Walking Tour of Flushing, Queens with Charles P. Wang


Event Date:

Event Time:
11:00 am

Category:
Club Programs

While Abe Beame was Mayor (1974-1978), city leadership realized that Manhattan's Chinatown could no longer accommodate all of NYC's growing Asian population. They turned to Charles P. Wang, then Executive Director of the Chinatown Planning Council (now the Chinese-American Planning Council), for help. Wang combed the city, looking for an area that would welcome an influx of new blood. He finally found a welcoming neighborhood at the end of the IRT's 7 line: Flushing, which already had a small Japanese population. The result has become one of NYC's most vibrant communities, and a must-see destination.

Today's Flushing boasts 72,000 residents, of whom 69% are Asian.

  • Is it really the largest Asian community outside Asia?
  • Are we watching the American Dream in action?
  • What does this mean for the city, the country, the world?
  • How do all these people from: Taiwan; different parts of mainland China; South Korea; South Asia; etc.; work together and govern themselves?
  • Is Flushing very different from Manhattan's Chinatown, and from Brooklyn's Sunset Park? If so, how?

The Cornell Club-NY is thrilled that the man who created modern Flushing, Charles Wang, will be leading an exclusive walking tour for us, from Northern to Kessina Boulevards. We'll see important facilities, like the senior center, library, and Flushing's landmarked town hall. Mr. Wang and other civic leaders will explain the area's many cultures, complexities, and challenges – and of course, you can expect a great lunch.

Charles P. Wang is one of the country's most preeminent Chinese-Americans, serving with great distinction locally, nationally, and internationally. Mr. Wang helped Dr. Kissinger open diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China; worked for five consecutive U.S. Presidents – Carter, Reagan, Bush 41, Clinton, and Bush 43; was President of the China Institute; co-founded the Committee of 100 – a group of the most influential Chinese-Americans; etc.

The tour will start at 11:00am at the Flushing subway station – the last stop on the 7 train. Please exit near the head car, and meet at the escalator. We expect to do a lot of walking, so please wear comfortable shoes. $25 per person, including lunch. Advance reservations required by Thursday, June 15th, at which time they are considered final sale.