As Chinatowns across the country are experiencing gentrification, just over 300 Chinese American residents remain in Washington, D.C.’s historic Chinatown. Most of them are seniors living in the federally subsidized section 8 project Wah Luck House and have been pushing for the right to remain in the neighborhood as it undergoes development and rising property values since the early 1970s.
Through the stories of three senior activists, the documentary takes an intimate look at the past, present and future of a changing neighborhood from the perspective of its underrepresented low-income community. Just like when the 1960s Civil Rights Movement inspired many Chinese Americans into action, today’s D.C. Chinatown community has overcome the political and cultural isolation and reached out to nonprofit and legal organizations for education and representation in their on-going activism for equality and justice. The documentary sparks the important conversation of what the future will hold for Chinatowns across North America.
Educational Media Reviews Online | Brandon West, Social Sciences Librarian, State University of New York at Geneseo RECOMMENDED “This documentary is ripe for pedagogical use in urban planning, sociology, and Chinese studies courses…many interesting concepts…could be expanded upon in the classroom through discussion, case study analysis, or research. The overall originality of the documentary’s subject matter makes it a worthy addition to library film collections."
Northwestern University | Danielle Beverley, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication “Chinatown can serve students making short documentaries, particularly ones about their own communities, as an example to discuss access, style, and story. And it also could be useful for Asian Studies curriculums, to consider other Chinatowns facing gentrification."
American University | Professor Maggie Stogner, School of Communication “The film is a unique story yet relevant to other ethnic neighborhoods in cities across the U.S. It is an important contribution to our understanding of immigration history in the United States."
Simon Fraser University, Canada | Sophie Fung, Urban Studies “Chinatown would make an excellent addition to geography and urban studies departments seeking material to examine how an invisible population is being impacted by and fighting against urban processes. The film is also suitable for those studying the changes of Chinatowns across North America."
Washington Latin Public Charter School | Chrissy Stouder, World Languages Department Head “I’ve found the film to be an excellent educational tool in the classroom to engage students in a meaningful discussion about immigration history and changes in the historic Chinatown neighborhood over the last decades. It engages my diverse student body and encourages critical thinking about important social issues and a part of American history that is often overlooked in mainstream secondary curriculum."
NPR | Rebecca Sheir “The very first documentary film about D.C.’s Chinatown…takes an intimate look at the past, present and future of the gentrifying D.C. neighborhood, through the eyes of three Chinese immigrants. What makes a Chinatown authentic isn’t an archway or signs in Chinese. It’s the people who’ve called the neighborhood their home for years and hope to do so for many more to come.”
The Washington Post | Stephanie Merry “Here are a few films that have us buzzing: Yi Chen’s documentary looks at the evolution of the Washington, D.C. neighborhood through the lens of three residents, who are trying to hang on to the last vestiges of Chinese culture on a strip where an increasing number of storefronts are chain restaurants and bars.”
Citation
Main credits
Chen, Yi (film director)
Chen, Yi (film producer)
Chen, Yi (editor of moving image work)
Other credits
Cinematographers, Yi Chen, Ian Cook, Jonathan Adelman, Kian McKellar, Xuan Chao, Christina Helm; editor, Yi Chen.
