A Chinatown Banquet describes the history and culture of Boston's Chinatown. It describes the diverse immigrant communities in Chinatown from the Chinese and Vietnamese to the Syrian and Lebanese. It includes topics such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, bootlegging, and gambling and locations such as The Quincy School, the Bubble Y, and the Chinese Merchants Building. These are stories of community, challenges, and successes in the face of development projects that threatened their way of life and their future growth.

This project involved the participation of youth from A-VOYCE (Asian Voices of Organized Youth for Community Empowerment) in conjunction with ACDC and producer Mike Blockstein.

Mike Blockstein is the creator, lead artist and educator spearheading A Chinatown Banquet. A visual artist and educator whose work explores the intersection of cultural narratives, artistic process and civic engagement, he has created and led projects in San Francisco, Boston and Los Angeles, working with youth, community leaders and organizations. He is the principal of Public Matters, (www.publicmattersgroup.com) a group of artists, educators and media professionals who design and implement neighborhood-based new media, education and civic engagement projects that yield long-term community benefits.

The Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC or Asian CDC) is a 20-year old non-profit that serves the Asian American community of Greater Boston by developing affordable housing, promoting economic development, fostering new leadership, and building capacity within the community through education, advocacy, and action.

We work with the community to realize a common vision of a vibrant, healthy, and just neighborhood.

Our Current Initiatives Include:
Smart Growth Real Estate Development and Affordable Housing
Comprehensive Home Ownership Program (CHOP)
A-VOYCE (Asian Voices of Organized Youth for Community Empowerment)
Chinatown Heritage Project
A Chinatown Banquet
Speakeasy