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Chinatown Branch
Oral history Project

Teens leading Change

teen council members 

Michelle Chui

Zhangyang Wu

Qihao Huang

Malia Mahelona-Janilkarn

Tony HeTiffany Situ

Caleb Leung

Raymond Rigoroso

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they found that the seniors they serve are confronting gentrification in Chinatown, which is jeopardizing their ability to remain in their homes.  


 

 

 share the  seniors' narratives, explore Chinatown's history, and learn about chinatown community advocates to bring this story to light and support their elder's fight.

Since July 202,  the Teen Council has spearheaded a grocery delivery program at the Chinatown Library. 

 

investigate

advocate

go deep

Malia Mahelona-Janilkarn, Caleb Leong, Qihao Huang, and Zhangyang Wu, members of the Teen Council at the Los Angeles Public Library-Chinatown branch, conducted an interview with Eugene Moy, a longstanding activist and the President of the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California for the years 2022 to 2023.  The inaugural episode of the Teen Council's Oral History Project serves as a foundational exploration into the history of Los Angeles Chinatown and an examination of the contemporary challenges faced by its long-term inhabitants.
Join Malia Mahelona-Janilkarn, Caleb Leong, Michelle Chiu, and Ryan,  as they delve into the heart of their community's concerns. In this episode, they sit down with John Yi, Candidate for District 54 California State Assembly, to explore the pivotal role of local governance and its impact on Chinatown.
As they navigate the responsibilities and powers of the State Assembly, listeners gain insight into how legislative decisions directly affect the fabric of Chinatown. John Yi, a passionate advocate for seniors' rights and quality of life, brings a fresh perspective to the table, offering innovative solutions to longstanding issues.
find out more: https://www.johnforassembly.com

Karen Law and Winnie Fong from the Chinatown Land Trust Malia Mahelona-Janilkarn, Caleb Leong, and Michelle Chiu, Teen Council members at the Los Angeles Public Library-Chinatown branch,  interview  Karen Law and Winnie Fong, community activists from the LA Chinatown Land Trust.Established in June 2021, the LA Chinatown Land Trust aims to safeguard and manage affordable housing within the LA Chinatown community, offering a sustainable solution to combat displacement and gentrification in an increasingly unaffordable landscape for low-income, long-term, immigrant, and senior residents. 

Stop the Gondola
Malia Mahelona-Janilkarn, Caleb Leong, and Michelle Chiu, Teen Council members at the Los Angeles Public Library-Chinatown branch,  interview  community activists Phyllis Ling and Tany Ling from Stop the Gondola
LA Metro is letting a billionaire build an aerial gondola over the Chinatown neighborhood that research proves won’t reduce traffic or greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of $500 million dollars to the tax payers of LA.  Stop the Gondola is advocating to let the voices of the Chinatown community be heard by the Metro Board and have a say in their own future.
Stop the Gondola represents a collective effort to oppose the development plans for the LA ART Gondola, championed by former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. This proposed aerial transit initiative seeks to establish a connection between Union Station and Dodger Stadium, yet significant apprehensions surround its execution.
Learn more: https://www.stopthegondola.org

learn how to stand up

TLC SHOWCASE - Chinatown Branch 4.27.24.jpg

Thank you for the funding to make this project possible

Los Angeles Public Library-Teens Leading Change grant
Friends of the Chinatown Library
Tiger Baron Foundation
Gabriel Evans
Office of Councilmember Eunissis Hernandez Cd 1

 

Thank you to Lynn Nguyen, a truly dedicated librarian, and her visionary teen council. This is how the world changes!  

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