Fan Chen

Photographer

fanchen.visura.co

East Harlem

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Fan Chen’s project is an exploration of the Chinese American seniors in East Harlem. Decade-long NYCHA residents, the seniors formed a community in the predominantly Black and Latinx neighborhood. Chen would spend days on end with them: waiting at the social security office, gardening in their yards, dancing outdoors in the parks, eating dinners in their homes. Through these interactions, Chen has created work that highlights people’s daily lives and challenges, along with racial and cultural intersections in this neighborhood.

This project received the Corky Lee Fellowship in Photojournalism and was exhibited in Chinatown, New York in 2022.

Executive editor: An Rong Xu

Chinese and Latinx senior dance...New York on September 15, 2022.

Chinese and Latinx senior dancers gathered at Thomas Jefferson Park, New York on September 15, 2022.

Aizhen Huang practiced dancing ...own, New York on June 30, 2022.

Aizhen Huang practiced dancing with the group in downtown Chinatown, New York on June 30, 2022.

Community organizer Eva Chen ac...em, New York, on June 28, 2022.

Community organizer Eva Chen accompanied Aizhen Huang and Yihui Mei, Huang’s husband, to the polling station in East Harlem, New York, on June 28, 2022.

Aizhen Huang and other resident...m election on November 8, 2022.

Aizhen Huang and other residents gathered in front of the building before voting in the midterm election on November 8, 2022.

Aizhen Huang showed an old phot... her hometown on July 20, 2022.

Aizhen Huang showed an old photo taken over a decade ago when the couple traveled to Guangzhou, her hometown on July 20, 2022.

Aizhen Huang picked up her husb...n the kitchen on July 20, 2022.

Aizhen Huang picked up her husband's grey hair while Yihui Mei washed dishes in the kitchen on July 20, 2022.

Aizhen Huang’s dance ...lem, New York on July 20, 2022.

Aizhen Huang’s dance dress was hung drying after being hand washed in her apartment in East Harlem, New York on July 20, 2022.

Aizhen Huang took a day trip to...er neighbors on April 13, 2023.

Aizhen Huang took a day trip to Brooklyn Botanic Garden and had a picnic with her neighbors on April 13, 2023.

Neighbors of East Harlem sat in the subway.

Alice Lin, Huang’s ne...er relatives on August 3, 2022.

Alice Lin, Huang’s neighbor from upstairs, shared home-grown dates Lin received from her relatives on August 3, 2022.

Aizhen Huang used egg shells as...food in her pot. July 20, 2022.

Aizhen Huang used egg shells as plant food in her pot. July 20, 2022.

Amy Ng from west Harlem picked ...st spring on September 9, 2022.

Amy Ng from west Harlem picked the mustard greens she planted herself in the courtyard last spring on September 9, 2022.

Amy Ng shared fried chicken wit..., New York on October 28, 2022.

Amy Ng shared fried chicken with her home attendant in the senior building in Harlem, New York on October 28, 2022.

Yip Tsinghua stood in front of ...living room on August 24, 2022.

Yip Tsinghua stood in front of his painting in the living room on August 24, 2022.

Yip Tsinghua's living room. October 26, 2022.

Yip Tsinghua organized photos o...in bedroom on October 26, 2022.

Yip Tsinghua organized photos of his wife who passed away to COVID-19 in bedroom on October 26, 2022.

UPACA residents of East Harlem ... family day on August 26, 2022.

UPACA residents of East Harlem danced in the courtyard on the building’s family day on August 26, 2022.

Chinese senior dancers in East ...ock party on February 12, 2022.

Chinese senior dancers in East Harlem headed to the Lunar New Year block party on February 12, 2022.

People celebrated Lunar New Yea... New York on February 12, 2022.

People celebrated Lunar New Year in East Harlem, New York on February 12, 2022.

Shuchen Li and Shuguo Xie alway...before dinner on July 21, 2022.

Shuchen Li and Shuguo Xie always sit in the courtyard and chat for a while before dinner on July 21, 2022.

Henry Jian pulled a balloon tie...e courtyard on August 26, 2022.

Henry Jian pulled a balloon tied to the bench in the courtyard on August 26, 2022.

Henry Jian sat on the couch in ...e lives alone. August 27, 2022.

Henry Jian sat on the couch in his apartment. He lives alone. August 27, 2022.

A resident's letter accusing racism at weekly food pantry

Aizhen Huang and Yihui Mei rest...ing English on August 18, 2022.

Aizhen Huang and Yihui Mei rested on couch in the living room on Sep 14, 2022. Mei sat in front of the social security office window, Mei frustrated for not understanding English on August 18, 2022.