I-Hotel
I've walked up and down the stairs of some of the "hotels" of the Tenderloin, bringing
some of their guests a Thanksgiving meal. With this glimpse in mind, I can only begin to imagine
life in the I-Hotel, as captured in the documentary we watched (Fall of I-Hotel.)

While there is definitely a time and a place, a rise and a fall to everything, I am thankful for the documenting of the I-Hotel. It reminds me that each immigrant community has a rich heritage that yes, tends to dissipate concretely (in the forms of declining ethnic enclaves or towns) as well as fade in the immigrants' minds (and passing of these generations).

With the passing of the manaos, like many pioneer immigrants, and the demolition of I-Hotel, I am further convinced of the role of non-profit organizations, such as ethnic associations in preserving our heritage.

In a completely other realm, for example, while it may not be economically efficient to maintain Yosemite National Park, I'm so grateful for its preservation by our government. Yosemite is a true gem, marvelled my millions each year. Imagine that without it being deemed a national park, it might very well be a bunch of homes....

Can we also preserve "gems" of our ancestors' immigration for the appreciation of future generations? While we can always think bigger, there are examples. One that comes to my mind is a museum such as the Japanese American National Museum in LA. Or ? Or ? Or is literature sufficient?

While yes, we are not in the past, but in the present, preservation of our ancestors' journeys celebrates our present as well as our future. Learning of our past, I cannot help but be grateful for the history that my ancestors were a part of. I cannot help but better understand my present, in view of the past.

Just some thoughts.

- posted by aileen @ 2:10 PM