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What AAPI- and Asian-owned businesses do you support in Greater Boston?
Share the restaurants, nonprofits, and organizations that you love.
Erin Clark/Globe Staff
The Greater Boston area is a diverse melting pot of people and with May being Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we want to celebrate and recognize the contributions of groups and individuals of Asian and Pacific Islander descent.
Boston is home to the third largest Chinatown in the United States. Dorchester’s Fields Corner has long been the cultural center of a rich, Vietnamese community. Lowell has been recognized as an enclave for Cambodian immigrants. And in Bedford, you can find a non-profit cultural school that brings together Filipino families.
This past year has been both a time of struggle and uplift for the AAPI community, with a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes increasing by 339 percent nationally, according to research from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism cited by NBC News. Businesses have continued to face hardships, while many still experience barriers to equity, when it comes to concerns such as housing stability and access to health care.
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Boston has seen its own recent incident of violence when a 70-year-old Asian American woman was punched in Chinatown earlier this month. The victim reported that the assault was unprovoked, and that she had been visiting a bakery when she was attacked by a stranger.
But there have also been moments of resilience and hope in the past year: Michelle Wu, the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, was sworn in as Boston’s first woman and Asian American mayor in November. A group of local teens helped to bring awareness to racism and violence directed toward the AAPI community by distributing safety alarms, and were later recognized for their efforts by Disney’s Magic Makers contest.
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This May you can celebrate the culture and contributions of the AAPI community by frequenting Asian- and Asian American-owned local businesses and nonprofits. Whether it’s enjoying authentic cuisine, appreciating art, or supporting local activists, there are many ways to recognize AAPI small businesses and organizations across Greater Boston, and we’d like to hear about your favorites.
Help us create a guide of the best AAPI- and Asian-owned businesses and services in Greater Boston by filling out the survey below or e-mailing us at [email protected], and we may feature your response in a future article.
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