Big thanks to Dorothy’s Place and Victory Mission Salinas and their staff, along with officers Gabe Carvey and Manuel Martinez, for keeping an eye on the Republic Cafe, and offering to help ACE with clearing the front and sides of the RC building, and painting the exterior walls and sidewalk. This allowed us to check and repair the front doors and parts of the exterior wall. This is an example of inter-board cooperation and real community — something we will continue to carry on with as we move into our temporary offices at Moon Gate Plaza and develop our programs.
If you would like to volunteer with ACE or help us develop plans and funding sources for renovating the Republic Cafe, please contact us!
Photos of “before” (way before) and “after” below:
1943: Young Wally Ahtye looks down on the street from his family’s balcony above the Republic Cafe. Photo: Ahtye family collection.
ACE Board, members, and community partners meeting inside the Republic Cafe (1st floor).
A week ago, before cleanup; tents and trash obscured the front doors, keeping us from entering the building, and prompting worries about fire and break-ins. We hope to one day renovate this site for the Chinatown Cultural Center & Museum. Photo by L. Hirahara (2/2020)
Taking a break from painting the building, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Grillo, and an unidentified worker_L. Hirahara photo (2/2020)
ACE Treasurer Larry Hirahara and Javier Rodriguez discuss an exterior wall repair issue. Photo: J. Vengua 2/2020
Mr. Grillo and ACE member Kathleen Slattery discuss Soledad St. History. Grillo’s grandfather, who was Filipino, owned the Arres Pool Hall across the street. Photo by J. Vengua 2/2020)
More painting… Photo by J. Vengua 2/2020
They also cleaned up the sidewalk in front of the adjoining lot. Moon Gate Plaza is seen in the distance, next to the Suey Sing Hall. Photo by J. Vengua (2/2020)
Left: Geia Benson & her father. Right: Harvey House Board members Jeannie Hori-Garcia and Carlos Mariscal.
On May 3rd, we held the official opening for our Stories of Chinatown exhibit at the Historic Harvey House education center (at the Salinas Train Station) in Salinas. We had a wonderful time chatting with guests about Chinatown’s history. The exhibit will be open every Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and every First Friday of each month through May, June, and July, 5 to 8 p.m. We will be open this Saturday, May 18, for Salinas Founders Day, and our docents will be available to discuss the exhibit with visitors.
Front door of the Harvey House about a week before Opening Day.
ACE members emeriti Wally Ahtye, Wellington Lee, and Al Baguio contributed their historical knowledge, memories, and many historical images, along with the ACE project team, consisting of both Board and regular members. Alex Fabros, Jr. (a FANHS member) also contributed text and photographs. Organizations such as the Chinese Association of Salinas, the Buddhist Temple of Salinas, the local branch of the Filipino American National Historical Society, and the Filipino Community Center of Salinas Valley also contributed to the project.
Part of the ACE Project Team, in the early planning process. L. to R: Jean Vengua, Deborah Silguero, Larry Hirahara, Al Baguio, and Cathy Chavez-Miller.
Wellington Lee and Deborah Silguero talk during the planning phase.
Guests chatting in front of the Filipino exhibit.
In the Harvey House mansion; Cheese, fruit, and bread from Star Market; cheese board selection by M.A. Fink. Pastries from Carolina Groyon-Cattani.
More food!
Rocamora Family with Jean Vengua and Henry Gong.
CSUMB students Izabella Edwards and Geia Benson contributed their ideas and creative skills to the exhibit.
Visitors checking out the panels.
Profs. Ruben Mendoza and Jennifer Lucido and their students contributed greatly to the archaeological exhibit. Service Learning Institute students contributed their creative ideas and artistic skills to various parts of the exhibit.
ACE Co-chair Cathy Chavez-Miller created the panel on Latino businesses in Chinatown.
Upper photo: Amanda Duncan with Jean Vengua. Amanda created an artful display of shards from the archaeological dig and presented it on a panel that simulated the cement environment where they were found.
Mr. Roland Teraji was happy to find his grandparents represented in the Japanese part of the exhibit. ACE Treasurer Larry Hirahara created the Japanese Panels.
“Stories of Chinatown” gave us a chance to tell the larger story of Salinas Chinatown–actually two Chinatowns, the first founded in 1872, and the second in 1893–and to incorporate first-person narratives from residents and business owners in Chinatown.
It was great to have calligrapher Mihoko Dreyer participate on Opening Day, sharing her calligraphy skills with the public. Thank you! ACE Board member Herb Wong at the front door, next to our Thank You panel.A photo from the production period: Deborah Silguero (foreground) working with the texts, Geia Benson painting the ACE logo, and Larry Smith checking out the wall for mounting the Chinese panels.
Just as important, we were able to create curriculum materials and hands-on experiences for the 3rd- to 5th-grade primary school students who often tour the Harvey House with their classes. (Thanks to Kathleen Cata Fitzgerald for translating our curriculum materials into Spanish!) The exhibit also encouraged students to think about their own family histories and journeys. We will be posting more photos of the exhibit and its visitors, and hope you will come and visit Stories of Salinas Chinatown!
Japanese and Filipino panels.More shards researched and partially reconstructed by the archaeology students.
The Chinese Association of Salinas allowed us to use their Lion Dancer outfit for the exhibit.
One of ACE’s valuable partners is CSUMB’s Visual & Public Arts (VPA) Department. Every Fall, students from Jesus Aguilar‘s Media and Public Arts class meet with ACE and create a project about Chinatown. This was the second project we had worked on with VPA.
Cathy Chavez-Miller and a student chatting on the first floor of the Republic Cafe.
Many of the students are from outside Salinas, so they do not know much about Chinatown. But coming into the Republic Cafe always seems to help them “get it.” There is something about the building that speaks volumes about the family and staff that lived there, and ultimately about Chinatown itself. To get a feeling for the history of the building, view Silvia Turchin‘s beautiful documentary video, Past and Present: the Republic Cafe.
ACE Board member Dom Siababa (in the middle), Jesus Aguilar, and VPA students tour the family living room on the second floor of the Republic Cafe building.
We took the students to the upper floors of the building, where the family and some of the restaurant staff once lived. Everyone who takes the tour is surprised about how large the Republic Cafe building really is.
Larry Hirahara talks to students on the roof of the Republic Cafe.
The tour ends on the roof, where you can look out over Chinatown, get the lay of the land, and also get a clear view of the new affordable housing developments. We pointed out some of the landmarks, including the two Chinese Association “Tong” buildings, and of course the new Moon Gate 90-unit affordable housing development being built along Soledad and Lake Streets.
A student takes photographs from a third floor window.
The students took this opportunity to take notes and photographs, and also think about a possible media project they can do. It was interesting to show them around the 4-story Republic Cafe building, and to sit with them afterwards and hear them talk about the experience and speculate about possible projects. They came up with some great ideas.
With the guidance of their instructor, they decided on a two-part project, which included 1) photographing and documenting items and shards from a recent archaeological dig in the Japanese section of Chinatown, and 2) incorporating that material into a multimedia project that would be presented at the Republic Cafe during the big Chinatown Block Party held in November 2018. Aside from the group project, they would also create individual projects.
The first part of the project involved photographing the artifacts in the Buddhist Temple of Salinas gym in October. They were able to bring cameras, lighting, and other photographic materials into the building and everyone participated.
Students and their instructor, Jesus Aguilar (in the background) arranging artifacts for the photo shoot. 10/2018. Photo by J. Vengua.
One of the “shards” from the Lake St. archeological dig.
More artifacts from the dig, lined up for the photo shoot.
Setting up equipment.
ACE Co-chair Cathy Chavez-Miller in the foreground
Items from ACE’s archive were also photographed. Here they prepare print pages of the Philippines Mail newspaper.
Cathy Chavez-Miller with ACE member Tom Tanner (who donated some objects to be photographed).
Chinese style dresses to be photographed.
After seeing all the work the students and their instructor put into preparing and photographing the artifacts, we were curious and excited to see what they would create for the Chinatown Block Party in November… Next: Part II
We’ve been taking a breather after a successful 10th Anniversary Asian Festival, which also ushered in Asian American Heritage Month. Big thanks to all those that made it happen: the Asian Festival Committee, ACE and members of the three Asian communities, Salinas Downtown Community Board, Chinatown services and businesses, City of Salinas representatives and Assembly member Luis Alejo, Leonard Han and his Monterey Bay Lion Dance Team, MIG, and especially all the folks that came to enjoy the festivities and to support the Chinatown community. Here are some photos from the event:
The 2017 Asian Festival Committee, L-R: Herb Wong, Larry Hirahara, Linda Low, Wellington Lee, Jess Tabasa, Cathy Chavez-Miller, Richard Villegas, Al Baguio, Henry Gong.
Mayor Gunter greets the Lion. Photo: Cathy Chavez-Miller
 Council Member Gloria De La Rosa speaking. Photo: Jean Vengua
A busy scene in the Confucius Church building: dancers and visitors. Photo: Jean Vengua
Part of the raffle prize on a table in old Republic Cafe. Photo: Cathy Chavez-Miller
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