Alan Seto, Oral History, Lunar New Year, February 11, 2024

Okay, so today is February 11th and we are here for the Chinese New Year Parade. My name's Ellie, can you please introduce yourself?

My name is Alan Seto.

Are you from Chinatown or did you come from somewhere else?

I grew up in Chinatown.

Can you talk about that experience growing up? What are your thoughts about Chinatown?

I guess so.

Do you see the feelings that you have about this place?

OK. Chinatown has changed since I left. So I left maybe 55 years ago, because I'm 75. What it is, is Chinatown only has 300 people left. When I was in Chinatown, they had over a thousand. If you look on I Street, the houses are boarded up or whatever. No one lives there. But when I was growing up it was all Chinese.

Do you have any thoughts about that?

Well they're looking for somebody who has some money to renovate it because they can't tear them down because historically they got to maintain the front.

So why did you decide to come to the parade today?

The reason why I came to the parade today is because I'm part of the Consolidated Benevolent Association and I'm also part of CYC, Chinese Youth Club.

Did you help plan an organized parade today?

No.

So you're here to support them.

Yeah, I have to come down here to vote and also participate playing basketball, volleyball.

How do you normally celebrate in the community?

With my in-laws. My parents have passed so we I don't have them to celebrate with.

So what do you guys usually do for tradition?

Well we go out to eat and we meet and just talk about it not a whole lot.

Have you attended the Lunar New Year parade for the past previous year, like every year?

I basically come down every year.

What are some changes that you've noticed throughout the years with the parade?

The parade has grown. When it first started, there was hardly anybody. And now, all of a sudden, it's too big.

Too big? OK. What does the year of the dragon mean to you?

The year of the dragon?

Yeah.

What it means is that this year is going to be, there's more, They're going to have more fun or whatever. I'm not too sure. I'm born a year of the rat.

Oh, what does the year of the rat mean? Like, what does that represent?

Well, I'm not sure.

That's OK. That's OK. Last question. What are some of your hopes for the new year?

What are my hopes for the new year? What I'm doing is looking for kids that can play basketball and volleyball.

You're trying to train the next generation, yeah?

Yeah.

That's a good goal.

Yeah, of course.

Thank you