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SPOC Rally at UPenn (Students for the Preservation of Chinatown)

On March 3rd, Penn and Drexel students protested against the 76ers’ arena developmental proposal next to Philadelphia’s Chinatown and to preserve affordable housing in West Philadelphia. The student group, known as SPOC (Students for the Preservation of Chinatown) and the Coalition to Save the UC Townhomes, protested during the UPenn board of trustees meeting at the Inn at Penn. Students attempted to enter the meeting but were soon removed. The students, led by Taryn Flaherty and Kaia Chau, who founded SPOC, demanded that the 76ers’ arena developers David Adelman, David Blitzer, and Josh Harris be removed from their position on UPenn’s Board of Trustees and that the university support Chinatown community’s views against the stadium. Also, SPOC demanded David Adelman be removed from Drexel’s University Real Estate Advisory Board. Adelman is in plans to redevelop West Philadelphia, which threatens the existence of UC Townhomes, one of the last remaining affordable housing complexes in the area. UC Townhomes consisted of several West Philadelphia low-income homeowners and were initially built for the displacement of low-income families. The redevelopment plan to purchase UC Townhomes would cause gentrification, evict and displace low-income residents and cause more homelessness.

Lunar New Year, Sunday January 22nd at Philadelphia's Chinatown

The Lunar New Year was celebrated in Philadelphia’s Chinatown on January 22nd, 2023. The Philadelphia Suns, who performed the traditional Lion Dances, visited the merchant stores in Chinatown, giving luck and prosperity for the upcoming year while store owners would provide the Lions with gifts of money in red envelopes in return. Meanwhile, a vast array of fireworks accompany the lion dances to ward off evil spirits. The tradition has grown very popular in Philadelphia to the point that there are substantial crowd gatherings to witness the event. According to Harry Leong, the president of the Philadelphia Suns, the event starting from Lunar Year’s eve the night before has noticed the biggest crowd he has ever seen in all the years he has participated in the Lunar Year traditions.

Lunar New Year's Eve in Philadelphia's Chinatown 2023

On January 21st, on the eve of the Lunar New Year, Philadelphia’s Chinatown bids its farewell to the end of the old year and welcomes the new year, which is the year of the rabbit. Based on the Chinese calendar, the Lunar New Year relies on the sun's position and the moon's phases. The New Year begins at the sighting of the new moon. In Philadelphia’s Chinatown, lion dances, run by the Philadelphia Suns, are lion costumes operated by groups of two who visit local stores. Store owners invite the lions to their premises and give them red envelopes containing money in hopes of happiness, good luck, and prosperity for the new year. A big show of firecrackers usually accompanies the lion dances to scare off evil spirits and bring good luck.