Celebrating Community at the Chinese-American Association’s Holiday Luncheon

After three years of hiatus due to the pandemic, NYCHA’s Chinese-American Association (CAA) again held its annual winter holiday luncheon on December 9. “We’ve been trying to do this since 2019,” CAA President Linda “Qi” Zhang said.  

More than 80 CAA members – all NYCHA employees and a few NYCHA retirees – enjoyed the camaraderie at round, red-clothed tables at the Canton Lounge in Chinatown. They enjoyed platters of Cantonese-style vegetables, General Tso’s chicken, spicy shrimp with peanuts, orange-flavored beef, and lobster with noodle egg foo, all served family-style.  

Ms. Zhang honored two CAA members who were stepping down from their official roles at the CAA: Vice President of Public Relations Daniel Lam and Treasurer and Board Member Larry Sit. Both stepped down in anticipation of their retirement from NYCHA in 2023. They were honored at the luncheon with plaques, token gifts, and applause.  

“You’ve provided tremendous support and dedication for more than three decades,” Ms. Zhang said upon presenting Mr. Sit with a plaque. “We can’t thank you enough.” The administrative staff analyst has been on the CAA board for 23 of his more than 30 years at NYCHA. He became a board member “to help members understand Chinese culture and to advocate on their behalf.”  

As part of its mission, the CAA also conducts community outreach seminars to educate the Chinese community on civil rights and employment discrimination. 

Mr. Sit left the CAA eight years ago; he reconnected with the board as CAA treasurer a few months before the start of the pandemic. The financial accounting and reporting services staff analyst helped bring many educational and cultural activities to CAA members, such as financial seminars and tai chi demonstrations. “They’re not my personal accomplishments, but group efforts,” he said.  

When he retires in July, Mr. Sit will have been with NYCHA for 34 years. Language Services Unit interpreters Katherine Tan-Li and Vicky Wu presented him with a plaque in gratitude for helping with translating and interpreting for 31 of those years.  

Mr. Lam, who has been a CAA board member and board secretary for about eight years, has been responsible for maintaining the CAA membership database. “I joined because I am a Chinese American,” Mr. Lam said, “and I like the activities they hosted. It has been fun.” 

Mr. Lam is retiring after 17 years at NYCHA.  

Ms. Zhang announced that she too plans to step down from the association board “in order to encourage younger people to get more active and involved in the Chinese-American Association.” 

Ms. Zhang, currently interim director of Accounts Payable & Utility Management, has worked at NYCHA for more than 23 years. She has served as CAA board secretary and, for the past nine years, CAA president, responsible for organizing the biannual Lunar New Year luncheons as well as events honoring New Yorkers of Chinese descent such as retired NYPD Deputy Chief Dewey Fong.   

Ms. Zhang is hoping that the CAA will draw new members in the New Year: “We try our best to keep NYCHA employee associations lively and active.” 

” 

From top: CAC members enjoy their annual holiday luncheon in Chinatown; CAC Vice President Anna Lee gives outgoing treasurer and board member Larry Sit a good sendoff; CAC President Linda Qi Zhang (right) with Simona Nicu, deputy director of accounts payable; outgoing vice president of public relations Daniel Lam speaks about how much he enjoyed his tenure at CAC; and lobster is served family-style at the CAC holiday luncheon in Chinatown.