The mission of the Chinese Youth Initiative is to develop youth leadership in the Chinese American community.  We strive to accomplish this goal by cultivating awareness about the issues facing Chinese Americans and providing youth with experience in grassroots community organizing.

What is Chinese Youth Initiative (CYI)?

For 16 years, CYI has brought together Chinese American youth from all over the Boston area.  Sponsored by the Chinese Progressive Association, the program’s mission is to develop and involve youth leadership in the Chinese American community.  We strive to accomplish this goal through cultivating awareness around Chinese American issues and providing youth with experience in grassroots community organizing.

CYI was started with the notion that, if given guidance, the opportunity, and evidence that they can make a different, many youth want to better understand society and to create a positive change in their community.  The goal of the Chinese Youth Initiative is to develop the organizing skills, leadership capacity, and community awareness of Chinese American youth so that they can contribute to improving the community’s condition.

Past projects have included:

• organizing a Chinatown Recreation Day to publicize the need for community space in Chinatown;
• developing and conducting a campaign to increase community access to the new Chinatown YMCA;
• conducting a survey of Asian youth needs and interests;
• initiating a community-wide campaign to bring back a Chinatown branch of the Boston Public Library back to Chinatown;
• working with the Chinese Progressive Association to increase voter registration among the Chinatown residents;
• organizing "Fresh Off the Vote", a youth forum on voting and civic participation; and
• producing and directing "Chinatown Through Our Eyes... Young Voices", a teen documentary that explores the many issues facing Chinatown and its residents from a youth perspective.  (We would love to screen our video for your group!  To organize a film screening for your school or club, please contact the CYI Youth Coordinator.)

Summer Internship

A seven week paid summer internship for high school students.  It is an opportunity to get involved in the Chinatown community.  The first half of the program focuses on educating the interns on both the history of Boston’s Chinatown and current issues facing the community.  Interns develop leadership skills and explore their identities as Chinese/Asian Americans through series of workshops, discussions, videos, guest speakers, and field trips.  During the final weeks of the program, interns apply what they learned to create a final group project for the Chinatown community.  (Application and interview required)

Year-Round Program

CYI’s Year-Round Program is available to anyone looking to become an active member in the Chinatown community.  Volunteering their time, youth develop organizational and leadership skills through various projects in Chinatown.  Past projects have included working with the Chinese Progressive Association to increase voter registration among Chinatown residents, bringing a library to the community, and encouraging youth leadership.

CYI Walking Tours

CYI also conducts political historical tours of Chinatown for groups who are interested in learning more about Chinatown.  Please contact the CYI youth coordinator if you would like to schedule a tour for your group.