For decades, Monterey Park has been a haven for Asian immigrants seeking to maintain a strong cultural identity — and a culinary heaven for anybody near Los Angeles craving authentic Asian cuisine. montereypark kprc2 click2houston
Kevin Mok, owner of Mr Obanyaki ice cream shop, near the Star Ballroom Dance Studio, ears noodles at Mandarin Noodle House on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023, in Monterey Park, Calif. A gunman killed multiple people at the ballroom dance studio late Saturday amid Lunar New Years celebrations in the predominantly Asian American community.
That sense of peace was shattered after a gunman killed 11 people in their 50s, 60s and 70s and wounded nine others last Saturday during a Lunar New Year celebration at the Star Dance Ballroom. But while residents of the tight-knit community work through the trauma — just as they did during the coronavirus pandemic, when anti-Asian sentiment rose nationwide — the tragedy has only sharpened their feelings about what makes Monterey Park so special, and worth protecting.
As residents deal with the shock and grief that the shooting brought, they hope people will continue to see the city of about 60,000 for the vibrant community it is. “It’s nice to go to a restaurant and ask the customer ’How was your day? How was your kid’s dance recital? ... All that stuff,” Mu said. “It’s all about community.”
Betina Hsieh, a second-generation Taiwanese American and an associate professor at Cal State Long Beach’s College of Education, knows at least one person whose parents went to Star Ballroom. Dance halls and churches in Asian communities have traditionally been safe spaces for older people. “It’s quieter than usual,” Mok said, while eating lunch at Mu's restaurant. “I feel like my sales have dropped like 15 to 20% at night. Hopefully, it'll come back."Hsieh, the professor, grew up in Santa Clarita, but has deep connections to Monterey Park. Her grandparents lived there or went there for doctor’s appointments because it was the only place they could find Mandarin-speaking physicians.
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