In a recent interview about community safety initiatives, we had the opportunity to speak with Ma Zuolin, the head of the East Bay Taishan Association and the Chinatown community safety team. They recently marked the third anniversary of their team, which was established as a direct response to the increasing number of hate crimes and incidents targeting the Asian community.
Ma highlighted that the community safety team not only conducts patrols to enhance safety but also aims to promote understanding and integration among various ethnic groups. By venturing beyond their traditional community borders, the association actively engages in events organized by other groups and invites them to their spring celebrations, with the goal of easing tensions and fostering harmony.
The team patrols daily, beginning at 10 a.m. for a minimum of four hours, maintaining a continuous presence for an impressive 1,147 days, come rain or shine. On March 5 of this year, Vice Mayor Kimberly Mayfield joined Ma and three pastors from the African American community for a joint patrol—marking a significant collaborative effort as it was the first time the African American community participated in patrols in Chinatown. Both parties expressed their hopes for ongoing monthly collaborations. During the anniversary celebration, representatives from the mayor’s office presented certificates of recognition and declared March 3, 2024, as Chinatown Volunteer Patrol Day.
Ma emphasized that the primary focus of these patrols is to prevent hate crimes. He mentioned that if an incident were to occur, the team’s first priority is to ensure their own safety while intervening. An important part of their work involves documenting incidents through video evidence to accurately capture instances of hate speech or actions, which can be invaluable for law enforcement investigations.
For individuals who find themselves in such situations, Ma advises avoiding confrontations. If threatened, he suggests calling for help, carrying a whistle or alarm, and considering self-defense tools like pepper spray. Afterwards, it’s crucial to report the incident to the police.
Despite the significant uptick in reported hate crimes in Chinatown, Ma pointed out that many incidents go unreported due to language barriers and a general lack of knowledge about recognizing hate crimes, which require both hate speech and criminal actions to be classified as such.
He recounted a specific incident from his patrol along 10th Street in Chinatown, where a homeless individual yelled at the patrol team to “go back to China” while laughing. Unfortunately, the encounter was too fleeting to document, prompting them to call the police’s hate crime hotline for assistance in addressing the situation. Ma believes enhancing educational efforts from both the government and the community could substantially aid in recognizing and reporting hate crimes, ultimately supporting law enforcement’s endeavors.
Ma reiterated that patrolling Chinatown is a vital strategy for deterring hate crimes, but it’s equally important for the community to reach out beyond its own circles by participating in diverse cultural and community activities. Since last year, the Taishan Association has begun inviting people from other ethnic backgrounds to their spring celebrations and has actively participated in community events in the Ironside area, where they received a warm welcome. Ma noted that these interactions build camaraderie and significantly reduce misunderstandings and conflicts among different ethnic groups.
