Kyana Townes

Penn State Abington’s Asian Student Association organization recently hosted an event for students called Shanghai Nights on Friday November 15th, at 6:00 until 8:00. This event was for the students to learn more about Asian culture and enjoy all the elements the culture has to offer. The event offered students performances, Asian cuisine, and information about traditional Asian values.

One thing that audiences was entertained by was the live performances. One performance stuck out more than others and that was the Philadelphia Suns’ performance.  

The Philadelphia Suns are a volunteer, non-profit organization funded through grants, fundraising events, and participant contributions. Most members are involved in athletic programs while contributing to servicing the community.  

After giving an amazing performance, the leader of the Suns explained that the organization could be forced to be shut down and forced out of their area because of the new location of the 76’ers new arena and asked for the audiences help to offer them help in protesting this choice.  

Waging Nonviolence, a nonprofit media organization did a cover story did an article on the issues happening in Chinatown and a few things they stated were “For the past 18 months, the campaign has argued that the arena would displace longtime residents, increase traffic congestion and disrupt the neighborhood’s homegrown economy,0” and “Chinatown is not something that can be protected by a monetary investment. It’s protected by being a place of welcome and safety and sanctuary for every Asian American community in the greater Philadelphia area. And if you can’t get to Chinatown because there’s six years of construction, if you don’t want to get to Chinatown because businesses shut down, then Chinatown dies. The thing that has made our community a thriving, vibrant place for 150 years is [under] existential threat.”

The insight from Waging Nonviolence provided the views from those who live or own shops in Chinatown and expressing their displeasure and fears about this new plan being forced upon. Those living in Chinatown continue to protest on a daily basis but are being either ignored or discouraged

Chinatown is a community for those who live in Philadelphia and also those who visit the area to get the Chinatown experience. It is also a site seeing town, shopping area for Asian dishes, and has lots of cultural attributions for the Asian culture. So many factors will be lost if its owners of the 76ers and Philadelphia leaders continue with their destructive plan. 

WHYY.org,  a leading public media organization in Philadelphia published an article about the pressing issue occurring in Chinatown. A few things that they noted and mentioned to make the audience care about the pressing issues was provide facts about the topic. “The 76ers have proposed moving to a new $1.55 billion arena near Chinatown called “76 Place.” The proposal has drawn swift condemnation, excitement, skepticism — and plenty of buzz, Black Clergy of Philadelphia has endorsed the project, while a majority of Chinatown businesses and other community members have voiced their opposition, Philly Mayor Cherelle Parker formally announced her support for the arena and unveiled a community benefits agreement.

This abolishment of Chinatown will come with lots of losses, including cultural heritage and diversity being lost.

We are witnessing social injustice right now and we have the chance and choice to offer our help for those who are facing prejudice in their own communities. Government leaders may think that our community is weak, and we cannot stand together to stop them from ruining the community residents in Chinatown have built, but we have the opportunity to prove them wrong take a stand for what’s right.

It is truly unfair for the residents to have no say in their future for their environment and community they have built.