LA Chinatown CLT’s Key Moments of 2023
Dear LA Chinatown Community Members and Supporters
As we reflect in the past few months, we are excited to share about our continued efforts in engaging with local community members, organizations, and leaders to amplify the mission of our LA Chinatown Community Land Trust (LACCLT). In our commitment to address affordable housing and displacement, we are thrilled to update you on the recent activities and events that we’ve been a part of.
Connecting at the Chinatown Neighborhood Night Market
In October, LACCLT participated in CCED’s Chinatown Neighborhood Night Market that is organized by and for the community. The goal of the night market is to partner with legacy small businesses to highlight the diverse food, culture, and people of our community. We tabled at the event alongside Stop the Gondola and the Hillside Villa Tenant Association to showcase local efforts to combat gentrification and threats of displacement. We also conducted engaging dialogues with community members seeking their input on desired needs in the neighborhood. The key priorities they cited were the need for more affordable housing, laundromats, and community spaces. Check out CCED’s event highlights here!
Walking Tours as a Community Engagement Tool
Walking tours are a valuable form of community engagement. In November, Boardmembers Eugene Moy and Winnie Fong organized a walking tour with Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez and LA Council District 1 staff to dive deeper into the displacement and gentrification pressures facing our neighborhood while collaborating on potential policy solutions. Boardmember Winnie Fong also led a community walk with John Yi, LA Walks Executive Director and Candidate for CA State Assembly District 54, in December. You can check out his recap video here!
Fostering Relationships with Local Community Organizations
LACCLT continues to expand our engagement with local community organizations to share more about our mission, as well as identify opportunities for partnership and collaboration. Thank you to the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) and the Chinese American Citizen Alliance (CACA) for the opportunity to present about the LACCLT and connect with the members!
LACCLT Spotlight on LA Times and the Chinatown Teen Council Podcast
To shine a spotlight on our CLT mission, we were recently featured in the LA Times with an interview with our Boardmember Karen Law about the CLT movement and how they keep housing affordable. Check out the article here! Boardmember Eugene Moy also participated in a podcast interview with the Chinatown Teen Council where he highlighted the goal of our CLT to address gentrification in the community. You can listen to the podcast episode here!
Reimagining Chinatowns across North America
In September, Boardmember Winnie Fong traveled to Montreal for the Chinatown Reimagined Forum II, which convened CLTs, urban planners, and organizers to share about community-based innovative strategies to protect and sustain Chinatowns across North America. Winnie also participated in a panel on behalf of the LACCLT titled “Chinatown is Not a Museum: Issues of Housing, Services and Quality of Life”. She also took home lessons on the importance of storytelling and placekeeping, and alternative modes of cultural and economic revitalization. You can check out the recordings of all the panels here!
Peer Learning Exchange and Networking with CLTs in California and Canada
In October, our Boardmember Amy Zhou connected with local CLTs and the LA CLT Coalition at the California CLT Network Conference in Oakland to learn about tenant organizers and CLT collaboration, innovative fundraising solutions for CLT acquisition, strategies for social housing and community ownership, and more. The following day, Amy traveled to Toronto for the Canadian CLT Network Summit and met with the Boston Chinatown CLT and the new Toronto Chinatown CLTs where we emphasized our shared histories and reinforced the importance of supporting each other in our fights.
LACCLT Annual Membership Meeting and New Board of Directors
We also held our second LACCLT Annual Membership Meeting in November where we welcomed 15 new members and elected our permanent board of directors! If you were unable to attend our Annual Membership meeting in November, it is not too late to join LACCLT as a member! You can fill out the membership form and return it to us by mail, email, or in person.
Looking Ahead 2024
As we embark on the exciting journey into 2024, we invite you to stay connected with us on Instagram @lachinatownclt and sign up for our newsletter for the latest news and updates, upcoming events, community workshops, fundraising activities, and more. Your support and engagement are integral to our mission, and we look forward to sharing many more meaningful moments with you in the coming year. Thank you for being a vital part of our Chinatown community!