Imagining Sisters’ at the Center of Chinatown
My colleague asked me the other day what my personal long and short-term vision is for Sisters in our new home. Having started as a Cafe worker in the beginning of my 11+ years at Sisters I learned the importance of “how” rather than “what” we do, so this is extremely exciting to think about.
If you’re excited too, make a donation to Sisters today!
To start with, we will have enough space for customers to eat and relax. Meet their friends or make new ones. We will be able to create a space for children and their families that is safe. This is a very important aspect to consider because with the camping ban, there are less safe places for families and children to rest. We will have a big kitchen and dining area that will expand the community's barter and work experience opportunities.
We will have a space for people to mingle regardless of their socioeconomic status.
Outside of the kitchen and dining space, we will have an organizing space for our community and partner organizations. I envision the space will be a hot spot of systemic change work.
I have mentioned before I learned a sense of belonging is heartbreakingly meaningful to the vast majority of our community, especially our unhoused community. I think it is equally important to us as well. Moving to the center of Old Town Chinatown where those such as Street Roots and partner organizations are a few blocks away from each other… we will belong to this community.
In fact, we will be the center of this community–offering good food just like House of Louie’s and our tradition, and organizing so we work together to bring the solutions to the table.
Knowing our community as long as I have, creating a safer place in Chinatown is so realistic to me. How? I’ll give you examples:
There were community members who swept the sidewalk in front of Sisters regularly without asking for anything in return.
There was a group of community members who came up with “OUT” policies to make the cafe safer from violence and drug activities inside and outside.
I trust our community and creating a sense of belonging in this neighborhood will shred harmful perceptions people have of our unhoused community. When the society as a whole fully recognizes and humanizes people experiencing homelessness, that is a first step to solve injustice people are facing day to day.
My long-term vision for Sisters is that we together create a HOME where everyone feels welcomed, nurtured, loved, and supported to their best potential.
With all my abundant gratitude,
Migyoung Won
Operations Director
