon Legislature officially designated March 28 as Minoru Yasui Day, commemorating the day in 1942 when Yasui challenged the military curfew. Additionally, Yasui was immortalized through the naming of Minoru Yasui Plaza, situated in Denver, Colorado, the very building where he dedicated his efforts to Japanese American civil rights. During the building's naming ceremony, Mayor Wellington Webb unveiled a bronze bust of Yasui, further honoring his legacy.

📌APIA Every Day (60) - Turtle and Shark (Laumei ma Malie), situated near the village of Vaitogi, holds significant cultural importance in Samoan culture. It features a U-shaped cove believed to be the backdrop of a well-known legend. First documented in 1884 by a missionary, the Samoan legend recounts the story of Fonueau, an old blind woman from Salega, Savaii, and her daughter Salofa. During a severe famine, unable to find food due to her blindness, they smelled the aroma of soi baking in a nearby village. Despite waiting, no food arrived, prompting them to jump off a cliff and transform into a turtle and a shark. Swimming to Vaitogi in American Samoa, they regained human form and were welcomed by Chief Letuli and his people. Grateful, they vowed to live just beyond the cliffs, returning to entertain the villagers when called upon and leaving behind a song. Villagers today sing this melody, believing that a turtle and a shark appear in response.

Laumei ma Malie (Turtle and Shark) was listed on the National Register in 2014 as a natural feature significant to the people of American Samoa and for the preservation of their cultural and historical identity. The designation of the beach prompts reflection on the importance of cultural preservation in Pacific Islander culture, symbolized by physical places.

📌APIA Every Day (59) - The Filipino Community Hall, located in Wapato, Washington, is recognized as the first Filipino Hall built in the West, according to the National Filipino-American Historical Society in Seattle. Established through bonds, loans, and fundraising events, the hall has been serving the Yakima Valley’s Filipino community for over 70 years since March 22, 1952. In 1918, the initial wave of Filipino immigrants arrived in the Yakima Valley, experiencing mob violence threatening Filipino farmworkers and their families until the 1930s. The 1937 Amended Alien Land Act further exacerbated their situation, leading to the arrest of 18 Filipino farmers. In response, the community formed the "Filipino Community of Yakima Valley" and successfully fought for the farmers' release.

In the early 1940s, Chief Jobe Charlie of the Yakama Nation leased tribal land to Filipinos, enabling them to settle in the Yakima Valley. Organized with traditional support networks, the Filipino community established itself as a settled and permanent part of America. Recognizing the importance of community, Filipino families built a community hall in 1952, giving rise to the present-day Filipino Community Hall.

Organizations such as the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) and the Filipino American Community of Yakima Valley are actively engaged in historic preservation initiatives. These efforts involve recording oral histories, completing 20 to 30 Historic Property Inventory Forms for properties associated with Filipino American history, and nominating two sites for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. Notably, these groups recently secured the designation of the Filipino Community Hall of Yakima Valley on the National Register of Historic Places. Established over 70 years ago, the hall stands as a physical symbol of Filipino American history in the U.S., ensuring the preservation of the Filipino American community’s contributions to Yakima Valley.

📌APIA Every Day (58) - Little Bangladesh, located in Los Angeles, California, serves as a cultural and culinary hub for L.A.'s Bangladeshi community, officially designated by the L.A. City Council in 2010. The community spans a five-block area along 3rd Street between Alexandria and New Hampshire Avenues, surrounded by the nearby Koreatown. According to the South Asian Network, a cultural and advocacy group, the estimated Bangladeshi population in the area was more than 20,000 in 2010, based on a 2005 community mapping project.

In the 1960s, Bangladeshi immigrants moved to what is now Koreatown, drawn by nearby colleges and the area's largest mosque, the Islamic Center of Southern California. Over time, the population grew as more Bangladeshis arrived, establishing markets selling staple Bangladeshi goods. Currently, the area features restaurants offering Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi foods, along with shops, art galleries, and a residential neighborhood.

However, Little Bangladesh still faces challenges typical of many ethnic enclaves in Los Angeles, such as an inadequate supply of quality affordable housing, high rent, low wages, the threat of gentrification, and the fear of displacement. Despite these challenges, the multiethnic community in Los Angeles has fostered connections among people of different cultures, providing a space for those hailing from Bangladesh to congregate and share ties to their homeland.

📌APIA Every Day (57) - Chinatown, formerly situated in Downtown St. Louis, Missouri, thrived from 1869 until its demolition for the Busch Memorial Stadium in 1966. The town was bordered by Seventh, Tenth, Walnut, and Chestnut streets. In 1857, Chinese immigrant Alla Lee arrived in St. Louis, initially the sole Chinese immigrant residing in the area until 1869, when approximately 250 Chinese men sought factory work. Subsequent waves of Chinese immigrants arrived in the following years, as evidenced by a group of Chinese men and women in January 1977. By 1900, the immigrant population had grown to 400, with Chinese settlers establishing hand laundries, groceries, restaurants, tea shops and barber shops. Between 1958 and the mid-1960s, Chinatown was condemned and demolished for urban renewal, making way for Busch Memorial Stadium.

The St. Louis Chinatown was succeeded by the unofficial Olive Boulevard Chinatown in University City. Although not officially designated as such due to objections from community members, Chinese businesses and grocery stores line Olive Boulevard between I-70 and Skinker Boulevard. Despite its modest size, this growing area led to the formation of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Greater St. Louis.

Limited information exists about both the old and new Chinatown. Nevertheless, reflecting on these unofficial Chinatowns underscores that areas impacted by urban renewal and gentrification were once vibrant enclaves for Chinese immigrants.

📌APIA Every Day (56) - Manzanar War Relocation Center, or Manzanar internment camp, located in Inyo County, California, is one of ten American concentration camps where over 120,000 Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II. Despite holding up to 10,000 Japanese Americans at its peak, it was considered one of the smaller incarceration camps. 90% of the incarcerated Japanese Americans were from the Los Angeles area, with the remainder coming from Stockton, California, and Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Initially, Manzanar operated as a temporary “reception center” named the Owens Valley Reception Center from 1942-1943. Subsequently, the War Relocation Authority (WRA) officially designated it the Manzanar War Relocation Center. The Japanese Americans endured harsh conditions, worsened by the temporary and inadequately constructed buildings. The challenging environment, evident in the extreme weather, fluctuating temperatures, and ever-present dust, made the living conditions abominable. The scarcity of resources led to riots and increased instances of sickness among the inmates. The Manzanar incarceration camp became the sixth U.S. internment camp to close on November 21, 1945. Internees were left to return to their former homes, given only limited funds for their travel expenses.

On December 21, 1969, 150 people headed for Manzanar for its first official annual Manzanar Pilgrimage, sponsored by the Manzanar Committee. The committee’s efforts to memorialize the suffering experienced by interned Japanese Americans during World War II led to the State of California naming Manzanar as a California Historical Landmark in 1972. It was also registered as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1976, finally being designated as a National Historic Landmark in February 1985.

📌APIA Every Day (55) - Little Saigon or Vietnamtown in Midtown Houston gained official recognition in 2004, featuring Vietnamese street signs established since 1998. Asian developers, particularly Vietnamese businesses along Bellaire Boulevard, have thrived in Southwest Houston since the 1990s, influenced by the aftermath of the 1980s oil glut. In the 1980s, a significant influx of Vietnamese refugees was initially designated to military bases in Pennsylvania, Arkansas, California, and Florida. However, a secondary migration occurred as families traveled across the country to reunite, leading to the reunion of Vietnamese families in Texas.

Texas was an appealing destination for Vietnamese immigrants due to its booming economy, affordable cost of living, a climate similar to Vietnam, and proximity to the ocean. As of December 1991, over 60,000 Vietnamese individuals resided in Houston, relocating to the area after the Ku Klux Klan targeted Vietnamese fishers and shrimpers near Seadrift, TX, considering them an "economic threat" to the fishing industry. The U.S. government, alongside charitable and religious organizations, provided support for housing, healthcare, education, and job training. Since then, the Vietnamese population has thrived, contributing to flourishing residential areas, businesses, and gaining prominence in Texas media and politics. Additionally, Vietnamese is now the third most-spoken language in the state.

In 2003, architect Nghiep Nguyen designed a Vietnam War memorial for Little Saigon, debuting in 2005 as a prominent landmark. Over a decade later, city council members assigned Vietnamese street names, such as Saigon Blvd (Dai Lo Saigon), on Bellaire Blvd in 2015. Vietnamese individuals continue to migrate to Houston, seeking job opportunities and a lower cost of living while integrating into the Little Saigon community, solidifying Houston's position as the third-largest Vietnamese community in the U.S.

📌APIA Every Day (54) - Cambodia Town, also known as Little Phnom Penh or Little Cambodia, is a one-mile strip of Cambodian-run businesses along Anaheim Street in the Eastside of Long Beach, California. Initially rejected in 2000, Cambodia Town gained official designation by the Long Beach City Council in 2007. In the 1950s and 1960s, the first wave of Cambodian immigrants comprised students attending California State University Long Beach’s USAID exchange program to learn industrial skills. Subsequent waves occurred in the mid-1970s, with people fleeing the Khmer Rouge's takeover of Cambodia. Approximately 2,000 of these Cambodian arrivals initially migrated to Camp Pendleton, a military base in Southern California, later moving to Long Beach in search of a familiar lifestyle and culture. The last wave of refugees consisted of Cambodian farmers from small villages, arriving after the passage of the Refugee Act of the 1980s, following the Vietnamese intervention against the Khmer Rouge in 1979.

The initial Cambodian immigrants played a crucial role in providing services like mental health resources to assist fellow refugees migrating to California. Additionally, the United Cambodian Community formed around this time to assist Cambodian refugees with housing, finance, and goods. This created the ethnic enclave we now see in Long Beach, making it a prime destination for Cambodian immigrants.

According to the 2010 census, the current Asian population in Long Beach constitutes 20% of the overall population, with 70% identifying as Cambodian. Comprising a significant portion, Cambodia Town celebrates their culture through festivals such as the Cambodian New Year festival in April and the Cambodia Town Film Festival founded by Cambodian American filmmaker Caylee So. Cambodia Town continues to thrive in Long Beach, earning the moniker "Capital of Cambodia" with the largest concentration of Cambodians in the U.S.

📌APIA Every Day (53) - Haunani-Kay Trask, born on October 3, 1949, in San Francisco, California, was a Native Hawaiian activist, educator, author, and poet. Growing up on the island of O'ahu in Hawai'i, she continued her academic journey at the University of Chicago and later the University of Wisconsin-Madison, receiving a Ph.D. in Political Science in 1981. Trask's dissertation, "Eros and Power: The Promise of Feminist Theory," was subsequently published as a book in 1986 by the University of Pennsylvania Press.

Trask founded the Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Driven by her dissatisfaction with the lack of racial, ideological, and gender diversity in the American Studies curriculum, she served as the center's director for nearly a decade. Moreover, she played a pivotal role in securing the construction of the Gladys Brandt Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies. After her directorship, Trask continued her academic contributions by teaching native political movements in Hawai'i as an emeritus faculty member.

Actively engaged in the Hawaiian sovereignty movement, Trask, along with her sister Mililani, co-founded Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi in 1987, one of Hawaii’s largest and most prominent indigenous sovereignty movements. Her commitment to Native Hawaiian activism extended to representing the Kanaka Maoli at the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Peoples in Geneva and participating in the 2001 United Nations World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance.

Her activist background underscores her lifelong work to indigenous rights, diversity, and the understanding of Hawaiian culture and studies. How can we comprehend Trask's legacy, which transcends place-based preservation practices?

📌APIA Every Day (52) - The Chicago Café in Woodland, California, just north of the UC Davis campus, offers a nostalgic dining experience with its classic diner setup and traditional Chinese American cuisine. Owned by Paul and Nancy Fong, the café has been open since at least 1903, making it one of the oldest continuously operating Chinese restaurants in California and potentially the United States.

The café has been owned by three generations of the Fong family. Records of the café’s operation in 1903 are difficult to find because city directories often excluded Asian-owned businesses. Due to the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act and the Yellow Peril in America, Chinese restaurants were rare, and the restrictions on the Chinese population in America made it difficult for these businesses to succeed. Conversely, Chinese restaurants offered a rare economic lifeline since they allowed Chinese people to immigrate notwithstanding the Chinese exclusion laws. Merchants were permitted to immigrate to the US, and some courts held that Chinese restaurant operators were merchants. It is important to note that while Chinese restaurant owners were considered merchants, they were not allowed to work. For instance, they could write checks to vendors but not wait on customers or cook; otherwise, they were subject to deportation. The success and continued existence of the Chicago Cafe after a century is surprising. Persisting through an era of Chinese exclusion and being the first Chinese restaurant in America is a testament to the Chinese American experience.

Operating in a predominantly White and Latino community, the Chicago Café has become an important part of Woodland's community. The café upholds Chinese American heritage through its culinary offerings and stands as a historical site which is acknowledged by both patrons and researchers from UC Davis.

📌APIA Every Day (51) - In 1968, graduate students Emma Gee and Yuji Ichioka from the University of California Berkeley founded the Asian American Political Alliance (AAPA) on campus. Their objective was to enhance the visibility of Asian descent activists amid the rise of civil rights advocacy groups such as Black Power, American Indian, and anti-war movements. The establishment of AAPA is believed to mark the first use of the term "Asian American." Before this, individuals of Asian descent primarily identified with specific ethnic subgroups, and the term "oriental" was commonly used, carrying racist connotations. Gee and Ichioka strategically coined "Asian American" to foster a broader and more inclusive identity, seeking increased visibility and effectiveness in political demonstrations.

As a Chinese American (Gee) and Japanese American (Ichioka) couple, their establishment of AAPA symbolized the integration of various Asian American subgroups at a time when segregation between them was diminishing. They employed inclusive methods, recruiting members with Asian last names from diverse campus political groups, emphasizing a multiethnic approach. Discrimination against Asian Americans during World War II and the Vietnam War fueled the necessity for unity. Notably, their work at AAPA, part of the Third World Liberation Front coalition, eventually led to the couple teaching and founding the earliest Asian American courses at UCLA’s Asian American Studies Center.

In recent years, the term remains crucial amid pandemic-fueled racism, underscoring its significance in the #stopasianhate movements. It is important to note that the Asian American identity emerged as a reaction to a prolonged history of Asian exclusion in the United States, marked by the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act and 1920s Supreme Court Cases that explicitly denied the classification of individuals of Asian descent as "free White persons." Current discussions surrounding the term "Asian Americans" involve the necessity of disaggregated data, proper representation of all Asian subgroups, and the grouping of Asians and Pacific Islan Americanders under a single label.

Emma Gee and Yuji Ichioka’s activist work extends beyond AAPA; Gee, an advocate for Asian American women literature and her involvement in the Pacific Asian American Women Writers West, and Ichioka, a senior Asian American Studies researcher and Professor of History at UCLA. While there is criticism of the term and its application to those of Asian descent, their work brought in new perspectives and fueled the Asian American civil rights movement in the 60s. With UCLA staged as the birthplace of a movement, how are we equipped to recognize Gee & Ichioka’s convening there?

📌APIA Every Day (50) - Versailles, a Vietnamese community situated in New Orleans East's Village de l’Est area, is celebrated for its rich diversity, hosting significant populations of Vietnamese, Honduran, and African American residents. Originating from the Versailles Arms apartment complex, the community emerged as Vietnamese immigrants sought refuge following the Vietnam War in 1975. Evolving into the densest concentration of Vietnamese people outside Vietnam, Versailles underwent demographic shifts, reaching a population of 10,699 in 2000 and 9,389 in 2010, rebounding resiliently after Hurricane Katrina.

The Associated Catholic Charities facilitated the settlement of the first wave of Vietnamese refugees in the Versailles Arms Apartments. Despite facing challenges such as the closure of the NASA plant and aftermath of illegal dumping post-Hurricane Katrina, Versailles showcased remarkable resilience, with nearly all residents returning by 2007. The community also experienced an influx of Hispanic immigrants during the post-Katrina reconstruction period.

Versailles is distinguished by its landscape of predominantly Vietnamese-owned businesses, restaurants, grocery stores, beauty salons, bars, and medical practices, reflecting the community's strong cultural identity. Serving as the commercial hub of Versailles, Village de L'Est, often referred to as "Little Vietnam," features establishments like Dong Phuong Restaurant & Bakery and the Mary Queen of Vietnam Church, fostering unity among Vietnamese residents. The Vietnamese community has successfully embraced and integrated with New Orleans culture, turning Versailles into a comforting haven. This is reflected in today's Viet-Cajun cuisine, influenced by Black cooks who shared their expertise with Vietnamese families, adding a twist to the formidable New Orleans culture.

📌APIA Every Day (49) - Shinzo Ohki, born in Kamakura, Japan, in 1883, founded the Oriental Show-You Company, one of the first fermented soy sauce businesses in the U.S. Immigrating in 1901, he settled in Seattle before moving between Michigan, Illinois and several other states. After earning a degree in business administration in New York, Ohki established roots in Columbia City, IN, and in 1924, he created the Oriental Shoyu Factory, also known as "Show You," specializing in fermented soy sauce and various Japanese products.

As one of the few soy sauce producers in the U.S., the Oriental Show-You Company defied expectations during the early 20th century when Japanese cuisine faced limited popularity. Ohki's business strategies, including featuring products in grocery ads, hosting catering events, and distributing free cookbooks, played a pivotal role in the company's unexpected success and popularity of East Asian dishes in America.

Because of Ohki's thriving soy sauce company, coupled with robust community support, he was not forced into incarceration camps and draft registration during World War II. Columbia City’s Rotary members initiated a letter-writing campaign, emphasizing Ohki's positive contributions and role as a major employer in Columbia City. Ohki's contributions are defined on a historical marker in Columbia City, marking the trajectory of his company from a small business to a large-scale production facility, underscoring the Whitley County’s support for Shinzo Ohki, one of the few Japanese Americans in the area.

📌APIA Every Day (48) - Palisades Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, often referred to as "Koreatown" or "Little Korea in America," emerged as a prominent ethnic Korean enclave during the significant influx of immigrants in the 1990s. Drawn by the area's safety, reputable schools, and convenient proximity to the George Washington Bridge for city commuting, a pattern of Koreans moving from NYC to Bergen County developed. Palisades Park now boasts the highest concentration of Korean populations in America, with 52% of the borough comprising Koreans. It has become a central hub of Korean American culture, featuring diverse businesses, community centers, schools, and hosting national martial arts tournaments. It serves as more than just a Korean hotspot; it also acts as a showcase for significant moments in Korean history through monuments commemorating World War II's comfort women and the tragic sinking of the Sewol Ferry in 2014.

Besides Koreans, there is also a significant Latin and Central American population, specifically Guatemalan. When the White exodus, the large-scale migration of White people from areas becoming more racially/ethnically diverse, occurred in the 90s and 2000s, Guatemalans migrated to the borough for labor opportunities. The residence of both immigrant groups in Palisades Park has been beneficial, with Guatemalans finding employment in the area and Korean businesses establishing a steady income. However, there are rising tensions between the two linked to gentrification issues.

Koreatown has become a comfort to the Korean American community in New Jersey, and while there are intricate nuances to understand about this ethnic enclave and surrounding immigrant residents, Palisades Park plays a vital role in building a Korean presence often overlooked in America.

📌APIA Every Day (47) - Chicago's Chinatown, located in Armour Square neighborhood, stands as not only the city's fastest growing ethnic enclaves by population but the country's only growing Chinatown by area in the past decade. The community's roots trace back to 1869 when Chinese immigrants sought refuge in Chicago after completing the First Transcontinental Railroad, escaping anti-Chinese violence on the west coast. Along Clark Street in the Loop, the Chinese immigrant community initially established numerous businesses, restaurants, and Christian missions by the late 1800s. Following the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Chinese migration surged in Chicago, finding support in existing clan associations. Despite facing discrimination, clan ties played a crucial role, facilitating business financing and employment opportunities. The Chinese population doubled from 1890 to 1900, solidifying connections within Chinatown.

As the community prospered, a series of events unfolded in Chinatown. The Tong Wars (violent disputes in the 1900s among rival Chinese Tong faction) marked by the 1909 shootout, erupted and left a mark on the history of Old Chinatown. In 1912, discrimination intensified with the renewal of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, prompting migration south to Armour Square. The On Leong Merchants Association played a pivotal role in establishing "New Chinatown" along Cermak Road, witnessing significant economic and architectural developments. The 1975 Chinatown Gateway aimed to foster unity, and the late 1980s saw Chinatown Square and residential expansions. Growth continued into the late 20th century, symbolized by the creation of Ping Tom Memorial Park in 1999, reflecting the continual prosperity of the community to this day.

Despite the first Chinese arriving 157 years ago in Chicago's 185-year history, Chinatown constituents elected Nicole Lee as their alderperson, making her the first Chinese American to serve in the City Council and the first to represent an Asian American majority ward in 2023.

📌APIA Every Day (46) - Thai Town, officially recognized by the Los Angeles City Council in 1999 as the first and only Thai Town in the United States, has a rich history. The initial influx of Thai Americans to Los Angeles occurred during the 1950s, followed by increased migration attributed to U.S. Cold War intervention in Thailand and the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. This growth continued through the 1970s, marked by the establishment of Thai temples, including the Wat Thai Buddhist Temple, alongside the emergence of Thai businesses and newspapers.

Despite the growth in the 1970s, the 1992 LA riots (spurred from the acquittal of four LAPD officers charged with using excessive force in the arrest and beating of Rodney King) inflicted damage on several Thai businesses, prompting a response from a politically conscious Thai community. The Thai Community Development Center (Thai CDC), in collaboration with the Thai Town Formation Committee, engaged with LA government officials to establish Thai Town.

Thai Town, currently spanning six blocks from Western to Normandie Avenues in East Hollywood, has transformed into a vibrant social and economic center for Thai Americans. The revitalization efforts aimed to uplift families from poverty and provide a platform to showcase Thai culture, offering the community a voice in public affairs.

In 2008, Thai Town received federal recognition as a Preserve America neighborhood, a significant milestone in its cultural journey. Beyond becoming a cultural hub, Thai Town symbolized the rich Thai heritage through statues of apsonsi, mythical half-human, half-lion angels from Thai folklore. The annual Thai New Year’s Day Songkran Festival in April searches upwards of 100,000 visitors. Thai Town's dedication to cultural preservation, economic growth, and community ties positions it as a vibrant and culturally significant enclave in the diverse landscape of Los Angeles.

📌APIA Every Day (45) - Grace Lee Boggs, a multifaceted figure recognized for her impactful contributions to Asian American, Black Power, and Civil Rights movements, was born in 1915 to Chinese immigrants in Providence, Rhode Island. After earning her Ph.D., she relocated to the Midwest, where she worked at the University of Chicago's philosophy library, establishing connections with groups protesting poor living conditions and gaining insights into the Black community. During the 1940s, Boggs played a pivotal role in editing the radical Johnsonite publication Correspondence, translating Karl Marx's letters, and championing the concept of workers' self-activity.

In 1953, Boggs moved to Detroit, a focal point for Johnsonite organizing, and married James Boggs, a Chrysler auto worker and African-American activist. The couple became influential figures, addressing a spectrum of issues, including labor, civil rights, feminism, Black Power, Asian Americans, and environmental concerns. Their association with insurgent groups, notably the Revolutionary Action Movement, drew the attention of the FBI. Throughout the ensuing decades, Grace Lee Boggs not only viewed urban crimes as a by-product of advanced capitalism but also as a moral crisis, actively engaging in various initiatives to address societal issues.

Grace Lee Boggs remained active well into her later years, participating in meetings of Black women organizing against violence in the 1990s and launching Detroit Summer, a program involving youth in community gardens and school projects. Her enduring commitment is reflected in her lectures, a newspaper column she wrote until the age of 98, the publication of her autobiography, and her co-authorship of a book on sustainable activism in the 21st century. Additionally, her legacy persists through her involvement in establishing the James and Grace Lee Boggs School in 2013, integrating Detroit's issues into its curriculum, and her co-founding of the National Organization for an American Revolution (NOAR) alongside James Boggs. How can Grace Lee Boggs’ contributions to the Black Power, Asian American, and Civil Rights Movements be recognized through historic preservation?

📌APIA Every Day (44) - Yuri Kochiyama, born in 1921 to Japanese immigrants in California, led a life defined by resilience and activism. Her journey into civil rights advocacy began when her family was forced into incarceration, initially at Santa Anita Assembly Center, CA (converted racetrack grounds) and later at Jerome Relocation Center, AK during the 1940s. Upon moving to New York in 1946, her commitment to activism gained momentum in the 1960s, inspired by the school inequality and occupational challenges faced by her and her Black neighbors in Harlem.

Kochiyama's impactful activism reached its pinnacle in 1965 when she cradled Malcolm X's head after his tragic assassination in the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan, NY. This moment symbolized the culmination of their collaboration. Subsequently, she played a crucial role in the Revolutionary Action Movement, actively participating in anti-war protests, and contributing significantly to the 1977 takeover of the Statue of Liberty, advocating for Puerto Rican political prisoners. In 1980, she marched in support of Silver Palace restaurant workers in NYC's Chinatown, actively assisting them in reclaiming their jobs after facing injustice. Kochiyama's dedication extended to addressing the injustices suffered by Japanese Americans, ultimately contributing to the redress movement that culminated in the Civil Liberties Act of 1988.

Settling in Oakland, California, she continued unwavering advocacy against anti-Muslim bigotry and racial profiling post-9/11. Despite debates surrounding her controversial beliefs, Kochiyama earned widespread admiration for her adeptness in building bridges between races, generations, and nations. Yuri Kochiyama's significant contributions to the mid-twentieth-century civil rights movement are frequently overlooked. However, her lasting legacy is firmly anchored in the enduring remnants of her unwavering dedication to human rights, spanning civil rights activism, anti-war movements, and efforts toward redress for Japanese Americans. How can Yuri Kochiyama’s contributions to the Civil Rights Movement and legacy of Afro-Asian solidarity be recognized through historic preservation?