Chinatown Oral History Project-Interview with the Teen Council

Connectopod is back at the Los Angeles Public Library Chinatown Branch to visit with the Teen Council. The current Teen Council members are a mix of new members and returning members - some of whom have been organizing in their community for two or three years! Some of the council members are grandchildren of the elders that live in the SROs, making the Chinatown Oral History Project especially personal to them. Listen as council members tell us why they joined the Teen Council, why they find the food delivery project so important for the residents of Chinatown, and what it means to serve their community. 

Special thanks to Chinatown Teen Council Members for this interview:

Rebecca Yu, President of the Chinatown Teen Council

Jinglan Zhang, Vice President

Michelle Chui, Sunshine Leader

Tiffany Seto & Karen Lin, Social Media Managers

Zherui Cheng & Becky Lei, Outreach Coordinators

Ashlyn Ing, Secretary

Darren Lui, Teen Council Member

About the Teen Council

Since July 2022, these dedicated members of the Teen Council have spearheaded a grocery delivery program at the Chinatown Library, witnessing firsthand the harsh realities faced by the seniors they serve. These elders, living below the poverty line, confront the disruptive impacts of gentrification in Chinatown, jeopardizing their ability to remain in their homes. Driven by empathy, the teens have embraced the responsibility of documenting and sharing the personal narratives of these seniors and advocating for the rights of the immigrant community

Producer: Betsy Foldes Meiman