The challenges of the past two years have changed the way we live, the way we work, and the way we show up for each other. They have also given us a rare chance to collectively reimagine our future. Through the Reimagine Seattle Storytelling Project we invite community members to reflect on their current experiences in Seattle, how they have been impacted by recent events, and their hopes for the future of our city.
words & video by Henry Liu
In response to COVID-19, I started a project of delivering culturally appropriate groceries and providing internet services to over 1,000 marginalized families living in Chinatown. To ensure the grocery items meet the dietary needs of my ethnically-diverse audiences, I telecommunicate with housing managers, residents, and local food banks for constructive feedback.
Since starting the project, my team has delivered 20,000+ bags of wholesome groceries to those families. With an increased dependency on internet use, for online schooling and stay-at-home work, I am coordinating with Seattle Public Schools, Internet providers, and community-based nonprofit organizations to supply families with affordable, reliable, and accessible means to the internet. To date, 20 households without internet access prior to COVID-19 now have access to reliable internet services. Lastly, I have been hosting online cooking and exercise classes on WeChat for non-English speaking seniors twice a week to stay connected.
Amid this crisis, our goal is to provide families with not only food security and a positive online experience, but also the comfort of knowing their community is here to support them.
