Drawn Together

In the fall of 2021, I donated a drawing of Yu and Me Books to Lucy Yu as she prepared to open her bookstore in Chinatown—one dedicated to amplifying A.A.P.I. and other marginalized voices. Having worked in publishing, I knew how slim the profit margins in book sales could be, so I wanted to support her mission in a meaningful way. The drawing resonated with many and quickly gained popularity, inspiring me to create artwork of other storefronts and landmarks in Manhattan’s Chinatown to help the community recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and anti-Asian hate.

I shared the idea with the Mott Street Girls, who curated the exhibition and secured a venue at Pearl River Mart. The resulting show, Drawn Together: Stories of Resilience and Renewal, featured 26 original drawings that I created over the course of nine months as a volunteer. With the support of a micro-grant from the Asian American Arts Alliance, we were able to produce the work and bring the exhibition to life. We sold original prints and postcards from the show, donating all profits—$2,360—back to the community.

What began as a single drawing of a building grew into a portrait of a neighborhood, then an iconic highway, and eventually expanded to include Chinatowns across the country. To me, Chinatowns symbolize the beginning of the American Dream for many immigrant families.