LA Chinatown CLT Spring Newsletter 2024
Dear LA Chinatown Community Members and Supporters,
Message from LACCLT President
Hello everyone! My name is Karen Law and I am the new President of the LA Chinatown CLT. As a founding member of the CLT, I am excited to serve in this role and continue to support the work and growth of this emerging land trust. In the last few months, the board has been building up our capacity by establishing working groups where the board and members can work together to advance different buckets of work including fundraising and outreach. In the upcoming months, we will be embarking on an important strategic planning process. We want our members and supporters to be part of this process as we reaffirm our mission and values, and identify priorities for the next months and years. Please look out for emails about how to participate in this process and enjoy this newsletter recapping all the exciting work we’ve done!
Top, L to R: Winnie Fong, Raymond Fang, Elise Dang, Tim Mok, Karen Law, Bill Chin, Eileen Ung
Latest News
LA Chinatown CLT Officially Joins the LA Community Land Trust Coalition as an Emergent Member
In March, the LA Community Land Trust Coalition welcomed the LA Chinatown CLT as an Emergent Member with unanimous approval! The purpose of the coalition is to provide support and advances funding and acquisition opportunities for the collective. The current CLTs represented are Beverly-Vermont CLT, El Sereno CLT, Fideicomiso Comunitario Tierra Libre, Liberty CLT, and T.R.U.S.T. South LA. They are located in Central, East, and South LA, and serve low-income and working class Black, indigenous, and immigrant communities of color. We look forward to engaging with our fellow CLTs on joint fundraising, initiatives, and policy campaigns!
Board member Eugene Moy (second from right) leads a group of LA CLT Coalition members on a tour of Chinatown.
SAJE Gala honoring Sandra McNeill
CA CLT Mixer in Long Beach
New Partnership with UCLA Anderson Social Impact Consulting Corps
LA Chinatown CLT is proud to announce that we've been accepted into UCLA's Anderson Social Impact Consulting Corps! Over the next few months we will be working with this group of graduate students on how to strengthen our organizational capacity and better serve our community. We are excited about this collaboration with UCLA!
LA Chinatown Teen Council’s Chinatown Oral History Project
Have you heard about the LA Chinatown Teen Council? They are an awesome group of civically-engaged teens in Chinatown who are dedicated to protecting their community through service and advocacy. They spearheaded a grocery delivery program at the Chinatown Library focused on serving low-income elders who may struggle obtaining groceries in a community without a full-service market. They have also created a podcast that documents and preserves the stories and experiences of different groups in Chinatown including seniors, local elected officials, the Stop of the Gondola coalition, and the Chinese Historical Society. LA Chinatown CLT Board members Winnie Fong and Karen Law were recently featured on their Chinatown Oral History Project podcast, which highlights each of their histories with Chinatown, as well as the work of the CLT.
Top: Board Members Winnie Fong (left front) and Karen Law (left back) speak with producer Betsy Foldes Meiman and Teen Council members Malia Mahelona-Janilkarn, Michelle Chiu, and Caleb Leong (right back to front) for the Chinatown Oral History Podcast.
Stop the Gondola!
The LA Chinatown CLT firmly opposes the proposed gondola project that will cut through Chinatown on its way from Union Station to Dodger Stadium. While it is being touted as a transportation project meant to alleviate traffic, there is no research that supports this claim. Instead, it is a profit-driven project that will only benefit its developers. In January, the CLT submitted a letter to the LA Metro Board voicing our concerns and disapproval of this project. The most recent update for this project is that the LA City Council recently voted on a motion to require a traffic study to examine how this project will affect traffic. For more information about these organizing efforts, please visit Stop the Gondola.
LA Chinatown CLT Board member and Treasurer Tim Mok making posters for the Stop the Gondola campaign.
Collaboration with Boston and Toronto Chinatown CLTs with Next City
In February, the LA Chinatown CLT collaborated with the Chinatown CLTs in Boston and Toronto in a webinar to discuss our current efforts and the path to community resilience. A recording of the video can be accessed here:
Upcoming Events
Chinatown Teen Council Town Hall (Saturday, 4/20, 10am to 12pm)
We will be tabling at the upcoming Chinatown Community Town Meeting where the Teen Council will be presenting their work on supporting Chinatown elders and food security, and Chinatown's struggles with gentrification. There will be food, groceries, raffle, and more. Please join us! (Stop the Gondola will also be there!)
LACCT Board Meeting (Sunday, 7/14, 9:30am - 12pm)
Our next board meeting is scheduled for the second Sunday in July. Stay tuned for the meeting location and zoom link. An agenda of items up for discussion will be sent out at least two weeks before the next board meeting. A friendly reminder that all CLT members are welcome to attend these meetings. It is especially encouraged if you are looking to get more involved in our work!
Community Events
Our friends at El Sereno CLT and T.R.U.S.T. South LA are both celebrating Earth Day!
El Sereno Community Land Trust is holding an Earth Day Festival! It will take place 4/20 (12-6pm) at the El Sereno Community Garden. T.R.U.S.T. South LA is holding a Semillas De Unidad (“Seeds of Unity”) event on 4/20 (11am-3pm) at Harvard Park.