Throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, people of color have made up a disproportionately high percentage of cases and deaths. “We said we’d be happy to host when vaccines became available.” “We’re a really large building in Chinatown, and because all our programs were remote, was something we thought we could do to make vaccines more accessible,” Wu said. The testing service was so successful in Chinatown that the Pui Tak Center knew its neighbors would feel more comfortable getting vaccinated at a location they knew well. As more people came out to access resources, a mobile COVID-19 testing unit from Prism Health Labs helped Chinatown’s residents get tested without having to travel outside of their neighborhood. When the Pui Tak Center started hosting food distributions in partnership with other community groups in Chicago, it interacted with nearly 9,500 households. That’s why community-centered organizations are so important: They make sure no one gets left behind. When a majority of information and resources relating to COVID-19 are in English, non-native speakers lose the opportunity to learn about how to protect themselves and their families. Language access is one of the biggest gaps the United States has in providing accessible resources to people throughout the country. To combat the disparity in financial assistance, the Pui Tak Center helped over 700 people file for unemployment by sharing translated materials for speakers of Cantonese and Mandarin. The Illinois Department of Employment Security only offers three language options for users who apply online: English, Spanish, and Polish. Probably our first major effort was helping limited English speakers apply for unemployment last April.” “We heard back from community members about their specific needs during the pandemic. “During the early part of the pandemic, a lot of people didn’t go out and a lot of communities didn’t know how to reach their people with important messages about what was going on,” Wu told Global Citizen. Between October 2019 and May 2020, however, the jobless rate for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community jumped from 2.8% to 15%, one of the country’s highest.Īs more residents of Chicago’s Chinatown began to feel the burden of the pandemic, the Pui Tak Center brainstormed how to support the community. By March, that number rose to 80%.Īsian Americans have traditionally reported lower unemployment rates compared to Black and Latinx populations in the US. “Chinatown was hit especially hard because newer immigrants typically work in restaurants, in housekeeping, and hotels - those were the first places where people were laid off,” Wu said.ĭavid Wu, the executive director of the Pui Tak Center, is the lead and main organizer of the vaccination efforts for Chinatown residents in Chicago.īusinesses in Chicago’s Chinatown began to experience a 40% to 50% decrease in economic activity in February 2020 owing to visitors’ fears about the coronavirus. But for many Asian Americans - and especially those who live and work in Chinatowns across the country - fears about the coronavirus morphed into xenophobic and racist beliefs far before official stay-at-home orders were announced.Īs businesses shut down, Asian Americans became one of the first groups to experience the negative effects of the pandemic on their finances. And throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pui Tak Center has made sure its community can count on it to keep its neighbors safe.įor some in the United States, March 2020 is regarded as the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether you’re a new immigrant looking for employment assistance or a second generation Chicagoan who wants their kids to learn Mandarin, the center is home to programs and classes that help families enjoy fulfilling lives. After the building was purchased by the Chinese Christian Union Church (CCUC) and renamed in 1994, the Pui Tak Center became a gathering place for the community. Originally built in the 1920s, the building acted as an assistance center for Chinese immigrants coming to Chicago and was known as the area’s unofficial City Hall. “It’s a landmark building in the community,” David Wu, executive director of the Pui Tak Center, told Global Citizen. Decorated with intricate details and a pagoda roof, the center is a mainstay for new immigrants and generations of Chinese Americans who call Chicago home. Turn down South Wentworth Avenue in Chicago’s Chinatown and one of the first buildings you’ll notice is the Pui Tak Center.
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