Chinatown Summer Nights, 2012
“Chinatown in Twenty” is part of a larger narrative called “LA Story Project” spearheaded by graduate students at the USC Specialized Journalism program. Each group was designated a neighborhood in Los Angeles. Ours was Chinatown. The three of us explored the area on foot, beginning at a summer festival called “Chinatown Summer Nights.” We saw Chinatown’s most liveliest nightlife as compared to a normal work week in the neighborhood. We found three characters that best illustrate Chinatown today and captured their stories on film.
These three stories explore the voices of three generations – in a particular moment in time – who believe Chinatown is in need of preservation and reinvention. The Chinatown we explore here today is economically drained and politically bogged down, yet there are still glimmers of hope. The neighborhood will undoubtedly continue to change. Just how it will change is the question.