May 28, 2008 by Chinatown Blogger.

A few weeks ago, the sidewalks on Washington and LaGrange surrounding the Kensington site were fenced. Now the area is filled with what looks like white gravel, instead of the usual brown dirt. An information request was sent to the Boston Redevelopment Authority if Kensington was finally going to be built. So far, no word from the BRA yet.

The site, also known as the Hinge Block in the 1990 Chinatown Master Plan, was intended to be used as a “land bridge” to connect Chinatown with the Midtown Cultural District. Kensington Investment Company had submitted a proposal to build a 26-story tower on the site and approvals were given by the BRA in 2003. However, there were a series of delays that has left the site undeveloped. Will Chinatown finally see something soon?

6-2-08 Update:
The BRA got back to me: “Kensington actually isn’t yet ready to begin construction (but they’re still planning on it).” The fencing may be related to work being done by the Department of Public Works.

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May 27, 2008 by Chinatown Blogger.

Asian American Resource Workshop and Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center present:

A Conversation with Ha Jin
Saturday, May 31, 2008
2:00-4:00 pm
Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center
38 Ash St.  (off Oak St., between Harrison Ave. & Washington St.)
Boston, MA 02111
Directions:  www.bcnc.net.

Free Admission. RSVP to:  (617) 635-5129 or info@bcnc.net.

Award-winning author Ha Jin will read from and discuss his latest work. A Free Life.   Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing.

Short Synopsis:
From the acclaimed, award-winning author of Waiting and War Trash comes a new novel that eloquently re-imagines the American immigrant saga. Jin tells the story of the Wu family, that sets out on a journey through contemporary America in search of a sense of belonging.

About the Author:
Ha Jin was awarded the PEN/Faulkner Award for Waiting and War Trash; Waiting also won the National Book Award. His other books include the novel The Crazed; three short story collections: The Bridegroom, which won the Asian American Literary Award, Under the Red Flag, which won the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction, and Ocean of Words, which won the PEN/Hemingway Award; and three books of poetry.

Publisher’s Comments:
From Ha Jin, the widely-acclaimed, award-winning author of Waiting and War Trash, comes a novel that takes his fiction to a new setting: 1990s America. We follow the Wu family — father Nan, mother Pingping, and son Taotao — as they fully sever their ties with China in the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre and begin a new, free life in the United States.

At first, their future seems well-assured — Nan’s graduate work in political science at Brandeis University would guarantee him a teaching position in China — but after the fallout from Tiananmen, Nan’s disillusionment turns him towards his first love, poetry. Leaving his studies, he takes on a variety of menial jobs while Pingping works for a wealthy widow as a cook and housekeeper. As Nan struggles to adapt to a new language and culture, his love of poetry and literature sustains him through difficult, lean years.

Ha Jin creates a moving, realistic, but always hopeful narrative as Nan moves from Boston to New York to Atlanta, ever in search of financial stability and success, even in a culture that sometimes feels oppressive and hostile. As Pingping and Taotao slowly adjust to American life, Nan still feels a strange, paradoxical attachment to his homeland, though he violently disagrees with Communist policy. And severing all ties — including his love for a woman who rejected him in his youth — proves to be more difficult than he could have ever imagined.

Ha Jin’s prodigious talents are evident in this powerful new book, which brilliantly brings to life the struggles and successes that characterize the contemporary immigrant experience. With its lyrical prose and confident grace, A Free Life is a luminous addition to the works of one of the preeminent writers in America today.

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May 16, 2008 by Chinatown Blogger.

Click here smallthingsoriginal.jpg to get the larger into image.

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May 16, 2008 by Chinatown Blogger.

AVANA LOFTS
40-44 Harrison Avenue, Boston (Chinatown)

Applications are available UNTIL Sat, May 17 via MAIL & EMAIL Contact Todd Gaines at tfgaines@AHCco.com 617.248.0531 OR COME IN PERSON to AVANA LOFTS on Saturday May 17, 12pm – 4pm

Deadline for completed applications is Saturday May 31, 2008 in person by 4pm or by mail postmarked that day to Affordable Housing Clearinghouse, 59 Temple Place Suite 221 Boston, MA 02111. Selection by lottery. Asset, Use & Resale Restrictions apply. Preference for Boston residents and First-Time HomeBuyers. Call or Email Todd Gaines tfgaines@AHCco.com tel 617.248.0531 for info or reasonable accommodations. Visit us online www.AHCco.com

———————–

ALLELE
150 Dorchester Avenue, South Boston

Applications may be requested anytime May 19-June 7 by calling or emailing Todd Gaines: tfgaines@AHCco.com, tel: 617.248.0531 OR In Person on site at Allele Model Unit,
150 Dorchester Avenue, South Boston (near Broadway T stop)
on the following dates & times Thursday May 29, 12pm – 7pm;
Saturday & Sunday May 31 & June 1, 2008, 12pm – 4pm

Deadline for completed applications is Saturday June 21 In Person by 4pm or by mail postmarked that day to Affordable Housing Clearinghouse, 59 Temple Place Suite 221, Boston, MA 02111.

Selection by lottery. Asset, Use, Occupancy & Resale Restrictions apply. Minimum income limits apply. Preference for Boston Residents, Household size, and First-Time Homebuyers. For more info or reasonable accommodations, Todd Gaines at 617.248-0531 or email tfgaines@AHCco.com www.AHCco.com Equal Housing Opportunity

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May 14, 2008 by Chinatown Blogger.

The inclusion of bilingual voting ballots has been a major issue for the Chinatown community and the Chinatown Blogger has not been as diligent in following the process and reporting here on the blog. However, here is a quick and dirty history of the bilingual voting ballots.

2003 - The Chinese Progressive Association filed complaints with both the City of Boston and Secretary of State about voting rights violations inside polling places.
2005 - Based on 2003 and 2004 complaints, Department of Justice (DOJ) filed lawsuit against the City of Boston for violating the voting rights of limited English-speaking Chinese and Vietnamese voters. US District Court finalized a Memorandum of Agreement between the City of Boston and DOJ to provide increased bilingual assistance to Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese-speaking voters, and to launch Chinese and Vietnamese bilingual ballots. The Memorandum expires in 2008.
2007 - City of Boston successfully printed the Chinese bilingual ballot with transliterated candidate names in both the preliminary and final election for the special District 2 city council race (the eventual winner was Councilor Linehan). Secretary of State (Galvin) continued to oppose transliteration of candidate names on the ballot. Department of Justice asked the court to clarify whether a Chinese bilingual ballot must include candidate names. Galvin filed his opposition to the DOJ’s court motion and argued that transliteration of names were “imprecise” and did not belong on the ballot.

Today, the City Council passed a Home Rule Petition to extend having bilingual voting ballots. The Home Rule Petitionwas filed by City Councilors Sam Yoon, Michael Ross and John Connolly. Today the City Council voted unanimously to extend the bilingual ballots. The next step will be to have Mayor Menino to sign the bill and then submit the bill to the State House. Boston.com has an article here.

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