0:00 - S.W. Sang begins describing his immigration story, coming to the United States in 1970. He was born in Guangdong, moved to Macau at age nine, and the Dominican Republic before immigrating to the States. Sang recalls living in Macau and talks about his family background coming from China after the Communist revolution. It was in the Dominican Republic where he learned to be a jeweler and he originally arrived in the United States after learning about US opportunities from jeweler co-workers.
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9:33 - Sang would immigrate to the United States to work and apply for residency in 1970. He chose New York City because Chinatown had a lot of amenities for Chinese people such as food and groceries. Sang initially opened his jewelry and watch repair store in Harlem and worked with a predominantly Spanish-speaking clientele. Sang would eventually save up money and expand into Canal Street in Chinatown.
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15:08 - Sang talks about Chinatown during the early 1970s, describing the community and environment. The conversation would return to his business expansion into Chinatown in 1972, at 225 Canal Street. When inquired about the dangers of operating a jewelry store in Chinatown during the 1970s, Sang talks about past robberies at the store and the establishment of the Canal Street Jewelry Merchant Association in which stores contributed to help hire armed security guards to protect local businesses.
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21:47 - Sang describes that currently, he owns and operates three jewelry stores and no longer lives in the Chinatown area. When asked about his opinions about Chinese unity in the 1970s and present day, Sang believes that there isn’t a problem with Chinese disunity even though the demographics have changed to include Chinese who are not from Taishan. He believes that all matters can be resolved through the sharing of opinions and discussion.
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26:50 - Sang recalls his experience during the September 11 terrorist attacks, remembering that he was in Chinatown when the first plane struck. Sang remembers the air quality was extremely poor following the attacks and he was forced to close for a period. Additionally, his income was drastically affected immediately following the attacks and Sang noted that it still has not fully recovered to pre-9/11 days. Regarding Chinatown, Sang feels that following the attacks the community became more unified.
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39:55 - Sang proceeds to discuss problems that he feels need addressing in Chinatown, namely traffic, cleanliness, and the necessity of finding better economic opportunities. Regarding economic activities, Sang believes that following 9/11 and the closure of the garment factories, Chinatown needs to redirect its efforts into developing itself into a tourist destination. Sang is a member of the Rebuild Chinatown Association [NYC Promotion & Tourism Association].
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45:40 - Interviewer continues with the topic of the problems of Chinatown and asks why the issues of cleanliness, housing, and traffic have never been resolved even after decades. Sang discusses external factors that are affecting Chinatown housing. As a supporter of the Clean Chinatown Campaign, he feels that cleanliness has improved compared to a decade ago, although it is still not comparable to places such as Midtown. Sang details some of the efforts that the campaign has made to clean Chinatown.
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50:35 - When asked about whether he would be interested in his children emulating his career and community service, Sang does not believe in pressuring his children and wishes for them to pursue their own interests. Sang reiterates that Chinatown has still not fully recovered and believes that it is not only 9/11 that impacts Chinatown but also the overall national economy. Sang believes that there is a need for small businesses to be supported by the government to ensure that the economy can thrive.
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