城市的中心

唐人街

Steven Lee is about as big an advocate for San Francisco as you can find. In both his business interests and as a member of as many commissions, 协会, 还有他能抽出时间参加的特别小组, Steven works to preserve 的 institutions that make San Francisco unique.

其中包括 山姆我们这家位于中国城的餐馆现在已经有100多年的历史了. For Steven, 山姆我们 was 的 go-to spot for a late night meal after a night on 的 town. Once he became part of 的 ownership group, he learned just how much 山姆我们 meant to so many o的rs.

像史蒂文, 卡尔文 Louie and 悬崖 Banayat have fond memories of nights out in 唐人街; but as 的ir old haunts closed and city zoning laws changed, 的y grew concerned that 的 neighborhood was losing an essential part of its charm.

在史蒂文的帮助下，他们开了店 狮子的巢穴这是唐人街近50年来第一家新开的夜总会. “This was an opportunity…to bring new people that never stepped foot in 唐人街 to party,克里夫说。.

Sisters 辛西娅 和詹妮弗 Huie were no strangers to running a small business in San Francisco. 他们的第一家公司在 内心的里士满 非常成功. When 的 opportunity to start a new venture in 唐人街 presented itself, 的y jumped at it.

“We wanted to see what would happen when we started bringing artists, 作者, 和创造性的能量聚集在唐人街,辛西娅说。.

结果是 在威利, 他们卖书的商店, 礼物, 配件, and more items that are created almost entirely by makers of Asian or Pacific Islander descent.

这些唐人街的领导者如何定义他们的城市中心?

“唐人街是关于人的，”史蒂文说. “他们是帮助建设美国的人.”

辛西娅同意. “I think 唐人街 is very important to our American story,” she says. “我们有一个多样化的, 美妙的, lovely country full of all different people from all over 的 world.” As one of 的 oldest, largest, and most successful immigrant communities in 的 U.S.“唐人街是让所有人都能实现这一目标的关键.”

那段历史并非没有瑕疵. The first generations of Chinese immigrants to America were treated with suspicion and discrimination—if 的y were allowed to pursue 的 American Dream at all.

“我认为我们必须了解我们的历史，”辛西娅说. “我们必须……回顾过去，才能向前迈进.”

She continues: “I think this is a place that’s very important to preserve and evolve for everybody. 这不是像博物馆里的立体模型一样保存它. 它不是停滞不前的. It’s about respecting 的 past but building on top, using it as a foundation.”