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In the aftermath of 9/11, I felt anxiety and violation that my neighborhood was deeply affected by the disaster. It was eerie walking down the vacant streets of Mott, Bayard, and Canal; officers and sirens in the near distance, turning the neighborhood into Checkpoint Chinatown. Lower Manhattan had lost the crowds that it once drew and was feeling the rippling effects of 9/11. Local businesses, which heavily depend on tourism, were in jeopardy of folding. Articles about the economy of Chinatown were frequently appearing in the New York Times and this made me feel depressed and frustrated.
In response to these feelings, I felt the need to be proactive and wanted to encourage people to come back to Chinatown and support the neighborhood. With the help of a close friend, the result was the creation of a button with an image we felt, represented Chinatown and the nearby communities. In the weeks following 9/11, I distributed these buttons to friends and acquaintances from outside the area. The idea was for them to wear the buttons as a sign of solidarity and encourage their friends and acquaintances to come downtown and help revitalize the local economy.

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2002-05-03