The Chinatown Coalition
Meeting Minutes
April 9, 2015 9:30 AM
Present: Kerry McGowan, Angie Liou, Nicholas You, Enoch Liao, Kenny Wong, Dawn Sauma, Christopher Blackler, Huiling Chen, Courtney Ho, Helen Wong, Helen Chin Schlichte, Bet Har Wong-Chan, Christina Ayala, Kate Chang, Russell Fenton, Sherry Dong, Mark Liu, Ling Mei Wong, Richard Goldberg
Captain Kenny Fong, Boston Police Department, District A-1
– Kenny has served in police for 20 years. Been captain since April 2014.
– Prostitution has dropped in recent years. But some of those elements have been moved online and into massage parlors.
– Not much crime in Chinatown, especially compared to 10-15 years ago.
– What is an issue that takes significant amount of police resources for Chinatown? Homelessness and how that relates to drugs. We made over 3,000 arrests last year. We keep displacing drug dealers, but we’re also making the same arrests.
– Diversity stats: BPD has about 50 Asian officers. 18 of them assigned to A-1.
– How can Chinatown community members help? Call 911 if see anything. Join a local crime watch group. Donate to good organizations and avoid giving to panhandlers as they most often use money for drugs or alcohol.
Feel free to contact Captain Fong or others at BPD.
Adult Education Update: Kerry McGowan, Phillips Brook House Association (PBHA)
– Student run, staff supported program. PBHA is its own non-profit affiliated with Harvard University
– ESL Classes
- Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings class
- Saturday and Sunday classes
- 200 learners
- 5 levels, each level has two classes (One Mandarin, One Cantonese)
– Citizenship
- Saturday and Sunday
- 200 learners
- Curriculum mostly focused on 100 questions
– Semester is 10 weeks
– Most students middle aged and seniors
– Open enrollment for classes. To sign up, e-mail: