Photos and story by Corky Lee, AsAmNews Contributor
The Guardian Angels held a graduation & awards ceremony for new recruits & distinguished members in Columbus Park. Founder Curtis Sliwa (right) is seen greeting Karlin Chan (center), founder of NYC Chinatown Block Watch in the photo above.
Also a member of both organizations is Sara Chin, a former dental assistant who lost her job because of the coronavirus shutdown. Since the beginning of the pandemic she comes out 6 days a week & even goes on night patrol 2 nights a week with the Guardian Angels.
After the ceremony, she returned home to change in to her Chinatown Block Watch outfit.
Other Chinese recruits of the Guardian Angels were Kristine Wii, Lulu Lu, Lou Wang, Xingyu Lu & Judy Dimarco. There were other women, but I recorded the Chinese. Another Chinese documentary videographer is Yuxin Jin. One senior member who collared 2 certificates & 1 medal is Wally Ng who started in 1982 during a time when Chinese gangs were extorting “protection money” from businesses. He came back when there was a spike in hate related incidents & hate crimes in Chinatown.
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Silwa says that the reason why Chinatown was chosen for the event where some 48 Guardian Angels attended was because during the lunar new year parade, numerous Chinese attending the event approached him about the xenophobia & scapegoating of Chinese associated with Covid-19. It was then that he decided that they would start patrolling Chinatown. Yet he has also expanded to patrol Brooklyn’s 8th Ave & Flushing’s Chinese community & received welcome support in all three Chinese communities.
Milton J Oliver Kobayashi and his wife Sylvia did much of the “heavy lifting” compiling the certificates & awards. Anyone wanting to join, can reach out to him at718 502-0221 or www.GuardianAngels.org. Anyone wishing to join Chinatown Block Watch can email, [email protected]
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