Our vision for Chinatown is that it is a sustainable, equitable, and livable community that preserves Chinese culture and Chinese immigrant history and celebrates the beauty of Chinese in America.
Over 100 years ago, the founding fathers of Chicago’s Chinatown moved the community from downtown (Clark/Van Buren) to today’s Wentworth/Archer/Cermak triangle. Because of this foresight and the intricate social service safety net in Chinatown, the community has not befallen the fate of many other Chinatowns in North America. Through community planning efforts, CBCAC ensures that the Chinatown community will always be a place for residents first and foremost that is welcoming to tourists.
Small Business Support
at CBCAC, we seek to provide micro to small business owners with access to resources, especially with low-English proficiency. Through our 1:1 resource counseling, we assist entrepreneurs with grant applications and understanding low-interest loan opportunities to get their business to the next level.
Digital Literacy and Equity
16% of Armour Square residents have no access to smart phones or laptops and 79% only use smart phones to access the internet, while almost 20% have no broadband access at home. This greatly limits residents’ ability to be integrated to the digital age and poses barriers to accessing various services. CBCAC provides assistance to access affordable internet plans, devices, and smart phone and computer usage classes to our community.
Transit, walk, and parking studies
Since our 2015 Chinatown Vision Plan, CBCAC has worked on various walkability, transit friendliness, and parking availability studies to enact the recommendations of the plan.
Place making initiatives
CBCAC works to ensure Chinatown is vibrant in its cultural representation in various physical environments. From the Ping Tom Memorial Park murals to receiving the State-Designated Cultural District honor, we strive to make our residents proud to live here and tourists to understand our culture.
Impact
Through a wide range of efforts, CBCAC works to ensure Chinatown is a livable, equitable, and sustainable community for all. From advocating for the library or holding cultural events, we are the leading voice for urban planning in the greater Chinatown area.
PLACE MAKING INITIATIVES
Chinatown is a State-Designated Cultural District!
With this designation, the Chinatown community will be eligible for state funding designed to help preservation, economic development, and anti-displacement efforts.
SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT
Young Asian American entrepreneurs find a home in Chinatown.
In 2024, CBCAC opened two AAPI small business incubators in Chinatown, giving young entrepreneurs a home in Chinatown and a chance to test out their businesses in a storefront retail environment. Through a series of technical assistance workshops and 8 months of incubation, these businesses are now ready to reach for the next stage.
Over 20 businesses received support from CBCAC in 2024.
DIGITAL LITERARCY AND EQUITY
CBCAC works to close the Digital Divide in Chinatown.
Over 40% of our community has no access to wifi at home and over 50% of residents in Armour Square are age 50 and older. Through our programs, residents of all ages can receive 1:1 assistance to secure affordable internet, set up and learn how to use digital devices. We also host workshops and small group classes on more advanced topics such as Microsoft to help residents re-enter the workforce.
Over 150 community members received 1:1 assistance and 30 people graduated in our Microsoft classes within 2 months
“I'm a mother of two. During COVID-19 pandemic, many CPS students had to attend classes online. At that time, CBCAC provided timely support for a lot of CPS families by helping them apply for free Internet connection So students can use the Internet at home and attend online courses. This helped them successfully finish their school work. I am very grateful for CBCAC's help.”
— Grace Li
Support Our Community Planning initiatives!
Let’s join hands to make sure Chinatown will be ours for Generationsto come! Give today to help Chinatown plan for a better future.