Oakland Chinatown Elders Organizing Collective
Asian Health Services, in partnership with the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) and the Oakland Chinatown Coalition, co-led a five-part experiential learning series in 2024 with 12 Chinese-speaking seniors on comprehensive community safety and healing. The series included field trips to cultural landmarks and community institutions across the Bay Area, including SF Chinese Cultural Center, Baywell Health in West Oakland, and San Quentin State Prison.
LOVE HAS TWO MEANINGS: A SHORT FILM
In “Love Has Two Meanings,” director Kevin Duncan Wong captures the inspiring journey of 12 Chinese seniors as they confront community safety challenges in Oakland’s Chinatown and beyond. Traveling through West Oakland, San Francisco’s Chinatown, and San Quentin State Prison, they seek innovative solutions while fostering intergenerational connections and bridging cultural divides. This poignant short documentary highlights the power of community and the diverse meanings of love in the face of adversity. Produced by Asian Health Services.
Oakland Chinatown Elders Organizing Collective
1. black panther party museum
At the Women of the Black Panther Party Mural and Mini Museum, the seniors learned about the history of segregation, redlining and displacement faced by the Black community in West Oakland. They also learned about the formation of the Black Panther Party and its community programs and visited Baywell Health.
2. SF International hotel
During their trip to San Francisco’s Chinatown, the seniors learned about the rich history of Chinese Americans in San Francisco. A memorable tour stop was the International Hotel that was a site of struggle and protest against the eviction of elderly Filipino and Chinese tenants from the Manilatown District in the early 1970s.
3. San quentin
The group traveled to San Quentin State Prison, where seniors met incarcerated students from Asian Prisoner Support Committee’s ROOTS program. Through these intergenerational exchanges and conversations, the seniors left with a greater understanding of the root causes of violence and with motivation to support effective reentry and rehabilitation.
4. Sacramento
The seniors traveled to the state capitol with other community leaders and organizations across California to meet with state assembly members and advocate for language access and continued funding for violence prevention work.
5. Restoring Our Communities, Laney College
The seniors learned about the unique situations and challenges facing formerly incarcerated and systems-impacted students at Laney College’s Restoring Our Communities (ROC) program.
Letters to San Quentin
Inspired by the incarcerated students at San Quentin, seniors of the Oakland Chinatown Elders Organizing Collective Series wrote and sent letters of encouragement, expressing support and hope for their future.
Letters From San Quentin
Upon receiving the seniors’ letters, students from San Quentin wrote back in response.
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