On October 2, the intersection of Bay Parkway and 86th Street in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York City, was officially co-named Canton Avenue in a ceremony honoring earlier Chinese immigrants, including 19th-century Cantonese laborers who helped build the Transcontinental Railroad in the United States.
Joe Luo, President of the General Assembly of the American Association of Cantonese and a descendant of Chinese railroad workers, spoke to South in an exclusive interview about this landmark moment. For him, the street sign is far more than a piece of metal on a pole. It recognizes more than a century of hard work by Chinese of Cantonese descent in the United States and finally brings the long-overlooked contributions of earlier generations into public view.
He also stressed that people-to-people exchanges between China and the U.S. should continue despite differences between the two countries. As Guangdong has long served as a bridge for China-U.S. exchanges, he looks forward to deeper cultural ties via the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Reporter | Dong Han
Filming | Dong Han
Video editor | Qin Shaolong
Poster | Qin Shaolong
