About Us
Our Story
Hi everyone!
We’re Jackson and Henry—two friends from Horace Mann School who have shared a deep appreciation for the history, people, and everyday life of Chinatown. We’ve both spent countless afternoons exploring Chinatown, eating at family-owned restaurants, and basking in its unique amalgamation of culture. However, following the pandemic, we noticed a silence in once-teeming areas such as the iconic East Broadway Mall, which is dearly missed.
As children of Asian American immigrants, we are inspired to learn about the immigrant experience of Chinatown business owners – many of whom are first-generation– who can share how their hard work, perseverance, and consistency has led to success. To uplift the stories of these small businesses that have long composed the beating heart of this community, we started Heartbeat of Chinatown, where we hope to preserve these histories and share them with a wider audience, reminding everyone what’s at stake and what makes Chinatown so special.
We invite you to explore our site, follow our journey on social media, and reach out – whether to share a story, ask a question, or join us in keeping the heartbeat of Chinatown alive!
Jackson and Henry
Co-founders
Heartbeat of Chinatown
Our Mission
We are Heartbeat of Chinatown, a youth-driven project based in New York that aims to highlight and celebrate the stories of Chinatown’s integral small businesses through various forms of media. Through interviews and short-form social media content, we document the stories of small businesses and the people behind them; we seek to honor the rich cultural heritage, resilience, and contributions of immigrant entrepreneurs who are the backbone of one of New York City’s most historic and vibrant neighborhoods.
With the stories that we compile, we hope to emphasize what makes each business unique and use media to reach communities beyond Chinatown. Each interview also gives insight into the aspects of running a business, the role of culture in an economic setting, and how businesses can satisfy the needs of their surrounding community.
