“Chinatown in Twenty” is part of a larger narrative called “LA Story Project” spearheaded by graduate students at the USC Specialized Journalism program.  I worked with Susan Lee and Imade Nibokun, both Specialized Journalism grad students, on our designated neighborhood in Los Angeles, Chinatown.  The three of us explored the area on foot, beginning at a summer festival called “Chinatown Summer Nights.”  We saw Chinatown’s liveliest nightlife as compared to a normal work week in the neighborhood.  We found three characters that best illustrate Chinatown today and captured their stories on film.

These three stories explore the voices of three generations – in a particular moment in time – who believe Chinatown is in need of preservation and reinvention.  The Chinatown we explore here today is economically drained and politically bogged down, yet there are still glimmers of hope.  The neighborhood will undoubtedly continue to change.  Just how it will change is the question.

The Chinatown in Twenty website is a fine example of how urban planning and journalism can come together to tell dynamic stories of city life.

This is the quirky 4-minute story of an American-born Chinese man, William Lee, in his 80th year of life. Find out why he owns a porn shop in Chinatown, Los Angeles.

– Paige Battcher, 2nd Year MPL and Master’s in Specialized Journalism, Concentration: Economic Development

Read more from Paige here!