First Issue of Getting Together

chinatown and its problems

Chinatown is a ghetto to Chinese people like gehttoes are to Black, Spanish and other non-white peoples. There are about 40,000 Chinese people living in the Chinatown area with 6.000 more coming in each year from abroad. When these immigrants come here, there are hardly any available apartments for them to live in. An incredible majority of these people are forced to live in their relatives' homes, which, in practice. is very hazardous to the physical, material, and psychological welfare of the people of tile community.

A major health disease called TB is very common in Chinatown. TB is spread through close contact with other people. People with TB cough and spit out mucous constantly. This is commonly seen in the streets. Also many have seen their fathers gargling in the morning. The means of spreading TB is readily available when about 8 or more people live together in a 4 1/2 room apartment and the buildings are wedged togther and people in general feel like sardines. TB is not the only disease that exists in Chinatown. The nauseous stench of garbage that piles up like a long wall on the curbs not only deprives one of the right to breathe, but also makes it more possible for rats, roaches and other slimy little creatures to survive in Chinatown and to lurk in people's homes there.

The century-old tenement buildings which in violation of health codes (in this case the vast majority of the Chinatown community) are 7-stories high, without elevators, a decaying tomb where ceiling plasters are failing, walls deteriorating and crumbling, and floors which sag. This existing condition clearly shows how irresponsible the white politicians and the government are. This condition will not improve itself without the voice and active protest of such conditions. But this would be impossible without the support of the Chinatown community.

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We take a look back at the I Wor Kuen and their newspaper Getting Together. The first issue was dated February 1970 and sold for 25 cents. The issue included articles about problems in New York Chinatown, about Serve the People and Seize the Time.