“The construction of highways through Chinatown displaced hundreds of families, and today the neighborhood continues to face challenges of gentrification, limited green space, and environmental burdens. Research shows that Chinatown has the highest levels of fine particulate matter of any neighborhood in Massachusetts—and some of the worst traffic-related air pollution in the entire Northeast.

Birds reflect the environmental health of a neighborhood. Like humans, birds seek out comfort in the shade of trees and absorb the good and bad around them into their bodies. Research has also found that bird populations tend to flourish more in well-resourced neighborhoods, compared to those historically impacted by housing injustice.

In Chinatown, there are not enough birds. In my mural, a robin raises its young in a place lush with hawthorn fruit and strawberries. I dream that Chinatown can be a place where future generations grow up in coexistence with native birds, among healthy air, sufficient green spaces, and affordable housing for all.”