For this assignment, I had the opportunity to partner with Leeda to assess the neighborhood of Chinatown, Los Angeles. Chinatown is the neighborhood that we both grew up in and being able to research the area has allowed us to both learn more about where we came from. From its rich history and culture, the town consists of a high amount of Asian immigrants in which a majority of them are low-income. As part of this demographic, it is interesting to see the city’s plan for serving this population. For this project, we went through the 8 key domains of urban life, health and wellbeing: outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, respect and social inclusion, civic participation and employment, social participation, community and health services, communication and information. It was fascinating to see that the small neighborhood had all 8 of these domains, especially with non-profit organizations like the Chinatown Service Center playing a crucial role in multiple categories.
Such urban areas are constantly changing, from being built from scratch by those who resided in the beginning, now these historic landmarks are threatened by gentrification and real estate/business takeovers. Working on this project has allowed me to reminisce about the time spent in my neighborhood and since the total population breakdown consists of almost a quarter of seniors (age 65+), I hope there will be more awareness on keeping the town age-friendly and that there are constant efforts to provide services for those in need. Challenges will ensue as the town’s population are a majority of non-English users, but this is also the reason why the community should provide all the more for those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged.
Such urban areas are constantly changing, from being built from scratch by those who resided in the beginning, now these historic landmarks are threatened by gentrification and real estate/business takeovers. Working on this project has allowed me to reminisce about the time spent in my neighborhood and since the total population breakdown consists of almost a quarter of seniors (age 65+), I hope there will be more awareness on keeping the town age-friendly and that there are constant efforts to provide services for those in need. Challenges will ensue as the town’s population are a majority of non-English users, but this is also the reason why the community should provide all the more for those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged.