Formal Institutions in Manhattan’s Chinatown

—For an in-depth description of formal institutions and the types that we are investigating, please click the “Formal Institutions” tab above (not the town-specific options in the drop-down menu that appears upon mouse-over).—

Researchers: Kevin Lin and Darren Panicali

Formal Institutions investigated:

• School: P.S. 42 Benjamin Altman School
• Library: Chatham Square New York Public Library
• Health Center/Hospital: Charles B. Wang Community Health Center
• Cultural Center: Chen Dance Center
  
• Outreach Center: Greater Chinese Community Association

Here is a snapshot of a Google Maps map of Manhattan’s Chinatown and the locations of the institutions being investigated:

==Major Findings==

===P.S. 42 Benjamin Altman School===

At this school, attendance is high, and most students are on free/reduced price lunch. It’s slightly overcrowded. Students have done better in math than in reading. The racial mix is overwhelmingly Asian, with traces of white, black, and Hispanic. The student body has slightly more males than females. A small minority of the students need special educational assistance. The programs offered tend to promote bilingual learning, reading, math, and engagement with technology. The extracurricular activities offered emphasize sports, music, the arts, and technology. Overall, it seems like a great learning environment that appears very enriching from a developmental perspective.

From the interview with Ms. Li, we got a rare and detailed window into the inner workings of the Even Start program’s LES chapter, but unfortunately and startlingly, the program is being shut down because of cuts in funding. Still, we found out that while the program had been running, it was heavily useful to needy Asian families in the LES area, placing major emphasis on empowering parents to be their children’s first teachers and creating a warm and facilitative environment to help participating families to develop.

===Chatham Square NYPL===

This branch is heavily busy and it really caters to the community (which is largely Chinese), especially by hosting materials and programs in both English and Chinese. It has something for all ages, and its services place a huge emphasis on learning skills that are useful (such as using a computer, taking care of one’s health/finances, and being able to read) as well as promoting fun developmental experiences (particularly for teens and children) in gaming programs and movie showings.

From our interview with Ms. Coughlin and from our use of Social Explorer’s census data, we found that the population that mainly uses this institution is largely comprised of Chinese Americans, but diversification is definitely in the process, as Ms. Coughlin said (and the census data show) that people of Hispanic backgrounds in particular are making a larger presence in the library, as well as some other Asian groups. Also, as NYPL is trying to tell its patrons, NYPL is facing the most extreme budget cut in its history. We will have to wait beyond the time slot of this study to see where this takes NYPL if it happens and how that affects the degree of service NYPL provides in such branches as that of Chatham Square.

===Charles B. Wang Community Health Center===

This health center seems to provide a wide array of health services to accommodate the community’s needs. As we see from their statistics, many Chinatown residents live poorly in stark destitution, from the children all the way to the elderly, despite how public assistance in that area has seemed to be just like Manhattan’s overall level, suggesting that something in the system may need to be revamped. In terms of health issues, a number of diseases and problems incessantly plague many Asian Americans, particularly hepatitis B, tuberculosis, thalassemia, mental disorders, increased suicide rates, prenatal care deficiencies, smoking, HIV & STD infections, no health insurance, childhood obesity, and diabetes. In terms of services, they cover a wide scope of bodily health care for both children and adults, offer health education and services that target specific groups, host useful events, provide critical information, and facilitate the filing of important forms.

===Chen Dance Center===

The Chen Dance Center (CDC) features all sorts of dancing, from traditional Chinese dance, to ballet, to modern dance. Through the three major aspects of the center, CDC manages to exhibit all sorts of dance, through performance and education. What makes the Chen Dance Center so unique is how they try to get more dancers and encourage those who are already dancing. The CDC is an extremely proactive cultural center that offers limitless opportunities for aspiring dancers, especially Asian ones. They present dance through various methods. Their dance company is readily available to perform within the Metropolitan area, which will help those who are unaware of or have never before been interested in dance. On top of this, the CDC offers programs for all ages, teaching all kinds of art. Lastly, the CDC offers space for mid-career artists to practice and perform. By looking at the services they provide, it is amazing how much they try to encourage dance in this day and age. The CDC is especially geared towards finding Asian American choreographers, but the opportunities it provides are available to anyone with a passion for dance.

===Greater Chinatown Community Association===

Ever since its creation 38 years ago, the Greater Chinatown Community Association (GCCA) has seen a shift from Taishanese, to Cantonese and finally, nowadays, Fujinese people. Despite these changes in ethnicity, though still serving Asians, GCCA has had similar goals all along. The incoming immigrant faces a variety of problems, ranging from poor health care, to illiteracy, to the language barrier, to unemployment. GCCA attempts to combat these difficulties. Through the four programs they provide, Consultation and Aid, Medical and Healthcare, Adult Education, and Cultural and Recreational Activities, the Greater Chinatown Community Association provides health care for the uncovered, teaches English, and increases networking opportunities. The GCCA also teaches immigrants necessary computer skills, and helps immigrants find their first jobs. As mentioned before, the problems immigrants face are numerous, but the GCCA has found ways to combat most (if not all) of them. As their slogan “Our community, your association” implies, the Greater Chinatown Community Association is an incredibly helpful outreach center that provides individual attention to all its members.

==Methods and Data==

===Methods===

To accomplish what we have set out to do, we employ the following methods of data accumulation:

• We explored websites associated with each institution to find relevant information for analysis and evaluation.
• We conducted interviews with a member of each institution’s workforce to gain more insight on the inner workings of the institution and to discover the most recent relevant trends and occurrences.
• When necessary, we used census data to get an idea of who is most likely to use an institution based on proximity, specifically whenever we discovered that the institution itself does not or cannot keep track of such things.

===Data===

The data we have accumulated is made available below. We have tried to gather relevant information regarding an institution’s general background, statistics, and demographics, supplemented by interviews when available. To avoid having to incessantly scroll down the page, please refer to the Contents box for ease of access in locating a particular institution/section.

==P.S. 42 Benjamin Altman School==

===General Information, Statistics, and Demographics===

(Image at left((P.S. 42. Photograph. Department of Education, New York. Department of Education. Department of Education. Web. 13 May 2011. <http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/25D568C6-81E5-4AD7-83A7-55EF15F25750/30779/SchoolFront_ps45.jpg>.)))

P.S. 42 Benjamin Altman School is located at the eastern part of Manhattan’s Chinatown, at 71 Hester Street. From the insideschools.org account, this school appears to create a rich and warm environment that fosters incredible learning. As of late 2010, the school had 809 students enrolled and an average daily attendance of 98%. 94% of its students received free or reduced price lunch in the 2009-2010 academic year. It exhibited a crowding rating of 104% (above 100% signals overcrowding) in the 2008-2009 academic year. In reading scores, 60-79% of students met statewide standards in 2010. In math scores, over 80% met statewide standards in 2010. The ethnic makeup of P.S. 42′s student is as follows: 1% White, 2% Black, 5% Hispanic, and 92% Asian. (Above paragraph’s statistics((“P.S. 42 Benjamin Altman School School Review.” Insideschools.org. Center for New York City Affairs, 25 Aug. 2010. Web. 28 Apr. 2011. <http://insideschools.org/index12.php?fs=37>.)))

According to the NYC Dept. of Education, which most recently reports an enrollment of 798 students at P.S. 42 as of April 16, 2011, 47.74% are female, while 52.26% are male, and 36.72% are ELL (English Language Learners). 87.59% are General Education students, while the rest are Special Education students: 10.53% learn in the least restrictive environment, while 1.88% learn in the most restrictive environment. (Above statistics((“Register – P.S. 042 Benjamin Altman – M042 – New York City Department of Education.” New York City Department of Education. New York City Department of Education, 16 Apr. 2011. Web. 28 Apr. 2011. <http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/02/M042/AboutUs/Statistics/register.htm>.))) (Image at right((Mother and daughter making a puppet. Photograph. P.S. 42, New York. Comp. Ai Yi Li.)))

Here are some special programs the school offers: “Standards-based integrated curriculum; Balanced Literacy; TERC Math; Even Start Family Literacy; Early Intervention: Reading Recovery, Project Read; Extended Day/Week/Year; Technology; ESL, Bilingual Chinese; Title I & PCEN for Reading, ESL & Math; Teachers College Reading and Writing Project.”((“Special Programs.” New York City Department of Education. New York City Department of Education, 2011. Web. 1 May 2011. <http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/02/M042/AboutUs/Overview/Special+Programs.htm>.))

The following enumerates extracurricular activities students can participate in: “Dance Club; Computer Club; Chess Club; Art Club; Conflict Resolution Program; Ballroom Dancing; Chefs in the Schools/Days of Taste; St. Luke’s Orchestra; Tai Chi; Studio in a School; Arts Connection; Guggenheim Museum-Learning Through Art; Sony-Music Ensemble; Junior Knicks/McBurney YMCA Basketball Program.”((“Extracurricular Activities.” New York City Department of Education. New York City Department of Education, 2011. Web. 1 May 2011. <http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/02/M042/AboutUs/Overview/Extracurricular+Activities.htm>.)) (Image at right((Child amazed at his creation. Photograph. P.S. 42, New York. Comp. Ai Yi Li.)))

===An Interview with Ms. Ai Yi Li===

An interview was conducted with Ms. Ai Yi Li, a coordinator at P.S. 42 who is involved in conducting and maintaining a program run at the school known as “Even Start” designed to assist underprivileged families (both parents and children) in the community. (Image at left((Even Start Graduation Party June 2010. Photograph. P.S. 42, New York. Comp. Ai Yi Li.))) She was kind enough to provide extremely detailed responses to our questions via e-mail and phone (one of us [Darren] used to work at the school as a volunteer, so that’s why she went above and beyond the call of duty). Here is the interview:

An Interview with Ms. Ai Yi Li ((Li, Ai Yi. Email interview. 8 Apr. 2011.))

We thank Ms. Li for her correspondence, and as Even Start seems to be coming to an end, we wish her the best of luck in her endeavors. We would also like to extend a special thanks to her for taking so much time and putting in so much effort to provide us with so much information, being much more than simply cooperative. We wish her well!

==Chatham Square New York Public Library==

===General Information, Statistics, and Demographics===

The Chatham Square New York Public Library is located at the southeastern part of Manhattan’s Chinatown right off Chatham Square, at 33 East Broadway. (Image at left((Wikimedia Commons. “NYPL Chatham Square Branch, Manhattan.” Last modified December 12, 2010. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NYPL_Chatham_Square_Branch,_Manhattan.jpg, accessed April 26, 2011.)))

 

It was established in 1903, and it “has always been an integral part of the Chinese neighborhood it serves.” It is “a cultural and civic center for a community of avid readers and is one of the busiest libraries in New York City.” The first floor holds the “adult, young adult, and reference print and non-print collections.” The second floor houses the children’s collection. The third floor is home to a community room and a children’s story room. And finally, the lower level houses the “Chinese Heritage Collection, a unique repository of books, reports, documents, music CDs, and other materials in English and Chinese.” (Above paragraph’s information((“About the Chatham Square Library | The New York Public Library.” Welcome to the New York Public Library. New York Public Library, 2011. Web. 02 May 2011. <http://www.nypl.org/locations/tid/15/about>.)))

In terms of services, we took a sampling of the upcoming programs offered as listed on the NYPL website. Here are a few of the different kinds of programs offered in the near future, as of May 11, 2011: Reading Aloud, Toddler Time, Finance Seminar: Taking Control of Debt, Movies at Chatham Square, Game On at Chatham Square, Preschool Films, Teen Tech Time, Health and Wellness at Chatham Square: Health Support Workshop, Computer Basics for Adults. ((NYPL. “Upcoming Events: Chatham Square Library | The New York Public Library.” Welcome to the New York Public Library. NYPL, 2011. Web. 11 May 2011. <http://www.nypl.org/locations/tid/15/calendar>.)) As for other services, beyond providing reading materials, this branch offers the standard NYPL set of services: computer/laptop use, copiers, printing, DVD rentals and rentals of other auditory/visual media, and access to wireless Internet.

Because libraries tend to be used mostly by the locals because each locale tends to have its own nearby branch, we deemed it useful to get an idea of what the surrounding community is comprised of in terms of race, but NYPL doesn’t seem to discern the races of its patrons on any basis useful to us except for that of the local Community Board, which is not particularly indicative of Manhattan’s Chinatown population, as it accounts for only part of Manhattan’s Chinatown and more so accounts for land to the east and north. Therefore, through the online tool Social Explorer, we provide the race-based census data of the districts that straddle the location of the library to get a sense of the immediately surrounding area’s demographics — although, of course, not everyone part of these communities necessarily uses the library. The purpose of inclusion of the following data is just to give a sense of who has the most direct access to the library and thus, who is most likely to use it.

(Chart at right((“Census 2010 – PL94 Redistricting Data.” Chart. Social Explorer. Social Explorer, 2010. Web. 4 May 2011. <http://www.socialexplorer.com/pub/ReportData/htmlresults.aspx?ReportId=R10060588&TablesPerPage=50&Page=5>.))) From this chart we can see that the local community population of 26,430 people is 12.3% white, 3.5% black, 81.6% Asian, and 4.2% Hispanic, with other groups only minimally represented (each makes up less than 1.5% individually). This data suggests that on an average day (a weekday most likely, as suggested by Ms. Coughlin) the overwhelming majority of patrons are Asian, some patrons may be white, a few may be Hispanic, and a small amount may be black, with other groups much less likely to be discovered. Ms. Coughlin particularly emphasized the presence of patrons of Hispanic backgrounds, so perhaps they frequent the library more than their representation in the local community suggests.

On May 9, 2011, I [Darren] received an e-mail regarding budget cuts for NYPL that the institution is trying to fight, the message of which can be viewed at this website: http://nypl.convio.net/site/MessageViewer?em_id=20162.0&dlv_id=28006 (if you have trouble viewing it, you can contact NYPL and I’m sure they will gladly send you the e-mail itself):

Here is their message((NYPL. “Take Action: Save NYPL from Crippling Budget Cuts.” Message to the author. 9 May 2011. E-mail.)):

===An Interview with Ms. Marie Coughlin===

Ms. Marie Coughlin is the Site Manager of the Chatham Square branch of NYPL. We conducted an interview with her over the phone to find out about her take (as an employee of NYPL and specifically as a worker at Chatham Square’s branch) on various aspects of the library. (As the interview was conducted by phone, we could only reconstruct the interview from notes taken down, so if Ms. Coughlin is in disagreement with any part of our reconstruction, we apologize and will rectify the situation as soon as possible.) This is what she had to say:

An Interview with Ms. Marie Coughlin ((Coughlin, Marie. Phone interview. 19 Apr. 2011.))

We thank Ms. Coughlin for her correspondence, and we would like to congratulate her on her relocation to the Schwarzman branch of NYPL, where her talents will certainly be put to great use there. She related that she will certainly miss being at Chatham Square’s branch: “It’s such a wonderful community.” Best of luck to her!

==Charles B. Wang Community Health Center==

===General Information, Statistics, and Demographics===

The Charles B. Wang Community Health Center (the one we are focusing on, hereafter referred to as the CBWCHC) is located in the heart of Manhattan’s Chinatown, at 125 Walker Street.

This is the mission statement of the CBWCHC: “Be a leader in providing quality, culturally relevant, and affordable health care and education, and advocate on behalf of the health and social needs of underserved Asian Americans,” which they accomplish through the goals of “service,” “advocacy,” “education & training,” and “research.” ((“Charles B. Wang Community Health Center.” Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, Previous Known as Chinatown Health Clinic. Charles B. Wang Community Health Center. Web. 09 May 2011. <http://www.cbwchc.org/about/mission/mission.asp>.))

The CBWCHC provides the following claims about the work the institution accomplishes: “For more than 30 years, the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center has been a leader in providing high-quality, affordable, culturally competent health-care to the Asian American community in New York City.  The majority of the Center’s clients are low income, uninsured or under insured Asian Americans with nowhere else to turn for basic healthcare.  In addition to providing comprehensive primary care services, the Center promotes the health of the community through innovative, award winning health education and advocacy programs, and by recruiting and training bilingual health care providers.” ((“Charles B. Wang Community Health Center.” Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, Previous Known as Chinatown Health Clinic. Charles B. Wang Community Health Center. Web. 09 May 2011. <http://www.cbwchc.org/about/history/history.asp>.)) (Image at right((Photograph. Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, New York. Charles B. Wang Community Health Center. Charles B. Wang Community Health Center. Web. 9 May 2011. <http://www.cbwchc.org/hcs/images_hcs/ped1.gif>.)))

As a major health center in Manhattan’s Chinatown, the CBWCHC provides an indispensable window into the major health services available and prevalent health issues plaguing the area. Based on “the 2000 US Census and analysis by the Asian American Federation Census Information Center,” they provide the following relevant and sobering statistics (quoted verbatim):

Poverty:
	Of all Chinatown residents, 31% live below the poverty level, compared with 21% of all city residents.
	Nearly one in four Asian American children in New York City lives in poverty. More than 77% of these children live with two parents.
	24% of Asian children and 24% of Asian elderly in New York City live below the poverty line. 39% of Asian children and 39% of Asian elderly in Chinatown live below the poverty line.
	In 1999, 52% of Asian American mothers who gave birth in New York City were on Medicaid, indicating low-income status.
	Despite the greater extent of poverty in Chinatown, public assistance in the neighborhood was similar to that for Manhattan overall, according to the 2000 census.

Health Issues:
	Health issues of special concern for Asian American immigrants include hepatitis B, tuberculosis, thalassemia, and serious mental disorders.
	According to the New York City Department of Health, 60% of children born in the city who tested positive for hepatitis B were Asian Americans.
	Although TB rates for New York City continued to decline during the time between 1992 to 1999, Asian Americans still have the highest case rate in New York City.
	Asian immigrant teenagers are considered the most likely Americans to take up smoking, according to the US Surgeon General.
	Nearly 9% of all Asian mothers in New York City receive prenatal care either late or not at all, compared to 5% of White mothers.
	In New York City in 1999, suicide was one of the ten leading causes of death for Asian Americans of all ages, but was not a leading cause of death for any other racial group.
	Nearly 27% of Asian Americans in the New York metropolitan area lack health insurance, compared to 13% for the rest of the population.
	Emerging health care issues in China, such as increasing rates in HIV and STD infections and childhood obesity, may become issues of concern for the Chinese American immigrant community in the future.
	16% of Asian Americans in New York City have diabetes, the highest rate of any racial or ethnic group.

(Above information((“Charles B. Wang Community Health Center.” Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, Previously Known as Chinatown Health Clinic. Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, 2000. Web. 08 May 2011. <http://www.cbwchc.org/about/demo/demo.asp>.)))

From exploration of their website, we have been able to establish what kind of services they offer:

In terms of health care, they have services in dental care, internal medicine, mental health, pediatric care, and women’s health, and they also offer a provider list. In terms of health-related services, they offer health education, social services, services for women, infants, and children (W.I.C.), a teen resource center (T.R.C.), insurance applications, payment information, and other health-related resources. They also engage in special projects, research activities and publications, an annual event known as Good Health Day, a newsletter, and different brochures in both English and Chinese. (Above paragraph((“CBWCHC Home Page.” Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, Previous Known as Chinatown Health Clinic. Charles B. Wang Community Health Center. Web. 09 May 2011. <http://www.cbwchc.org/cbwchc.asp>.))) (Image at left((Photograph. Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, New York. Charles B. Wang Community Health Center. Charles B. Wang Community Health Center. Web. 9 May 2011. <http://www.cbwchc.org/images_cbwchc/home2.gif>.)))

==Chen Dance Center==

===General Information, Statistics, and Demographics===

The Chen Dance Center is located in the southern part of Manhattan’s Chinatown, at 70 Mulberry Street. (All photos in this section((Photograph. Chen Dance Center, New York. Chen Dance Center. Chen Dance Center. Web. 12 May 2011. <http://chendancecenter.org/index.php/about_us/photo_gallery/>.)))

 

The Chen Dance Center has three distinct features: the dance company, the theater, and the school. Through these three sections, the Chen Dance Center serves as a cultural center by putting on dance performances, allowing emerging dancers to perform, as well as teaching those who are interested.

The first of the three sections of the Chen Dance Center is their dance company, H.T. Chen & Dancers. Created in 1978, the company combines Western modern dance with the beauty and strength of Asian aesthetics. The style of this company has been seen throughout Asia, on seven different tours, in Europe, and in the United States. To help spread the culture, the dance company can hold performances for large groups or even hold dance lessons for students at nearby schools. “Suitable for lower, middle, and upper school students, H.T. Chen & Dancers’ annual lecture/demonstration series and interactive workshops de-mystify the process of choreography while providing a valuable lesson in Chinese history and culture.”

Regarding their second section, the theater, their 30’W x 24’L x 15’H black room, created in 1968, serves as the dance center’s training area and performance hall. The theater, which can seat 50 to 70 audience members, is equipped with the latest lighting equipment, sound systems,  and also a projection screen if necessary. The work of as many as 200 choreographers are presented through their programs, such as Newsteps, Ear to the Ground, and the Co-presentations Series. Through these series, “emerging and mid-career artists” have free rehearsal space and can perform in a professional setting. These series help encourage artists to perform and create art. For example, Ears to the Ground gives Asian American choreographers a commission to create new work. Created in 1995, Ears to the Ground offers many benefits, such as three public performances at the CDC Theater, 40 hours of rehearsal space, the use of a professional lighting designer, publicity, and an honorarium.

Lastly, the school section of this center seeks to do the following:

1. Provide arts training of the highest quality to the community.
2. Enable talented children and young professionals to pursue dance and music training through low-cost tuition and scholarships.
3. Cultivate an aesthetic sensibility in the Asian-American contemporary and traditional arts, while developing technical proficiency.
4. Encourage the development of new Asian-American choreographers.

Founded by Mr. Hsueh-Tung in 1980, the school educates over 250 students per week. Since the students are three and a half years old, they are taught ballet, modern dance, Chinese martial arts, traditional Chinese dance and private piano instruction. Through all these lessons for different age groups, they are taught exercises for fitness, strength, coordination, and vitality. As they study, students are offered an opportunity to dance for an event called “Chance to Dance.” Furthermore, fully trained students can be chosen to join the Chen Dance Center’s dance company, H.T. Chen & Dancers, or appear in one of their productions. ((Chen Dance Center. Web. 12 May 2011. <http://chendancecenter.org/>.))

==Greater Chinatown Community Association==

===General Information, Statistics, and Demographics===

The Greater Chinatown Community Association (GCCA) is located at the south part of Manhattan’s Chinatown, at 105 Moscow Street.

The GCCA makes the following claim: “GCCA seeks to provide beneficial services for the many needs of the Chinatown community, especially for newly arrived immigrants and the elderly.  We believe that those living within Chinatown should have access to care in the areas of adult education, medicine/health, recreation/culture, and consultation/aid. [continued below]

Each year, GCCA serves an average of 400 seniors and 600 adults through its range of programs.  Its clients are primarily from China, Hong Kong, [and] Taiwan, but also includes immigrants of Chinese origin from Southeast Asian countries, such as Vietnam, Thailand, Burma, and Malaysia. Clients seek and find support, companionship, and friendship at GCCA daily.”((“About Us.” Greater Chinatown Community Association. Greater Chinatown Community Association, 2008. Web. 9 May 2011. <http://www.gccanyc.org/about.html>.)) (Image at right((Photograph. Greater Chinatown Community Association, New York. Greater Chinatown Community Association. Greater Chinatown Community Association, 2008. Web. 9 May 2011. <http://www.gccanyc.org/images/program1.JPG>.)))

The GCCA presents its services in four categories: To achieve “Consultation and Aid,” they provide “information, eligibility screening, application processing, referrals and advocacy” as well as “telephone reassurance and translation.” To accomplish “Medicine and Health Care,” they provide “complimentary weekly massage therapy and acupuncture,” “general check-ups and consultation,” and Tai Chi. To achieve “Adult Education,” they provide “daily classes in English for Speakers of Other Language (ESOL), Basic Education in the Native Language (BENL), computer training, and civics/citizenship classes,” as well as assistance in the preparing for the naturalization exam and aid in the process of becoming a citizen. To accomplish “Cultural and Recreational Activities,” they provide “free special events to commemorate holidays and celebrations,” as well as an annual visit to a cemetery and movie showings in both English and Chinese. And they are proud of the following claim: “A total of 11,085 service units (person/visit) of education, healthcare, social and advocacy services were performed during FY 2007. ” (Above paragraph((“Programs.” Greater Chinatown Community Association. Greater Chinatown Community Association, 2008. Web. 9 May 2011. <http://www.gccanyc.org/programs.html>.))) (Image at left((Photograph. Greater Chinatown Community Association, New York. Greater Chinatown Community Association. Greater Chinatown Community Association, 2008. Web. 9 May 2011. <http://www.gccanyc.org/images/program3.JPG>.)))

===An Interview with Chih-Ping (Andy) Yu===

Andy Yu is the Executive Director at Greater Chinatown Community Association (GCCA). We arranged a meeting and had the opportunity to interview him regarding the institution. Here is a quick summary of the interview:

An Interview with Chih-Ping (Andy) Yu ((Yu, Chih-Ping. Personal interview. 01 May 2011.))

We thank Mr. Chih-Ping Yu for his correspondence, and we wish him the best of luck in his endeavors with the Greater Chinatown Community Association.

==Extra Media/Information and Useful Links==

The following photos and movies were taken by us. They serve to enrich visitors’ understanding of the experience that is Manhattan’s Chinatown.

===Videos!===

The links below take you to some videos made by us to actually try to give you something of a virtual experience of some of the things we did. If the links don’t work, there may be an issue with your web browser or your media player. (Currently, we only have one video because of some technical difficulties; if/when we figure out how to post others, they’ll be here.)

Inside a Chinese Restaurant

===Authentic Chinese Cuisine Served at a Manhattan Chinatown Restaurant===

Chinese restaurants could be said to be formal institutions as well by certain definitions. Directly below can be found a typical multi-course Chinese dinner (presented in order, although some dishes are presented at the same time at restaurants). In the case of at least one of our families [Darren’s], we get together to celebrate a particular occasion or just to have a little reunion. It’s a rare and expensive occurrence, but the food is absolutely fantastic! See for yourself!

It’s interesting to note that the waiters at the restaurants were just that: waiters. Waitresses didn’t abound when I [Darren] was there. Though this hardly is enough to come to sound conclusions, it does bolster the idea that many Chinese men can be found working in restaurants while many Chinese women can be found working in other places, such as garment factories.

===Useful Links===

If you would like to explore these institutions further on your own, here are some useful links:

• GCCA
• Library
• CBW Community Health Center
• P.S. 42
• MoCA