Can you hear us now?
Community members in New York Chinatown have been fighting against the construction of a new jail since its announcement in 2017. Some believe the decision will displace an already marginalized community and view the plan as a racist legacy of urban renewal in Chinatowns across the country. Follow along to see how four community members have responded to the jail plan.
On March 20, 2022, hundreds of protestors marched in Chinatown in Manhattan to protest against the city’s plan to build the world’s tallest jail in the neighborhood.
The jail is part of former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s $8.7 billion plan to close the Rikers Island prison complex and build four smaller facilities around the city, one each in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens. The city believes the plan will create a smaller and more humane jail system.
In Manhattan, the existing Manhattan Detention Complex (nicknamed the Tombs) will be demolished and replaced with a larger 40 story facility. Community members has been speaking out against the jail plan since 2018.
Over the last decades, Chinatown has faced numerous challenges: from the impact of 9/11 and subsequently the closure of the Park Row highway, which dramatically reduced flow of traffic and visitors, to the impact of Covid on its restaurant and tourism industy and increasing Asian hate crime...
Interviews*
Explore four community members’ perspectives on the jail plan and their relationship withr Chinatown.
*Parts of the interviews have been edited for clarity.
Endnotes
On April 11, 2022, the Department of Design and Construction started installing construction fencing in preparation for dismantling the Tombs.
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Credits
Design and writing by Winnie Yoe. Development by Mark Lam. Thank you to all interviewees and advisors for their generous time and thoughtful contribution.
Sources
General
Yang, Stephanie (2020, May 7). New York’s Chinatown businesses struggle to survive coronavirus shutdown. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-yorks-chinatown-businesses-struggle-to-survive-coronavirus-shutdown-11588856400
Knowles, H., & Bellware, K. (2020, May 16). Fear sent her Chinatown restaurant spiraling. the challenges to reopening feel 'just impossible.’. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/16/asian-american-business-coronavirus/
Rong, XiaoQing(2021, September 22). Chinatown Street has been closed since 9/11, and residents are fed up. Documented. https://documentedny.com/2021/09/10/this-chinatown-street-has-been-shut-down-since-9-11-and-residents-are-fed-up/
City of New York. (2022, February 18). NYC borough-based jailshttps://rikers.cityofnewyork.us/nyc-borough-based-jails/
In Jan Lee’s section
Shenon, Philip. (1983, Oct. 17). Tombs to reopen with a new look. The New York Times.
@nubnyc. https://www.instagram.com/nubcnyc/
In Karlin Chan’s section
Chao, Evelyn. (2021, April 1). The Chinatown Block Watch, one year later. Curbed. https://www.curbed.com/2021/04/chinatown-block-watch-one-year-later.html
McDonough, Annie, & Rahaman, Maryam. (2021, July 6). 2021 New York City Council Primary Election Results. City & State NY.https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2021/06/2021-new-york-city-council-primary-election-results/182745/
In Anonymous’s section
Dugyala, Rishika (2021, October 3). What's mobilizing AAPI voters like never before. POLITICO. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/the-recast/2021/10/03/poll-asian-american-pacific-islander-voters-politics-fear-494533
Credits
Design and writing by Winnie Yoe. Development by Mark Lam. Thank you to all interviewees and advisors for their generous time and thoughtful contribution.
Sources
General
Yang, Stephanie (2020, May 7). New York’s Chinatown businesses struggle to survive coronavirus shutdown. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-yorks-chinatown-businesses-struggle-to-survive-coronavirus-shutdown-11588856400
Knowles, H., & Bellware, K. (2020, May 16). Fear sent her Chinatown restaurant spiraling. the challenges to reopening feel 'just impossible.’. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/16/asian-american-business-coronavirus/
Rong, XiaoQing(2021, September 22). Chinatown Street has been closed since 9/11, and residents are fed up. Documented. https://documentedny.com/2021/09/10/this-chinatown-street-has-been-shut-down-since-9-11-and-residents-are-fed-up/
City of New York. (2022, February 18). NYC borough-based jailshttps://rikers.cityofnewyork.us/nyc-borough-based-jails/
In Jan Lee’s section
Shenon, Philip. (1983, Oct. 17). Tombs to reopen with a new look. The New York Times.
@nubnyc. https://www.instagram.com/nubcnyc/
In Karlin Chan’s section
Chao, Evelyn. (2021, April 1). The Chinatown Block Watch, one year later. Curbed. https://www.curbed.com/2021/04/chinatown-block-watch-one-year-later.html
McDonough, Annie, & Rahaman, Maryam. (2021, July 6). 2021 New York City Council Primary Election Results. City & State NY.https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2021/06/2021-new-york-city-council-primary-election-results/182745/
In Anonymous’s section
Dugyala, Rishika (2021, October 3). What's mobilizing AAPI voters like never before. POLITICO. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/the-recast/2021/10/03/poll-asian-american-pacific-islander-voters-politics-fear-494533
Credits
Design and writing by Winnie Yoe. Development by Mark Lam. Thank you to all interviewees and advisors for their generous time and thoughtful contribution.
Sources
General
Yang, Stephanie (2020, May 7). New York’s Chinatown businesses struggle to survive coronavirus shutdown. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-yorks-chinatown-businesses-struggle-to-survive-coronavirus-shutdown-11588856400
Knowles, H., & Bellware, K. (2020, May 16). Fear sent her Chinatown restaurant spiraling. the challenges to reopening feel 'just impossible.’. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/16/asian-american-business-coronavirus/
Rong, XiaoQing(2021, September 22). Chinatown Street has been closed since 9/11, and residents are fed up. Documented. https://documentedny.com/2021/09/10/this-chinatown-street-has-been-shut-down-since-9-11-and-residents-are-fed-up/
City of New York. (2022, February 18). NYC borough-based jailshttps://rikers.cityofnewyork.us/nyc-borough-based-jails/
In Jan Lee’s section
Shenon, Philip. (1983, Oct. 17). Tombs to reopen with a new look. The New York Times.
@nubnyc. https://www.instagram.com/nubcnyc/
In Karlin Chan’s section
Chao, Evelyn. (2021, April 1). The Chinatown Block Watch, one year later. Curbed. https://www.curbed.com/2021/04/chinatown-block-watch-one-year-later.html
McDonough, Annie, & Rahaman, Maryam. (2021, July 6). 2021 New York City Council Primary Election Results. City & State NY.https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2021/06/2021-new-york-city-council-primary-election-results/182745/
In Anonymous’s section
Dugyala, Rishika (2021, October 3). What's mobilizing AAPI voters like never before. POLITICO. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/the-recast/2021/10/03/poll-asian-american-pacific-islander-voters-politics-fear-494533