Green. Some think of the color’s connection to life and the environment surrounding us. Others do not have such an idealistic view. To them, the hue represents greed and envy. Rather than seeking prosperity in life with Mother Nature, value and enrichment come from money. However, when I think of green, I am transported back to every single winter I spent as a child in San Francisco and seeing the iconic emerald roof of Dragon Gate, the oldest and largest Chinatown in North America. Stepping through the portal and under the ochre feature, I am immediately stripped of my American identity and reclaimed by my Asian one. The smell of hearty pork buns wafting through the air fills my nose. Windows gleam and shine with the sparkle of golden cat statues. Parasols line the streets, blocking out the sun from blinding vendors and casual passers, maintaining their serene mood. But with the recent tariffs put into motion by the Trump administration, I begin to wonder if my green will still be here, or if it will be consumed and lost to the growth of government revenue.
Chinatown is known for its hustle and bustle, the closest thing you can get to an authentic Asian market in the United States. From stepping into a cafe to pick up a box of egg tarts, to buying grade-A jade bracelets, to even making a stop at the bank, Chinatown has it all. But it wasn’t always a place for open tourism and restaurants. Initially, it stood as a place of sanctuary against the “racial discrimination and repressive legislation” many Asian Americans faced during the 1850s, according to PBS’ Chinatown Resource Guide. Like many immigrant communities, the Chinese came to the United States with the desire to achieve the American dream. However, they quickly realized how hard this could be being Chinese, “the only ethnic group in the history of the United States to have been specifically denied entrance into the country.” Chinese individuals were prohibited by law from testifying in court, owning property, voting, having families join them, marrying non-Chinese and working in institutional agencies. Finding obstructions everywhere they went, it seemed there was nowhere safe to settle in California. Until the rise of Chinatown.
Chinatown was able to succeed and thrive as a space for social support for the surrounding Asian communities. For the first time, the new Chinese community could not only gather in a space with others who looked like them, but band together as a unified voice in celebrating and promoting their customs, bringing the motherland a little closer. Chinatown served as a cultural hub for the United States, becoming a place for dance, music and artistry. San Francisco’s Chinatown alone resulted in the creation of “a children’s orchestra, … a Chinese Culture Center and the Chinese Historical Society of America.” San Francisco’s success prompted the construction of other Chinatowns across the nation in various cities and states, solidifying the Chinese American identity.
However, Trump’s recent tariffs on foreign countries could prove to be disastrous for these neighborhoods. What makes Chinatown so unique is its authenticity, and maintaining that authenticity means getting imports directly from the source. Furthermore, almost every business is locally owned with no exuberant amount of money or other investments to fall back on like big companies. When a community is catering for itself, it obviously wouldn’t try to deprive its participants of being able to spend. The San Francisco Standard acknowledges how there used to be times when one could easily find “‘buy 10, get one free’ promotions on inexpensive goods imported from China, such as noodles and soy sauce, but those deals have disappeared.” Vendors now have to hoard their merchandise and drastically increase prices, severing relationships with the people they initially served. But it doesn’t end there. As customers lose the flexibility to spend, these merchants will slowly have to close up shop and lose their presence in the city’s cultural sphere.
Chinatown initially came together with the support of its community. It acted as a spot for companionship, for tradition and for the education of the next generation. By losing Chinatown, ignorance and bigotry are more likely to destroy the slow-growing Asian acceptance following a hate-filled pandemic. So, as a community (even if you are not Chinese), visit your local Chinatown and show it some support. Rather than going to big corporate grocery stores, shop at local businesses. Review your favorite mom-and-pop shops on Yelp. Expand Chinatown to be more than just a haven for the familiar, but also a place for celebration, appreciation, and new experiences. While the economy works to erase the Asian identity in the United States, now might be the time once again to make sure the portals to Chinatown stay open by working together as a community.
Visual Credit: Brett Sayles
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