Chinatown Youth Initiatives

12/26/2025

Because of you, 2025 was a powerful year for CYI. Explore our Impact Report to see the stories, alumni journeys, and leadership that shaped this year—including a feature on our founder, Gloria S. Chan. 🧡

Link: https://cyinyc.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=e9c6a782c3b1ca671afeac0da&id=29811bed5f&e=42f4fd23e8

11/18/2025

The Asian American Youth Program Scholarship, hosted by China AIDs Fund, is designed to recognize and support outstanding high school and undergraduate students of Asian heritage who demonstrate leadership potential, academic excellence, and a commitment to professional growth.

Awards: $3,000 scholarships and one $6,000 grand prize
*if selected, finalists will be invited to present at the AAYP Leadership Forum on Saturday, January 17, 2026, in Flushing, NY for a chance to win*

Deadline: Sunday, November 23, 2025, at 11:59 PM
Applicants must submit a 350–500 word essay and a 1-minute video
Apply here: https://forms.gle/5ZmGMcjympfcj6HW8
More details: https://www.chinaaidsfund.org/our-projects/aayp-2026/

10/24/2025

10/03/2025

🧹 Day 2 of Chinatown Beautification Day 2025 Recap! Our Program Coordinators kicked things off with closing remarks and organizing a delicious lunch from for our high school volunteers. Armed with brooms, dustpans, and garbage bags, students then headed to Columbus Park to beautify Manhattan’s Chinatown. After the clean-up, volunteers returned to the New York Chinese School to design bags for Heart of Dinner care packages for elders

A BIG thank you to:
🌱 Wellington Chen Chinatown Partnership Local Development Corporation (CPLDC) for providing the equipment that makes Clean-up Day possible each year
🌱New York Chinese School for continuing to provide space and support for CBD year after year
🌱 New Kam Man Market .canal for refreshing sour plum juice
🌱Scholar Readiness .readiness for the cutest planners

We’re so proud of our incredible team of Program Coordinators (Megan, Ruiyu, Becky, and Momo) for their leadership, teamwork, and dedication during this milestone weekend! After weekly team calls, site visits, and thorough planning, their hard work paid off. 🫶

p.s. thank you for the coolest shirts from their recent fundraiser for CYI 🙌

10/03/2025

10/03/2025

🌱 Day 1 of Chinatown Beautification Day 2025 is in the books!🏮
cyi is a two-day volunteer event created by youth, for youth to beautify Chinatown, empower the next generation, and tackle the issues our community faces every year. This year, our high school coordinators (Momo, Ruiyu, Becky, and Megan) came up with the theme, “Space to Dream: Third Spaces,” and guided a powerful youth conference filled with workshops, panels, and performances.

We’re so grateful to our inspiring speakers and performances who made the day unforgettable:

🙌 Grace Young ()—award-winning cookbook author, culinary historian, and fierce Chinatown activist
📚 Lucy Yu ()—founder of NYC’s first q***r Asian American-owned bookstore
🗣️ Rochelle Lin ( .lin)—leading organizing efforts against displacement and gentrification in Chinatown
💜 Violet Diabolo ()—NYU’s award-winning Chinese Yo-Yo team bringing AAPI culture to life through performances

Thank you for empowering youth from all over the City with your words, stories, and artistry!

p.s. a big thank you for hosting us!

10/01/2025

On Friday, 10/3 at 11:30am at the Pvt. Danny Chen Way street sign (located on the corner of Canal and Elizabeth Streets of Manhattan’s Chinatown), CYI invites you to attend the Commermoration of the 14th Anniversary of Pvt. Danny Chen. Every year, the Committee to Keep Private Danny Chen's Legacy Alive links Danny's death to a current issue facing APA's in the military. This year’s focus is on West Point, a cadet school for army officers that disbanded several racial, ethnic, and minority peer groups in February 2025. We're asking the military academy to restore these groups because they align with the army's core values. Please join us to keep his legacy alive!

There will also be a livestream of the event here: https://tinyurl.com/pvtdannychen2025

09/07/2025

📢 Calling all NYC high schoolers!! The 23rd annual Chinatown Beautification Day (CBD) is back❗️

A two-day volunteer event hosted by , CBD aims to beautify Chinatown and empower NYC youth! Organized by youth for youth, we aim to promote activism and address the issues NYC’s Chinatown faces every year.

Day 1 is a youth-conference consisting of hands-on workshops, panelists, and empowering speakers❕

Cleanup Day, day 2, will allow volunteers to clean up Chinatown’s beloved Columbus Park and engage with locals 💌

Register with the form in the comments below and keep an eye out for this year’s theme reveal 👀 Let us know if you have any guesses on what this year’s theme is❕

See everyone there!

06/11/2025

Meet Mel Zhang! She currently attends Hunter College High School ‘26 and will be one of the interns representing CYI during this summer’s Hate Crimes Prevention Project hosted by OCA-New York Chapter

As an intern, Mel will be attending 9 weekly workshops and working with peers to coordinate, develop, and host an annual art competition for teenagers citywide to enter, which seeks to raise awareness about discrimination and hate against marginalized communities. More details on how to enter the contest to come! 🎨🖌️

06/05/2025

Meet Shayla Rahman! She recently graduated from at NYC Lab High School for Collaborative Studies ‘25 and will be one of the interns representing CYI during this summer’s Hate Crimes Prevention Project (HCPP) hosted by OCA-New York Chapter.

As an intern, Shayla will be attending 9 weekly workshops and working with peers to coordinate, develop, and host an annual art competition for teenagers citywide to enter, which seeks to raise awareness about discrimination and hate against marginalized communities. More details on how to enter the contest to come! 🎨🖌️

06/05/2025

Meet Sarah Chen! She is a student at Francis Lewis High School ‘26 and will be one of the interns representing CYI during this summer’s Hate Crimes Prevention Project (HCPP) hosted by OCA-New York Chapter.

As an intern, Sarah will be attending 9 weekly workshops and working with peers to coordinate, develop, and host an annual art competition for teenagers citywide to enter, which seeks to raise awareness about discrimination and hate against marginalized communities. More details on how to enter the contest to come! 🎨🖌️

06/03/2025

Meet Shehrin Habib! She is a student at Forest Hills High School ‘26 and will be one of the interns representing CYI during this summer’s Hate Crimes Prevention Project (HCPP) hosted by OCA-New York Chapter

As an intern, Shehrin will be attending 9 weekly workshops and working with peers to coordinate, develop, and host an annual art competition for teenagers citywide to enter, which seeks to raise awareness about discrimination and hate against marginalized communities. More details on how to enter the contest to come! 🎨🖌️