The temporary library on 640 Washington Street has become one of the social gathering places for adults and children in the Chinatown community. The library offers free classes for children to enhance their skills, such as reading, and drawing. From time to time, it hosts festivals and events.

The library carries periodicals, newspapers, and books in both English and Chinese. Its staff even speaks both languages, allowing people who are not fluent in English to seek help more easily. Many students find the library helpful; they usually to do homework there. According to Amy Cheung, a staff who works at the library, a student even finds a history text book in the library. Also, computer stations can be easily found.

The library is a combination of learning and a socializing space  You can grab a book and start reading right away on a sofa or couch. If you prefer, you can also use computers to do research or just simply browsing around the internet. Often times, you will see little kids drawings or playing legos in a small room.  There is also a piano station in the back of the library where you can enjoy your little music world.

For more information on Chinatown’s Storefront Library visit their main website: http://www.storefrontlibrary.org/

-MeiHua Li, Oak Terrace Youth

When I was training to do radio shows during my first year in A-VOYCE, I believed that everything was going to be insane.  Well, I turned out to be correct—in a way, that is.  The radio show is a weekly program that A-VOYCE offers to trained Youths to play music on the radio as well as read pieces about different aspects of Asian and/or Asian-American culture:  Stereotypes, affordable housing, college applications, budgets, and many other topics.  For a radio show, we had to prepare a script in advance that we would have to read while live,  on-air.  We couldn’t afford to make any huge mistakes and we had to meet the almost-two-hour-mark.  In those two hours, we had to have an introduction,  a few Public Service Announcements (PSA),  at least one piece,  discussion(s) of the piece(s),  back announces,  and an outro!  Most of the time, most of us Youths pushed the script-making to the end of our priority lists and we ended up scrambling to figure out what to say while on air.  One of the more memorable topics that I could remember talking about on the WMFO station was about another DJ’s hairstyle and the weather, which was slightly cloudy,  I believe.  We’ve now passed the days at WMFO and we have a new station now, WUNR AM 1600, located right in Downtown Crossing!

Even now, the radio show is insane,  just not as much!  Even though we still have to write scripts, we aren’t actually recording live,  so we can actually make a few mistakes.  The downside to that is the fact that we actually need to edit the show. This brings up a ton of problems:  One;  It takes a long time to listen over the show for errors,  Two;  It takes a lot of time correcting those errors,  Three; It takes a long time to listen over the show for errors again…  Yeah, you probably see where I’m going at with this.  When we don’t record live,  we spend over two hours recording and editing, when we only have a small amount of time!  There are other people who need to use the station and they sure do get angry when we aren’t on time.  I mean, I remember getting out around 6 or 7 at night when we were supposed to get out by 4 or 5.

Enough about the negatives, though, the radio show isn’t that bad!  Even though we have to work out butts off, there’s a saying that sort of sums up what the radio show is like…  Planning the party is more fun than the party itself;  however, A-VOYCE’s radio show, in my opinion, doesn’t quite follow that saying.  I believe that once we, the DJ’s, are sitting in front of our microphones, with our fancy headphones hung around our necks, is when we’re having the most fun.  The thrill of knowing that somewhere in Boston or even somewhere in our surrounding neighborhoods, someone is listening to our voices and somehow understanding more and more of the Asian and/or Asian American culture.  There’s also the thrill of learning how to use the soundboard and editing!  It seems complicated at first, but when you have your friends to help you learn, it becomes a fun and memorable experience.  It’s easy as pushing a switch and setting the volume to the correct levels.  Editing is fun, too because you could cut out parts that would normally make your show sound awkward, such as awkward silences or the infamous ‘um’-word that we all tend to say once we’re recording.  Oh, music playing is fun because almost any type of music could be played, as long as it fit under the two-thirds Asian or Asian-related songs.  I mostly prefer to play Japanese pop or rock music because it provides a much needed uplifting to people listening.  It has a cool vibe to it, it’s probably the instruments or the vocals, who knows, I’m not a Japanese language expert!

Now that I’m a returning Youth, part of the Youth Council Committee, I see now that the radio show is a very core part of what makes A-VOYCE A-VOYCE.  You can’t have A-VOYCE without Asian voices of organized youth for community empowerment, otherwise, it would just be a blank space or…  A-FAYCE, Asian feet of active youth for community empowerment because A-VOYCE would just have a walking tour.  Maybe after reading this you want to ask people to listen to our show on Saturdays, from 9 to 11 at night, go ahead, I’m not stopping you, in fact, I’m encouraging you.  Our radio show needs as many listeners as it could get, so our message could be passed; so our pieces could be heard; so our music could be listened to and appreciated.  It isn’t for us that we have a radio show, but it’s for our community; our neighborhoods; Chinatown, Cambridge, Allston, Medford, Quincy, and so many others!  Thank you for reading, tune in for the A-VOYCE show on WUNR AM 1600!

-Eric Tao, Oak Terrace Youth

It has been over two months since the 2009-2010 year of A-VOYCE has started, and I’ve had an enjoyable time spending my Saturdays with the new youth as well as the Youth Council, now consisting of around 20 members. It is hard to distinguish who is new and who is veteran as we all spend the morning in the same workshops. This unity between old  and new A-VOYCE was one of our successful goals that we discussed last year. The Secret Santa held this Wednesday will further strengthen the bond between old and new members.

Our new A-VOYCE members (the Parcel 24 generation), have been eager to learn during the workshops over the weeks. Workshops have been on Chinatown, managing money, and other topics pertaining to the Phase I theme of Identity and Community. I especially enjoyed the house buying scenario, where the group was split up into pairs to work together as a family to find a house in the competitive housing market. One has to keep in mind of the specific income that we were each given. There was then the dilemma of deciding how to spend the rest of our very limited annual income. This showed us the hardships that a resident in Chinatown has to overcome financially. These activities are what open up to me parts of Chinatown that I didn’t fully understand.

Though the Youth Council and First Year Youth have worked together in workshops, our schedules throughout the year are different. Thanks to improved organization this year, a master plan for this year has been mapped out. Three phases divide the curriculum for A-VOYCE and insure different subjects will be learned and different activities done throughout the year. Interacting with the community was one of the important points of improvement that we emphasized last year. Therefore interviews with other Asian American organizations and more guest speakers can be expected later this year. The master plan has been further planned through the Youth Council’s monthly meetings, which have been all productive this year.

The decision to hold a monthly Youth Council meeting gave A-VOYCE the communication that it seemed to lack last year. Communication dramatically improved and our winter party on December 30th is the result of better planning this year. As well as social gatherings, the Youth Council has discussed more extensive projects such as a Walking Tour Video. The video is to be sold after tours to educators and the public in order to promote awareness of the history of Chinatown and Asian Americans to the public. Fundraising and community outreach projects have also been discussed and have much potential. The proposed idea of assigning an initiator, ambassador, and catalysts for events/social gatherings works efficiently as the new leadership system.

The year seems bright, and I am anticipating many more fun experiences at A-VOYCE, as well as learning more about the Chinatown neighborhood and Asian American issues.

-Anthony Cheung, Oak Terrace Youth

I can’t believe I am only 24 hours away from the last day of my internship at ACDC. I’ve had so many laughable, interesting, and sometimes even exasperating moments here, but ultimately, it was a rewarding experience. It has been a learning and growing experience in which I developed key skills. I gained exactly what I wanted to gain during this process- I am now open to a whole new culture that I’ve come to adore and in the course I helped better the future of a wonderful community. I was part of a team that is developing a video game; what can possibly be cooler? I can handle a 3D sketch-up and have become more organized than I initially was. I do plan to visit and help out during the school year but the experience that I’ve been exposed to this summer will never be replaced. I felt an immense responsibility and duty as the person in charge of the pictures and development of the 3D sketch-up model; documenting everything we had, organizing it and exploring the sketch-up model- although tedious, was very fascinating.

-Lisbeth Pimental

Summer is concluding, and so is my work at ACDC as the Youth Chair of Films at the Gate. The youth office of A-VOYCE is all too familiar to me; its light-yellow walls, the piles of cardboard boxes, and everyone at the ACDC has found a place to stay in my memory. I have learned much not through classes and workshops, but through the mere experience of working with people, and sometimes non-cooperating computers. Chinatown may not be my community, and non-profit organizations may not be my future, but they are part of me nonetheless.

Films at the Gate was not the only work I did, I also focused on walking tours and learning about Chinatown. I’ve learned so much more about Chinatown’s past, and its future seems clearer to me. I walked the perimeter of Chinatown countless times, whether I am leading a group of observers or briskly walking to get lunch at many place I’ve never realized were there. But my work was not just walking tours and getting lunch, because the city was paying me to do more that.

Organizing Films at the Gate was a satisfying, and enjoyable experience. As the telemarketer as well as the door-to-door advertiser, I realized their efforts were by far greater than I expected. Through my adventures around the Leather District, I learned that even the average person has unique stories. Nevertheless I was rejected just like all other advertisers. Not only did I meet people while advertising Films at the Gate, but also through meeting my co-workers, also known as friends.

The small community at ACDC is friendly and exciting, from telling stories about raising goats in college, to playing wall ball with a foam artichoke, and then of course walking around in a bittermelon suit. It is my fifth week here and I still hear new stories and I’m never bored of listening to the old ones. When I come back to A-VOYCE for the fall, I’ll look forward to seeing them again.

Well, that’s the end of my blog, and I’ll be back in the fall.

Anthony Cheung, Oak Terrace Youth

It was my first time here in A-VOYCE this summer, and I was on the radio show for the first time in my life. At first it was really exciting and I was pretty much waiting the whole week for that day to come. But when Saturday came (which is the day we have our radio show), it was really nerve-racking. I wasn’t really mentally or emotionally prepared for the radio show, so I was shaking when it was my turn on the board. I thought the show was going to be over if I was on the board; I thought I was going to mess up everything. But it really wasn’t that bad, except maybe a few mistakes here and there, but hey, who doesn’t make mistakes? Then I pretty much got used to the way a radio show worked, and I love the radio station. There were lots of writings and drawings and posters on the walls, so it was really colorful and decorated. I can’t believe next week will be our last week there.

When I heard I was going to be on a radio show, I became really nervous. What if I mess up and say something really bad or offensive? However that stress seemed to have died down after a couple of radio shows. I also learned a lot from workshops with other groups on Thursday. It was a great experience meeting many new people who were also working at the radio show with me. Next week is our last week here, but I will definitely drop by often to say hi to the youths still working there.=)

Kevin and Jamie, Metropolitan Youth

You think I don’t get enough A-VOYCE in my life, right? Wrong. While in deep slumber, I have encountered an A-VOYCE dream. It was definitely my first “A-VOYCE” dream and just like and day at A-VOYCE, it was random, bizarre, and unpredictable.

It was an adventure, but this time our objective was to go to Antarctica in order to dance. We were at Downtown Crossing Station and Carro (who was renamed Syllabus) and I were waiting for people to come so we could all go to Antarctica. While waiting we saw Aladdin sitting on the stone chairs that were known in Downtown Crossing. The train arrived. Stepping out from the doors was Jason (a staff from ACDC) and Jimmy. They were wearing thick fur coats with bushy fur hoods. Upon arriving Carro and I pushed them back into the train so we would not miss the next train. The scenery changed dramatically after we left the tunnel. The interior of the train changed from the normal Boston metro style to a more Hong Kong subway furnishing. Outside looked like Tokyo and it abruptly changed to a French-countryside in a matter of seconds. On the next stop, Mary and Franny arrived and with each stop a group of youth would enter the train. Eventually we had almost all the youth as the land began to fill up with snow. On our last stop, we had made it, with penguins, and a surrounding desolate snowy tundra.

I don’t know what this dream symbolized but it seems to me that A-VOYCE plays such an important role in my life that it’s possible for me to dream about it. This summer has been nonstop A-VOYCE and I don’t regret the dream or being able to spend time at ACDC. I’m lucky to be able to work with such talented staff and youth. Everyday is an adventure, but not quite like the one I had in my dream.

-Tai Tung Village Youth

This Sunday, we had a get-together party at Alan’s house with rest of A-VOYCE. A lot of people came including other ACDC staff such as Amy Cheung, Caroline, Catherine, and Jason. Everyone either brought a dish or chipped in twelve dollars for the party. We had dumplings, rice balls, rice with curry, crepes, egg rolls, chicken wings, hotdogs, etc. (I am running out of things to say here). Also, we got a chance to hang out with Shawn, the new youth coordinator for A-VOYCE. He is really friendly. I really like the game called Snake he introduced to us. A person has to be the head which caught mice. Whoever was caught would become part of the snake in order to catch more mice. Only the head could catch mice, and the other part of the snake got to block other mice. Eventually, the snake (the catchers) would end up really long. Since everyone is new to the game, a lot of people got caught; by the way, Alan won the game!

We got to watch the videos that Diane made on YouTube, and the lovely slide shows by Carro. It was really cool, and all the A-VOYCE members got to mangle and have fun. Also, Alan handed out the superlative awards. Everyone got one! We had a lot of fun at the party, and many people stayed after.

- Oak Terrace Youth

Carro, Anthony and I go to a workshop called the Martin Luther King Summer Scholars at Boston University from 9 A.M. to 11 A.M every Friday. This week we learned how to put our best selves forward. The workshop was presented by Judith Bowman, president and founder of Protocol Consultants International. They offer training, consultation and coaching services to those who want to enhance their interpersonal skills, communications skills, as well as personal effectiveness in business and social relationships.

“You need to know the rules before you can play the game.” –Shakespeare.

The Game is Life and it’s true because you never get a second chance to make a great first impression! The most crucial skill remains the ability to interact successfully with other people. Like what Ms. Bowman said, “It is your behavior from the outset that will help build a strong foundation in the relationship building process.”

Here is a list of things that I learned from the workshop.

- Name badges go on your RIGHT hand side, as close to eye-level as possible- never shoulder-top.
- Never ask a senior executive for their business card – they will not have one and it will create an awkward moment
- Hold glasses in your LEFT hand, leaving your right hand free to SHAKE HANDS
- Small talk is “huge talk”.
- A social introduction is based on age/gender; a business introduction is based on rank/status
- Always say the name of the most important person first.
- “Hi” is not an appropriate greeting, “Hello” is.
- The social kiss is appropriate in business.
- You show your respect when you rise when someone new enters the room.
- It is better to write the thank you note than to Email them.
- Business etiquette rules are the same for men and women.

Tong Chen, Oak Terrace Youth

My first week at the Asian Community Development Corporation was very interesting. I was able to experience a community that I was never exposed to before. The environment is comfortable, welcoming, and the work load is definitely manageable.

In one week, I acquired extensive knowledge on topics I once overlooked, that are now a part of my life. I loved my first week and surely looking forward to the next five.

As a Hispanic teenager growing up in east Boston, I knew there were different cultures that I inevitably would be exposed to. Working at ACDC unveiled a whole new world to me. Everything surprised, interested, and intrigued me. The historical tour I received enlightened me in the sense that I got familiar with the community. Learning about Chinatown is essential for my job because it makes me more passionate about what I’m doing at ACDC. The DML Project is an awesome experience. I’m developing new skills and exploring Chinatown more and more each day.

- Lisbeth Pimental