10 Accomplishments You Made Possible in 2020
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To end the year, we’ve highlighted ten accomplishments that you made possible! Read about graduations, providing relief to families, addressing racism, uplifting the neighborhood and more.
# 1
Brought Expertise to North Quincy High School
In January, BCNC Director of Programs Yoyo Yau and Director of Youth Program Stephanie Fabro presented a training on “Working effectively with Asian American and Asian immigrant youth and families” to more than 40 North Quincy High School teachers and staff. They discussed Asian American and Asian immigrant students’ challenges and resilience, Quincy demographics, cultural celebrations and holidays, non-western family structures and communication styles, and community resources.
# 2
Hundreds of children and adults came to Pao Arts Center for a day of celebration with various Lunar New Year activities including calligraphy with Rayna Lo, art activities with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, storytelling activities with Company One Theatre, and activities with Families with Children from China. Community member and chef Forra Yu led a dumpling making class and Nüwa Athletic Club taught kids lion dancing. Visitors also added their hopes for the new year onto the interactive Neighborhood Threads exhibit, which was created by BCNC Red Oak Middle School students. Red Oak students celebrated with dumplings and a lion dance and BCNC Bamboo Circle young professionals hosted a fair of activities.
# 3
Transitioned to a Virtual Environment
After closing our sites in March, BCNC staff transitioned to working remotely while continuing to provide programming and services. Family Services staff provided mental health counseling and provided direct aid to families in need. At the same time, our Adult Education staff held classes virtually, while regularly checking in with individual students, providing support on unemployment benefits and connecting them with the basic needs resources. Our Youth Center team also worked hard to continue holding leadership and college access programming virtually, while also supporting their youth’s mental health and personal growth. Childcare staff provided virtual classrooms and enrichment activities to children and individual check-ins to families. Hear Wenfang’s story of how BCNC supported her family during the pandemic.
# 4
Supported Families with Emergency Relief
To help provided assistance to BCNC families during these unprecedented times, we launched an Emergency Family Fund and distributed as grocery gift cards to families in need. In addition, thanks to the support of the City of Boston, Massachusetts Immigrant Collaborative, Tufts Medical Center, and Flutie Foundation, we provided over 300 families with financial aid and grocery gift cards.
# 5
After a nationwide search lasting many months, we welcomed our new CEO, Ben Hires at the beginning of June. Ben had been involved with BCNC as a mentor for BCNC’s College Access Program for youth and as a member of the Pao Arts enter Advisory Committee since 2016. He brings his extensive experience in nonprofit leadership and serving young people and families. Previously, Ben worked as a youth counselor at a therapeutic program, held leaderships roles at the Boston Children’s Chorus, and served as the Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Boston Public Library.
# 6
Adult Education Students Graduate
At the end of June, 313 Adult Education programming participants, who had been taking virtual ESOL classes since March, graduated virtually. This was the first virtual graduation BCNC staff had hosted since our sites closed for in-person programming in mid-March. Staff and students shared stories and speeches while celebrating their accomplishments. Hear Alli’s story from knowing little English to giving a speech at graduation.
# 7
Youth Leaders Speak Out Against Anti-Asian Racism
Over the summer, a group of our Youth Leaders from Boston, Quincy, and Malden wrote an open letter to school leaders urging them to address anti-Asian racism. This letter received over 320 signatures of support and press coverage from GBH and The Boston Globe. In addition, this letter has been acknowledged by school leaders and initiated meetings to address racism and meet the needs of Asian students. Click here to hear from Mandy, one of the youth leaders.
# 8
We Love Boston Chinatown Clean-Up Day
Over 70 volunteers came together, in masks and in a socially distant way, on a beautiful Saturday morning to show their love for Boston Chinatown through cleaning up the streets. The Clean-Up Day was organized by BCNC, Chinatown Main Street, and the City of Boston’s Love Your Block program. This event was a part of the We Love Boston Chinatown resiliency campaign, a partnership with community organizations, businesses, artists, and residents that aims to uplift and celebrate the Boston Chinatown community. The clean-up day brought visibility to how Boston Chinatown faced anti-Asian racism and xenophobia before shutdowns occurred and received press coverage from The Boston Globe and NBC Boston.
# 9
Reopened In-Person Childcare and Launched Learning Hub
In July, we reopened our Ash Street location for in-person early education and school age childcare programming. Thanks to the support and dedication of our supporters (like you) and staff, we were able to enact necessary health and safety precautions to hold in-person programming during the pandemic. Hear BCNC parent, Sarah, share about her experience. In the beginning of September, Red Oak began a Learning Hub to provide full day academic support for children from working families to learn remotely.
#10
Pao Arts Center Uplifted the Community with Arts
In September, Pao Arts Center held a month long Experience Chinatown festival. As part of the We Love Boston Chinatown Resiliency Campaign, Experience Chinatown encouraged people to support local businesses, featured public artwork around Chinatown, live performances at the Chinatown Gate, and interactive arts activities. The goal of Experience Chinatown was to revitalize the Chinatown community that had been hit hard by the pandemic. As part of this month of activities, Bamboo Circle hosted the We Love Boston Chinatown Virtual 5k Walk/Run. Over 100 people participated and helped us raise over $10,000 in less than a month!
Thank you for support, kindness, and generosity! Without you, we would not have been able to accomplish all that we did during this challenging year.
