What is Chinatown Futures?
Chinatown Futures is a forward-looking vision to ensure that Chinatowns remain vibrant, inclusive, and resilient. It honors their histories while addressing today’s challenges through:
Intergenerational Engagement – Bridging elders and youth to preserve cultural heritage while embracing change.
Cross-Community Collaboration – Building solidarity across racial, cultural, and neighborhood lines.
Cultural Innovation – Supporting new forms of storytelling, art, and public programming.
Equitable Development – Advocating for community-led planning that prevents displacement and sustains local economies.
Chinatown Futures imagines what these neighborhoods can become —living, evolving spaces that respect the past while shaping a more just and inclusive future.
The 1882 Foundation advances this vision through public-private partnerships that strengthen Chinatowns across the U.S. We also create engaged learning opportunities for interns and volunteers and foster meaningful connections with local small businesses.
YAAW members and community participants in DC Chinatown.
Young Asian Americans Washington DC (YAAW) is a pan-Asian community group dedicated to creating spaces for culture, connection, and collaboration across the DMV and AANHPI communities.
Formed in 2025, YAAW began as a way to build stronger connections between Asian American organizations and community members across different ethnicities, cultures, and experiences. The group was created with a simple idea: communities are stronger when they share resources, support one another, and come together across generations and backgrounds.
As the organization evolved, its founders recognized a growing need for spaces that focused less on formal networking and more on genuine community, cultural exchange, and belonging.
In a city as transient as Washington, DC, YAAW aims to create a welcoming space where Asian Americans can connect to culture, community, and each other.
YAAW brings together young leaders and organizations from across the DMV.
YAAW currently meets monthly at the 1882 Foundation’s DC office and includes representatives and members from organizations across the DMV, including:
Aligned with the vision of Chinatown Futures, YAAW supports intergenerational engagement, cultural connection, and community-rooted collaboration throughout the region.
YAAW is always looking to expand its community and increase Asian representation across its network and leadership.
To volunteer, collaborate, or learn more: yaawdc@gmail.com
Community celebrations and cultural events organized throughout the year.
Partner with us to advance community-led preservation, innovation, and equitable development.