Letter to the Editor of the Free Times

This is a letter to the Editor of the Free Times in response to a mostly-positive article about AsiaTown. The article can be found here: http://www.freetimes.com/stories/15/23/how-do-you-get-to-chinatown

Dear Editor Lewis:
Thank you for your attention to St. Clair Superior and Cleveland’s AsiaTown and Asian community. I do, however, take issue with journalist Charu Gupta manipulating the story in such a way as to create the impression that negativity exists around this overwhelmingly positive initiative. People from many different backgrounds are working together to promote a unique cultural district in a great city and when this happens it should be embraced. Bent on finding something wrong with the community’s efforts, she finally landed on the fact that several of the staff members working on the AsiaTown initiative are white and that one of the initiative’s goals is to attract visitors. Creating an impression of racial divisiveness is counterproductive. Promoting and sharing the wonderful contributions of the Asian community to our city and region should be welcomed. It is through this cultural dialogue and exchange that we can grow and embrace the diversity that Cleveland represents.

Jamie Blackson Baker
Executive Director
St. Clair Superior Development Corporation, Cleveland, OH

Cory Riordan
Program Director
St. Clair Superior Development Corporation, Cleveland, OH