Celebrate Lunar New Year 2023

By Ray Hom

Lunar New Year 2023 will fall on Sunday, Jan.22, 2023, along with the start of the Year of the Rabbit. The Year of the Rabbit represents longevity, discretion, and good luck.

For the Chinese people, both in China and in ethnic communities around the world, the Lunar New Year is the most important and festive holiday of the year. Lunar New Year is known by many names: Chinese New Year (CNY) or The Spring Festival in China; Seollal in Korea; Tsaagan Sar in Mongolia; Tết in Vietnam, and is also observed in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Closer to home in Cleveland’s AsiaTown, festivities to celebrate the Lunar New Year will begin at Asia Plaza on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2023. Festivities are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with performances kicking off at 11 a.m. with the Kwan Family Lion Dance, followed by performances from the LingYun Rising Stars dancers, the Waist Drum Team, and the AsiaTown Square Dancing Team. Come join the festivities, wear lots of red, and visit the vendor and sponsor tables as well as the shops and eateries of Asia Plaza and throughout AsiaTown.

Like Christmas in Western countries, Lunar New Year is a time to be home with family, chat, drink, cook, and enjoy a family reunion meal together. The Chinese have an old saying: ‘Food is the first important thing for people.’ They are passionate about cooking and ensure that the festival foods bear auspicious meanings and bring good luck. So, while you are celebrating in AsiaTown, enjoy a meal that may include dumplings, fish, noodles, rice balls, or spring rolls, each dish representing one of the following: good fortune, good luck, longevity, completeness of family, and gold for a fresh start to the new year.

The festivities are sponsored by Margaret W. Wong & Associates, OCA Greater Cleveland, Asian Services in Action (ASIA), Erie Chinese Journal, and AsiaTown. Free and open to all!

Asian Services In Action Honors Community Partners

By Ray Hom

Asian Services in Action (ASIA) celebrated its 25th +1 anniversary on Friday, Oct. 14 during the return of their annual gala by recognizing key community partners, including the Akron Fire Department, Cleveland Department of Public Health, Huntington Bank, and its own staff.

ASIA is a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive direct services across Akron and Cleveland to new immigrants and refugees. After a 2-year hiatus from gathering together due to the pandemic, 250 guests attended the highly anticipated anniversary celebration. The gala raised funds for upcoming expansions of programs and honored the service and support that community partners have contributed to ASIA’s client base throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor Justin Bibb of Cleveland and Chief of Staff/Deputy Mayor of Administration Gert Wilms of Akron gave opening remarks to promote their respective cities’ commitment to diversity, inclusion, and welcome for the refugee and immigrant community.

Lt. Thomas Whatley of Akron FD

The Akron Fire Department (AFD) was awarded the Community Impact Superhero for hosting fire safety classes and installing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms with ASIA for the Nepali, Ka’Ren, and Congolese communities in North Hill after a tragic house fire in Akron killed a Nepalese-speaking family of five. Lieutenant Thomas Whatley accepted the award on behalf of AFD.

The Cleveland Department of Public Health was awarded the Community Health Superhero for

their partnership in ASIA’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts. They consistently supplied ASIA with COVID-19 vaccine and booster doses to vaccinate the Limited-English-Proficient community in Cleveland during pop-up events throughout the pandemic, including a Mother’s Day and a Voter Registration Day pop-up. Thomas Doot accepted the award on its behalf.

Huntington Bank was awarded the Community Defender Award for assisting ASIA in securing a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan that was crucial to ASIA staying open during the pandemic when clients and patients were not leaving their homes to receive services. The PPP loan kept ASIA’s doors open and staff on payroll so that they could continue to provide services to clients during the pandemic and beyond. Jennifer Oberg accepted the award on Huntington’s behalf.

Mayor Justin Bibb and Elaine Tso, CEO ASIA

“We are so honored that so many special guests came out to support our 25th +1 Anniversary,” said Elaine Tso, CEO of ASIA. “We could not do what we do without this support from funders and community partners as well as the commitment of our ASIA team members.”

The money raised at the Gala will go toward the expansion of the International Community Health Center, social service programs, and more. ASIA annually serves tens of thousands of clients and patients in Northeast Ohio.

To learn more about ASIA’s services and programs, visit www.asiaohio.org.

ASIA is the largest health and human services agency serving the Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) community of Northeast Ohio. ASIA serves, supports, and advocates for AAPI, immigrants, and refugees so that they prosper and flourish.

Never Again: Remembering the Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

By Meghan K. Donovan

On August 7, 2022, at 7:30 p.m., Cleveland Peace Action will commemorate the August 6 and 9, 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This event will take place at Rockefeller Lagoon at East 105th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and will feature speakers, music, and poetry. The event will conclude with floating lanterns on the lagoon at sunset, approximately 8:40 p.m., an annual tradition on the Ota River in Hiroshima.

At least 129,000 to 226,000 people were killed in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Half of them died slowly from burns, radiation, other injuries, and malnutrition. Hibakusha (from the Japanese meaning “person affected by a bomb”) and their descendants still suffer the effects of these tragedies, including cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, and discrimination.

Those familiar with the late poet laureate Daniel Thompson’s work may recall his poem “Ground Zero: Downtown Cleveland,” a reflection on how nuclear war affects humanity on a local scale as well as a global one. “The war in Ukraine has raised the chances of nuclear war, intentional or accidental,” said Francis Chiappa, longtime anti-nuclear activist and Cleveland Peace Action board member.

The U.S. government is modernizing its nuclear weapons arsenal at a projected cost of more than $1 trillion over 30 years. While the Pentagon has consistently received a disproportionate share of the national budget regardless of who is in office, the new investment in nuclear weapons is a particularly alarming development.

“We call on the two largest nuclear powers, Russia and the United States, to make sure this [nuclear war] never happens,” said Chiappa.

Documentary film “History of Cleveland’s Chinatown” Premiere

By Wayne Wong

Johnny Wu, Lisa Wong, and Wayne Wong

OCA Greater Cleveland (OCAGC) hosted a VIP premiere of the documentary film “History of Cleveland’s Chinatown – An Oral History of Chinese Americans in Cleveland” on June 25, 2022. OCAGC received a proclamation from the Office of Mayor Justin Bibb on June 4 recognizing the special public screening “History of Cleveland’s Chinatown” presented by OCA Greater Cleveland.

The private premiere attended by about 90 advocates, partners, and community members was held at the Old Stone Church due to the historical significance the church played in assisting and serving early Chinese-Americans in Cleveland. The film resonated with the audience as an intriguing and educational look into Cleveland’s past, a rich account of Chinese immigration and culture, a documentation of the transformation of Chinatown to the expanding present-day AsiaTown Cleveland, and the sharing of personal stories, many for the first time.

The film is a passion project of the filmmakers to tell the 150-year journey of Chinese-Americans, their struggles, their triumphs, and the American dream. Many felt the emotional impact of the film as it tells a personal, close-to-home journey. It tells the story of “us.”

The documentary is presented by OCA Greater Cleveland with funding provided by the Cleveland Foundation’s Minority Arts & Education Fund, Margaret W. Wong & Associates, and individual donors. OCAGC V.P. of Communications Johnny K. Wu is the director, producer, and director of photography. OCAGC President Lisa Wong is the producer, researcher, and interviewer. Media design and imaging are handled with Nick Muhlbach as editor and camera operator. Chris Tanaka, Cleveland 19 News anchor, serves as the host of the documentary. Wayne Wong, OCAGC V.P. of Administration, was the MC for the premiere and served as moderator for the Q&A session.

Photo Credits – Edmond Wong and Alex, Lisa and Wayne Wong

People’s Street Cleveland on the Move Again

By Ray Hom

People’s Street Cleveland volunteers are on the move again, literally! As part of the People’s Street initiative, volunteers painted bicycle lanes in both directions on the Payne St overpass above I-90 which connects downtown and AsiaTown.

In addition to painting the bicycle lanes, volunteers erected “wave delineators” to create a safer street for bicyclists. Volunteers had the assistance of Stella, a robotic painting truck by Roadprintz, to paint the green surfaces along with street symbols.

This initiative follows the recent crosswalk and curb extension installations along Payne Avenue between E. 22nd Street and E. 37th Street. The crosswalk design offers better protection for pedestrians and cyclists by calming traffic and elevating their visibility while also creating a cultural element for AsiaTown.

Both of these initiatives will be used to help inform about an upcoming resurfacing project along the corridor.

Experience the People’s Streets at our celebration coming this summer! Updates will be posted at www.asiatowncleveland.org/peoples-streets.

The People’s Street Cleveland initiative would not have been possible without the support of NOACA Street Supplies, SPIN Streets, MidTown Cleveland, CSU Campus District, Roadprintz, and the City of Cleveland. Special thanks to these organizations.

If your community is interested in learning more about how this was made possible, People’s Street volunteers will be co-hosting a Learning Lab on Wednesday, July 20th, from 3:30 – 5:30pm to share the lessons learned and toolkit. Meet at 2999 Payne Ave to attend a walking tour and a fireside chat to follow.

People’s Streets Cleveland is a grassroots initiative run by volunteers from varying backgrounds who came together to create streets that better serve people. We envision creating connections between diverse neighborhoods, safer streets for all ages and modes of travel, and welcoming places where people embrace their full humanity. Starting with the Payne Avenue corridor, we will reimagine a more vibrant streetscape.

Spin Helps ‘People’s Streets’ Bring More Vibrant, Safer Streets to Cleveland’s AsiaTown Neighborhood Through Art

Spin is proud to help fund the project of the grassroots coalition People’s Streets to bring safer transportation infrastructure through Cleveland’s first-ever crosswalk and curb extension murals in the city’s AsiaTown neighborhood.

Volunteers from People’s Streets, and Cleveland artist Mike Sobeck, are currently installing the murals at five intersections and bike lanes along the Payne Avenue corridor. The murals include colors and motifs that reflect the cultures and communities in the AsiaTown neighborhood.

Volunteers use stencils to paint crosswalks in AsiaTown

The improvements include curb extensions, which widen the sidewalk where people cross and reduce the time they spend getting across the street, and enhanced crosswalks which increase visibility, all of which make the streets safer, more sustainable, and more inclusive for all people, whether they are walking, biking, riding a scooter, or otherwise getting around without a car.

Besides creating more vibrant streets, artwork like this has the potential to create safer streets. A recent study by Bloomberg Philanthropies found that asphalt art results in a 50 percent decrease in the rate of crashes involving pedestrians or other vulnerable road users.

“The artwork on the roadway demonstrates the power of partnership between grassroots groups and the City of Cleveland,” said Rachel Oscar, who sits on the People’s Streets Committee.

While the designs are temporary, the goal is to inform more permanent safety and placemaking improvements when the City goes forward with a planned resurfacing of the area.

“After two years of hard work and creative thinking, we have a Payne Avenue that is welcoming, protects people, and represents us! We learned a tremendous amount from this process and hope it can help guide others on right-sizing and brightening our streets,” Oscar said.

An aerial view of one of the five Payne Avenue intersections recently repainted to improve safety

Payne Avenue was selected to be the first location for a People’s Streets intervention because it connects Downtown’s historically white central business district to Cleveland’s historically Black and ethnically diverse east side neighborhoods, and it is also home to the city’s vibrant AsiaTown neighborhood.

The project is supported by a number of groups and organizations, including the City of Cleveland, Downtown Cleveland Residents, AsiaTown Advisory Committee, MidTown Cleveland Inc., Campus District, Clevelanders for Public Transit, Bike Cleveland, and Spindrift Management Group.

Spin provided $25,000 in funding through its Streets Program, and the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) provided materials including paint and ADA ramps through its Street Supplies program.

Improved sidewalks in Cleveland’s AsiaTown increase safety while adding a bit of fun to the streets

“We’re excited to be able to provide funding and support for the People’s Streets project through our Spin Streets program,” said Ellen Gottschling, Senior Policy Manager at Spin.

“Projects like this one help to create streets that are safer and more livable for the community, and create better conditions for the use of micromobility, aligning with our mission of creating a world full of 15-minute cities. We applaud the work that the Cleveland community is doing to create better conditions for safe and sustainable transportation,” she said.

This project has also been supported by the City of Cleveland.

“This project represents a collaborative success in bringing color, culture, and safety to Cleveland’s streets,” said Calley Mersmann, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator with the City of Cleveland.

“The sustained energy and dedication of the People’s Streets volunteers, the resources from Spin Streets and NOACA Street Supplies, and contributions from City staff across several departments allowed us to learn an enormous amount about how to do projects like this successfully,” said Mersmann.

This project marks the beginning of a bigger transformation of the city’s streets into safer, more accessible, and more inclusive spaces, according to Ray Hom, AsiaTown Advisory Board Member and People’s Street Committee Member.

“These are exciting times for Cleveland’s AsiaTown and neighboring communities! The People’s Street project has been a grassroots led effort and after two years of visioning and planning, we are starting to see our efforts come to life,” he said.

“By partnering with the City of Cleveland, we hope the crosswalk artwork design, bridge mural and pop up park are just the beginning of more streetscape enhancements to the Payne Ave corridor in the near future. We will continue to pursue our goal of creating a safer and welcoming street, building pride with residents and connecting communities. Perhaps this project can be a model for other communities as well,” Hom said.

Celebrations are planned for people to experience the People’s Streets this summer. Details will be posted here.

https://www.spin.app/about-us

Cleveland Asian Festival a Huge Success

By Ron Calhoun

Photo by Yugan Sakthi

The event was well planned and very well attended after a two year in-person hiatus. The Cleveland Asian Festival has become a early summer highlight for Clevelanders. Well over 5000 people enjoyed socializing with good food and lots of fun activities. Cleveland weather is know for changing every day, but for the festival it was a perfect sunny 85 degrees day.

Lisa DeBolt, who moved to Cleveland 6 years ago, attended with her daughter. She attends the festival every year. “The Asiatown Festival offers a lot because of the coming together of the various cultures. I am always curious to learn something new every day and there is so much to learn about art, history and food which are often overlooked.”

Although masks were recommended, many did not wear them. More than 100 vendors and exhibits lined Payne Ave at East 30th Street, and in the Asia Plaza parking lot, with long lines to purchase food. Inside the Asia Plaza the restaurant lines were just as long, and had a San Francisco atmosphere as attendees walked through observing and purchasing merchandise.

Mirica Woodley, 14 said “the Asian Festival is such a great way to explore all the cultures and become more knowledgeable of all the Asian cultures. Exposure to the cultures is so impactful as part of the learning process. Meeting and introducing people to the various cultures is such an amazing experience! It’s more than just the food!”

Mirica Woodley, 14 Photo by Yugan Sakthi

The Cleveland Asian Festival is an all volunteer run festival to highlight Cleveland’s Asiatown neighborhood while celebrating Asian culture and diversity in the city of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio.

Free Admission, Free Parking, Free Tours of AsiaTown, Free Performances and demonstrations on two outdoor stages.

Free health screenings at the Health Pavilion in Asia Plaza, free guided tours of Cleveland’s Asiatown, free games, “Sumo” Wrestling, dance and eating contests!

It was a great way to start the summer!

Annual Cleveland Asian Festival – May 21 & 22, 2022

The month of May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. This year, the Cleveland Asian Festival is back in full force as part of the month-long celebration! Mark your calendars to celebrate the 2022 Cleveland Asian Festival on May 21 & 22, 11 am – 7 pm @ E. 27^th St & Payne Ave.

The annual festival offers free admission, free CSU parking with free shuttle bus rides to and from the festival, live entertainment, a unique local and beyond World Marketplace shopping experience, authentic Asian/Pacific Islander cuisine, free health screenings at the Health Pavilion inside Asia Plaza, free activities, free games and more.

Be sure to catch all the live entertainment throughout each day, including Asian and Asian-inspired cultural performances, martial art demonstrations, Colors of Asia Fashion Show, Asian-Pop dance competition, and a traditional Lion Dance as part of the festivities.

Free admission, free parking, free shuttle bus rides to/from the festival, and family-friendly fun for all! For details, please visit www.ClevelandAsianFestival.org.

The Cleveland Asian Festival (CAF) is a grassroots festival that highlights Cleveland’s AsiaTown, diversity, and Asian culture in Northeast Ohio. Organized by the community for the community to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage for the month of May.

If you would like to get involved by becoming a Sponsor, Vendor, Volunteer, or Perform, please click here: https://clevelandasianfestival.org/2022/get-involved/

Past accolades include:

Voted “Best Festival” – 2015 Cleveland Hot List!
Voted “Best New Ethnic Festival”— Best of Cleveland 2010, Cleveland Scene Magazine
Excellence in Neighborhood Marketing Award — Live Cleveland!
“CAF has achieved ‘must-attend status” – ClevelandPeople.com

ASIA Organizes Advocacy Day in Columbus, OH

ASIA organizes Advocacy Day in Columbus, OH to support an Office of AAPI Affairs and Inclusion of AAPI History in K-12 Education

Asian Services in Action (ASIA), a community based non-profit organization serving Asian, new immigrant, and refugee communities in Ohio, hosted an advocacy event at the Ohio Statehouse on April 5, 2022, to show support for a state Office of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Affairs.

State Rep, Mary Lightbody and Elaine Tso

ASIA staff members, clients, community members, non-profit partners, and constituents traveled to Columbus to speak with elected officials about the importance of Ohio Senate Bill 87 and House Bill 224, which call for an AAPI Commission, and Senate Bill 214 which calls for AAPI history in K-12 education. The existence of such an office would advise Ohio’s state government on the affairs, concerns, and perspectives of its steadily increasing AAPI population. It would also provide equitable access to resources for AAPI communication, such as language translation for all state materials.

Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are often overlooked by local and state governments even though the number of voter-eligible AAPI individuals in Ohio has increased by over 39% since 2012 according to APIA Vote. Ohio currently has commissions for Hispanic affairs and African Immigrant affairs which have benefited their communities and guaranteed Spanish language translation of materials for the Hispanic population. Currently, the AAPI population of Ohio is larger than the new African immigrant population, which emphasizes the necessity and benefit of a commission on their behalf.

The rise of Anti-Asian hate crimes across the United States, including in Cleveland, OH, has also highlighted the urgent need for an Office of AAPI Affairs that would prioritize AAPI protection and equity. Within the first year of the pandemic alone, Cleveland’s Asian community experienced 41 anti-Asian hate crimes as reported by “Stop AAPI Hate.”

The AAPI constituents had the opportunity to meet with State Sen. Tina Maharath (D-Columbus), State Rep. Tavia Galonski (D-35^th), and State Rep.Mary Lightbody who answered questions from the community and spoke about their sponsored bills of OH SB 87 and OH HB 224. A special thanks to these elected officials for their time. The AAPI community is encouraged by their passion and enthusiasm for #AAPI affairs and representation.

Rep Galonski Speaking in Atrium about HB 224

Speaking in support of an Office of AAPI Affairs, ASIA’s CEO, Elaine Tso, shared: “The Asian American Pacific Islander community in Ohio is more diverse than most people know. Our communities speak dozens of different languages and dialects. Language access is essential for the newly arrived Limited English Proficient (LEP) immigrant and refugee population. Ohio is also home to thousands of Marshallese community members with significant chronic health issues as a direct result of nuclear testing conducted by the U.S. on the Marshall Islands. An Office of AAPI Affairs would aim to provide equitable access to resources based on these varying needs.”

To support an Office for Asian American & Pacific Islander Affairs, contact Sen. Kristine Roegner (Chair of the Committee for Government Oversight and Reform) at roegner@ohiosenate.gov, Sen. Andrew Brenner (Chair of the Committee for Primary and Secondary Education) at brenner@ohiosenate.gov, and Senate President Matt Huffman at huffman@ohiosenate.gov.

#ProudToBeAsian

Lanterns Brighten AsiaTown History

By AsiaTown Cleveland

Just in time for Lunar New Year, Payne Avenue welcomed new pole lanterns to light up the streets and welcome in the new year.

These bright fixtures add colorful red and yellow light to the neighborhood while using energy efficient LED technology. Twenty light fixtures adorn electric poles from E. 27^th Street to E. 40^th Street. Community members selected the lantern design over other shape options.

Thank you to the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Foundation for providing generous support to this project. MidTown Cleveland Inc’s AsiaTown team worked with Halper Lighting Solutions, Clock Electric, and Cleveland Public Power to make this project possible.

Cleveland Asiatown History

https://case.edu/ech/articles/a/asiatown

Karis Tzeng, the director of Asiatown Initiatives at Midtown Cleveland said “I don’t think a lot of people think about Cleveland [when they think about Asian American immigration], but there is a really long history of Chinese folks here — and, actually, the development of Asiatown was really critical.”

Asiatown has provided a community for generations of Asian Americans dating all the way back to the 1800s. The majority of the residents are of CHINESE, KOREAN, and VIETNAMESE origin. With a rough geographic range from East 18th to East 40th and from St. Clair to Perkins Avenues, Asiatown has the highest percentage of Asian-Americans in Ohio.

Photo courtesy of AsiaTown Cleveland

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the midtown region (of which Asiatown is a large portion) has a self-identified Asian population of 39 percent, well above the national and state average.

The Chinese are the oldest Asian immigrant group in Asiatown. Chinese-Americans settled in Cleveland as early as 1860, but not until after the Civil War did the Chinese population in Cleveland exceed 100.

The Chinese who settled in Cleveland came from other urban areas, many from the West Coast, looking to escape intense anti-Chinese hostility while also seeking new economic opportunities.

According to a Cleveland State Heritage Study conducted in 1977, “The early Chinese settled in an area along Lakeside and St. Clair Avenues on Ontario Street… [and] they typically opened small service businesses when they arrived, such as laundries, restaurants, groceries and clothing stores.”

By the 1920s, many Chinese eventually made their way to Rockwell Ave. and East 22th, located near the outer western edge of what is now considered Asiatown.

As the Chinese-American population swelled during the twentieth century (especially after the communist takeover in 1949), the area became known as Chinatown. By the early 1990s the population east of Chinatown had become significantly diverse and included strong concentrations of people from Vietnam, Korea, and Thailand. Eventually, Asian-American businesses on the east side of Cleveland decided to rename the area Asiatown.