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Online Notes
The Making of
Asian American
Community
Democracy:
Rebuilding
Chinatown in
Post 9-11
Requires:
Adobe Reader
In witnessing
the collapse
of the World
Trade Center,
Psychotherapist
Edward Ma was
determined to do
some healing for
himself and the
Chinatown
community since
September 11,
2001. In this
presentation,
Mr. Ma will
discuss how he
has engaged
himself as a
volunteer in
healing himself
by/and promoting
participation in
community democracy
(voter
registration for
self-empowerment),
in community
healing, for
rebuilding
Chinatown and
mainstreaming.
By taking
advantage of his
broad interests
in art, culture,
architecture,
transportation,
designing the
development
of water front,
public space and
sidewalk safety,
and ecological
harmony, Mr.
Ma has
participated
in various
reconstruction
projects from
the reduction of
Canal Street
congestion to
Empire Zone,
from receiving
group
psychotherapy
himself to
conducting group
sessions for
other 9/11
victims.
During the
process of
rebuilding, Mr.
Ma will
illustrate how
the Chinatown
community has
gradually
achieved
consolidation
through
diversity for
unity in
building a
political
leverage
power for the
first time in
150 years,
by sponsoring a
Democratic
Mayoral
Candidate Debate
with ensuing
press conference
by the Governor
and Mayor. This
political
empowerment has
been executed
through
participation of
grass roots
leaders, voter
registration and
community
agencies.
In order to make
better
utilization of
all
the accessible
resources,
Edward Ma
recommends a
democratic
decision-making
process
established in
all community
agency boards,
and a community
council
with hiring a
professional
manager. Thus we
could build a
democratic
community with
quality of
living. Mr. Ma's
slogans
are participating,
sharing,
volunteering and
healing.
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