Ep 8. It's Chinatown!

In "United Shades of America" season 2 episode 8 titled "It's Chinatown!", host W. Kamau Bell takes viewers on a journey through the vibrant and historic neighborhood of Chinatown in Los Angeles. As Kamau explores the historical significance of the community and its contributions to American society, he also digs into the struggles that many Chinatown residents face in the modern day.

Kamau begins his exploration of Chinatown by visiting the beautiful Thien Hau Temple, an important religious site for the Chinese community. He speaks with a temple volunteer who explains the significance of the temple to the community and how it serves as a place of cultural and spiritual connection for many residents.

Next, Kamau visits a local restaurant that specializes in dim sum, a style of eating that originated in Cantonese cuisine. He meets with the owner, who shares how his business has been affected by gentrification in the area, and how rising rents and lack of affordable housing have made it difficult for many long-time residents to stay in Chinatown.

Throughout the episode, Kamau also speaks with local activists and community organizers who are fighting to preserve the cultural heritage of Chinatown and protect the community from ongoing gentrification and redevelopment. He visits a community garden that has become a symbol of resistance against displacement, and attends a protest against a proposed luxury development that threatens to displace many Chinatown residents.

As Kamau delves deeper into the issues facing Chinatown, he examines the long history of discrimination and exclusion that Chinese immigrants have faced in the United States. He meets with a descendant of one of the early Chinese settlers in Los Angeles, who recounts the brutal massacres and persecution that his relatives and other Chinese immigrants faced in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Throughout the episode, Kamau offers his own insights and reactions to the experiences he encounters, and engages in conversations with residents, activists, and business owners about their hopes and fears for the future of Chinatown.

By the end of the episode, viewers will gain a deeper understanding of the complex and multi-layered issues facing Chinatown and other communities like it across the country. Through Kamau's compassionate and insightful perspective, the episode offers a powerful call to action for viewers to get involved in the fight for social justice and cultural preservation in their own communities.