After The Nudge Podcast | Advocating for the Vulnerable | Toyota
Welcome to After the Nudge. I’m Soledad O’Brien. I’m J.R. Smith. On this podcast, we chat with some of the nation’s most outstanding grassroots community organizations. Our guest today is Chee Low Key is the executive director of U. A three community first making tremendous impact on underserved segments in New York City
With services that promote health and education and empowerment. It’s so nice to have you at after the nudge. Welcome. Thank you, Soledad. Thank you, John. And thank you, Toyoda, by having me. Thank you. Why don’t we start with what you a three community first does? Okay.
I mean, let me share with you that you 83 is actually No. Well, formally known as United Asian American Alliance. That’s where where the three A’s come from. And now we naturally, we serve all our community members disregard their racial, ethnic religion, background. So I’m one of the youngest member,
Our board members and our advocate members have invested their life long experience in serving the community. So in the end, in the early days, we provided try to bridge the digital divide, serving the students with computers because we found that many of the underserved community
Members do not have computers to do the homework. So we work with the schools provide essay contest to give them Chromebooks and laptops. Then we also promoted mental health advocacy, as well as supporting other small nonprofits. Then when the COVID strike, we’re able to step up to provide fresh produce to serve seniors
And many other vulnerable union members to make sure they are healthy and well. So basically, everything right in your community. You have a very interesting background. You were a social worker. You were a community board member. What led you into this work from where you began? Right. My parents
Came to America when my brother, my sister. They had they didn’t have education. So they want us to have a bright future, make sure we have the education. So? So I witnessed experience facing immigrants. The challenge and the obstacle that they face. Where are your parents from? Therefore Originating from China.
Then they traveled to Taiwan, then were able to come to the United States. So I want to dedicate my my skills and my interests. So in serving the immigrant communities. So I started with your service work, serving the immigrant as well as refugees. In the early eighties, America,
Because of the Vietnam War, many refugees came from Vietnam. And I saw Cambodia. So they resettled many of the refugees in Brooklyn. They called a parade ground and southern part of Prospect Park idea would be able to serve the whole family, especially the youngsters from there on over the 34 year period.
I was able to develop a youth employment training program. So as adults, we diversify our portfolio by putting together curriculum in hospitality, fashion, office training, as well as health care training. So we are able to put shops with thousands of youth and adults to mainstream jobs. They will become self-sufficient.
And that was that was part of my story. And until you three came, you you have obviously, you have have a lot of different things that affect us. One big branch of organization, you have so many different you helps in so many different areas. Where do you feel as though
You hang your hat or your legacy on that, that it will keep it going forward? The most important thing right now is what’s going on now in New York City. There’s a lot of anti-Asian hate. And and with that, we want to we want to build communities.
We want to bridge the cultural divide. So we have many special events where we reach out to people in Jamaica, Queens. So as hip hop Oakland, we we shared our culture understanding. We exchange so people understand the differences and promote similarities. What we can overcome many challenges out every day
In the Hispanic black and brown community. That’s how we can overcome and the obstacles. Pete, you mentioned anti-Asian hate and I think post-COVID, that was a conversation that really across the country people were having. But it’s it’s really not new. A lot of the story of Private Danny Chen
Really is centered in anti-Asian hate. Talk a little bit about his story, who he was and how that drives a lot of what the organization prioritizes and thinks about. All right, Private, any Chen story is very close to my heart
As well as our community’s heart, because he was a young man, 19 years old, had a passion to become a police officer, so he enlisted into the army. However, the army did not dream well when he came back home in a casket. We realized something was wrong. He was in Afghanistan, right?
He was there was as captain. Correct. He did not die in combat, but he’s over the one year period, were able to went to Pentagon and unravel many of the details. What cause what what led to his death? He was bullied, hazed and discriminated because he was Chinese. So that really touch
What’s happening with with the common situation. anti-Asian hate. So we want to really to educate all throughout the community about this kind of situation. So three is to to uplift the vulnerable communities and communities where they will be able to meet their basic needs, as well as advocate for their rights.
And in the immigrant community, as far as, you know, raising kids and bringing kids over, like you just say your parents brought you over and and I’m pretty sure you know, isn’t Asian like you saying Asian. It’s not new. It is. It must have been tough growing up and continuously seeing
That cycle of people in your community going through things like that. How how do you stay encouraged around continuously helping and knowing that you’re you’re providing and doing a service that’s going to put things in a better situation than what you had it? Right. So so the Chinese has has been in
The United States for 30 1800s. The Chinese has built has helped to build that into intercontinental railroad. So we are have been making many mainstream contributions. However, Asian-American are constantly viewed as perpetual foreign in light of September 11 Muslim art discriminated COVID19, especially to the Asian American,
Are scapegoated because of the conflict. Flu. So it’s is so is instrumental for us to continue to include promote solidarity among the the community of color that we may we are always making important contributions. So we are open. So we have programs to to promote, for example, breaking the bread,
To have cultural exchanges to share about, for example, the food that different ethnic group enjoy because food is the common denominator to bring everyone together. A melting pot is what we like to call it. For me, I was fortunate to play in in China for season, and the welcoming that
I was able to receive was astronomically different. And when I look at it, you know, for me it was it was amazing. It was, you know, people had jerseys, people were going crazy and whatever. And I think about it and I know how much Jeremy Lin at the time
Had to go through so much scrutiny just to be just to be good. He was already good, but just to be the that Asian American basketball player. That’s good. And there’s so much scrutiny around that. I wonder if like do is that commonly talked about amongst the youth in in the community.
Yes. So somehow I can’t help what the perception on Asian is, is that we always have to prove more than or we are. We have to work harder. We have to do much more than than anyone else. So. So, yes, it’s important that we continue to work, exchange information
So people see ourselves as part of the American life. Are you optimistic? I mean, I feel like the time in America right now, the tenor of the country is sometimes mean. I literally walk with people who are Chinese or Asian. And someone will be like, you know, go home.
And the person like, I’m from Jersey, I like a little. And because because there’s this undercurrent right now, I think, of anti-immigrant sentiment and overt. Right. People will say it to your face. My parents are both immigrants to this country.
So I’m curious if you are feeling optimistic that you’re going to be able to change that or if you’re feeling like it’s going the wrong direction. We are a community of resiliency. We promote positive. There are many obstacles out there, right? COVID. We overcome COVID. Now we are faced with
Inflation, cost of living, so people are not able to me and me, but we have a lot of support. US Toyota supporting US Corporation is donating full individual is supporting us as well. We have volunteers. We have hundreds and thousands across New York City to volunteer, especially with our special event.
So we are very positive to overcome any challenges. Well, we are. And and a country of immigrants and we will continue to receive the migrant and support them throughout the. Yes, because they are our future. They build America. Like I said before, Chinese build the railroad
And the new immigrants will build something else. We’ll create a very positive environment for us. Can I ask about the food pantry? Because that’s a big portion of the work that you three is doing. Can you describe the food pantry?
I know you must be even busier than ever now that some policy changes have actually, I think, made people more vulnerable to hunger. Correct? Yes. So food insecurity was highlighted because of COVID. Many businesses were shut down completely. So what we use when we step up because we realized
That many of the seniors was not able to get fresh produce, many of the home care workers was not able to come out and travel. So we were able to connect with our corporations because much of their food that we collect are through rescue food. So we’ll be able to
Select them and repackage them and give it out. So we start with 250 grocery bags give out to seniors in Chinatown. Actually, we started the first full pantry in Chinatown. Then other community members wanted the same thing. So at the height of the COVID, we were able to secure
Government farmers to two family food boxes. We are able to serve 11,000 full boxes throughout New York City. We work with Jamaica, Queens, Flushing, Queens, Alma’s as well as Queens, Sunset Park, Brooklyn, Bensonhurst, Washington Heights, as well as South Bronx. Of course, now we’re based in Lower Manhattan.
So as of now, we have we operate two days a week full pantry, serving about two dozen families, as well as distribute out to our community based organization that we develop. Serving another 3000 or so full Without full people will have to choose between paying for medicine or having a a meal.
So we don’t want them to have that kind of hard choice. So we want to make sure that food is giving out 11,000 boxes is a lot of boxes. It’s a lot of food. And to me, you have to feel amazing when doing it. And also, you know, there’s
A level of I’m not satisfied. You know, I want to continuously push my heart, like for for you, I guess. What’s the you how do you continuously bring in not only the the people that you’re helping, but people to help you help them? Right. The volunteer are the backbone of our organization.
They’re the lifeblood. Without them, I don’t think we’ll be able to continue our work. So we have thousands of volunteers. In addition to cooperation, every pound of food that we deliver are donated. So we’ll continue to meet the needs of our community cooperation. They donate.
So with the combination of volunteers and the donated food, we’ll be able to continue as long as there’s a need. Food insecurity didn’t start out around COVID Solloway before it just a to highlight the drastic need that people are going hungry. Hungry. I read this crazy story
And I wasn’t sure that it was your story. A gentleman named Chee Luke had been arrested wrongly and jailed. And. And it was your story. How did that really miscarriage of justice that eventually was cleared up? How did that play a role in your advocacy that you do for immigrants today?
Because it it felt like a lot of the things that were done unfairly to you were because of your background, because you’re Asian, because there were assumptions made about who you were and what you were doing. That’s try to solve that. So it’s it’s not a success story. If I was not
Well known in our community and without the resources and without the support of our community, I may be locked up for many years. So I was helping a friend of mine because she was out of state and a tenant wasn’t paying the rent. So when I knock on the door,
So the tenant, the tenant claimed I had a gun. So the when the police court asked me to go into the precinct, so I don’t see any thing was going to be long. So when I went there, they arrested me. Unfortunately, I was just another Asian
Because as you heard about this thing, all Asian look alike as as it turned out that that the perpetrator commit another crime. So but I was like I was you know, I was in jail and I couldn’t have done that. So they made some mistaking identity. So with that, I was proving innocent.
I was let go. Okay. So as you can see, that many in is a victim without the resources, without the education or skills to pull themselves out of that that challenging situation. It’s it’s a desperate it’s a desperate situation, but it make you focus on helping other immigrants.
When it came to justice. Yes. So we want to do everything possible to uplift those vulnerable community members. So even on the the environment is such a challenging time for them. But knowing that they are organization like us and many other community partners around the city, we will overcome those situations
As those as gut punching and just hearing that story to be wrongly accused of something. And then only the only because of the act of somebody else. And doing it again is the reason why you’re not because they just messed up or got the wrong person and actually
Did their due diligence to figure out if you were the person or not. I’m sorry you had to go through that. I know a lot of people are. That’s something no one should go through. Can I ask you about the money? I mean, I’d like to transition to $10,000. No.
So what was it like to. To get the notification? Obviously, you had to be nominated by the public and then voted on by the public, which is an amazing, I think, sense of support. What was that all that like? Well, we were definitely happy and elated.
They were able to win the $10,000 from Toyota. You know, we didn’t know so many people was out there rooting for us to nudge for us to do more. So that was a heavenly energizer. So, you know, we want to do more. You know, we are able to leverage the $10,000
Paying for the rental trucks, gas supplies, hire more drivers to be able to bring in more food to the community. So it made a big difference. That’s definitely a big difference. Right. That’s awesome. What’s next for you guys?
If you had to pick out what the goals are for the next couple of years for you three. So our dream is to become a full back. Right now we have a little small storefront, but we have a land, as you know, lower Manhattan or New York City. It’s very expensive.
And if we were able to develop into a full bank, it’s basically like the first full bank in New York City. Then we’ll be able to transport because we’re very close to the highway. We’ll be able to transport to our existing community based organization. That’s all we’re serving now.
So I actually this morning we got a call from a corporation because their refrigeration went down, so we were able to pick them up, but without the extensive refrigeration, we have to disperse them out right away. In the food industry, 30% of the food goes to waste because of refrigeration.
They cannot they cannot keep it. Okay. So where refrigeration will be able to extend the life of the food when we receive donated food. Get ton we get several pallets, a truck, a 26 foot truck coming in. So we have to be able to quickly to disperse out.
So we hope they develop our our land into a food bank where we can store it within the week and disperse to various organization around the city. So hopefully that with the support is out there, then views if you’ll be able to support us, certainly eat, volunteer or
Donate funds, then we’ll be able to make our dream come true. Is there a website? Is the socials that were out or people will find you? How do they get in touch with you? Yes, our website is you 83 and or w dot org
Or your way through your community first, because we always are in the community and social media. So you way three community folks will be able to get in touch with us. Amazing. Amazing. Well congratulations on your great work and and I agree I’m sorry that happened to you.
It’s such a a terrible story of injustice, but it’s amazing that you’ve turned it around to make sure that you can help other people in your community who I think frequently are at the receiving end of something that’s unfair or unjust or just biased and not.
Okay. Thank you for talking with us. We really appreciate it. Appreciate it very much. As you know, when there’s a tragic, tragic situation you overcome and then you go stronger and you’ll be able to do more for everyone else. And that’s our story. That’s our mission to support as many vulnerable community members.
One story that when we were doing delivering food and one lady told tell me personally that that if we if she be able to overcome the COVID and when she get back on her feet, she will help us. I love that because that’s what it’s about.
You do what you do for the community. The community then is empowered to do even more. Thank you for joining us. Real pleasure. And thanks to all of you for joining us for After the Nudge. And remember, you should never underestimate the power of a nudge.
In this episode, J.R. Smith and Soledad O’Brien talk with Chi Loek, executive director of New York’s UA3 Community First. Loek explains how UA3 evolved from being solely an Asian American emigrant support organization to now providing an array of health, education, and empowerment services for underserved communities of all ethnicities across the city’s boroughs. See Terms & Conditions at AfterTheNudge.com: https://www.toyota.com/content/dam/toyota/after-the-nudge/after-the-nudge-term-and-conditions-2023.pdf
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In this of the After The Nudge Podcast, Soledad and J.R. Smith meet with Chi Loek.
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