Name: Wendy Guo
Class Year: 2027
Major: Political Science

Internship Organization: Chinese Progressive Association
Internship Title: Summer Intern
Location: Boston, Massachusetts

What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!

Newly planted tree plots after resident voiced concerns about lack of greenery

This summer, I’ve had the great opportunity to be interning at Chinese Progressive Association in Boston, Massachusetts. Firstly, I have been developing curriculum and facilitating a Chinatown Environmental Justice project with local youth, where we are using photography as a method to draw attention to the severe heat issues in Chinatown, and as a driver for policy work. Secondly, I am assisting data entry for voter registration and vote by mail applications for many Greater Boston Chinese elderly to increase our political base and power in the upcoming primary and general elections. Lastly, I have been assisting CPA and Chinatown Community Last Trust’s (another organization whom we work closely with), on their 12th annual Chinatown Stabilization Block Party on the streets of their historic rowhouses, which represent how Chinatown is here to stay.

Why did you apply for this internship?

Immigrant History Trail Rowhouses Stop: visual display of past residents and a current resident’s garden of wintermelons

I applied for this internship to better understand the Asian American organizing scene in Boston and to improve my Chinese language abilities. Additionally, I wanted to strengthen my connection to Chinatown, a place I grew up in and hold dear to my heart.

What has been your favorite part of this internship?

My favorite part of this internship has been learning new history every day. I knew that if I did not come to CPA to intern this summer, I would have never learned how Chinatown Boston has been at constant attack of private development and harmful highways that divided the community into half. I am conscious of larger actors at hand and their impact on everyday people. However, learning about the wins that protesting and organizing has done, such as a Chinatown Library, and Parcel C, (a block of community nonprofits and affordable housing units) has also kept me hopeful and confident of a more just-future.

CPA’s weekly Friday staff meetings, this photo displays us planning for our annual Block Party