PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — After more than 60 years of serving as a community leader in her neighborhood, it’s only fitting that 93-year-old Cecilia Moy Yep is known as the godmother of Chinatown.
She first wielded her influence in the 1960s, when she stood her ground to protect Chinatown from bulldozers during a city and PennDOT project.
She refused to be evicted under eminent domain, even as construction caused a rafter to fall into her heater and spark a fire.
“It was early in the morning and we were all sleeping,” recalled Yep, who yelled for her three young children to escape. “‘Let’s get out of here! The place is on fire!’ It was really scary.”
The creation of the Vine Street Expressway split the community in half, but her efforts over the years have significantly lessened the impact, paving the way for affordable housing in Chinatown. Her work also helped save Holy Redeemer, the first Chinese Catholic church and school in the nation.
“We were successful,” she said. “The church and school are now 80 years old.”
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During her fight to save her community, Yep founded and served as the first executive director of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation.
She left an indelible impression on the neighborhood with the addition of the Friendship Gate, which was completed in 1983. Yep said they successfully brought “the first gate built outside of China to Philadelphia with artisans and authentic materials.” The colorful gateway at 10th and Arch streets is a portal to one of the few authentic Chinatowns remaining in the U.S.
Her fight is certainly not over. The latest proposal opposed by residents is the Sixers’ new arena in the Fashion District, a development that threatens to encroach upon Chinatown.
Yep works tirelessly to preserve and protect Chinatown — one of the last communities of color and low-income neighborhoods in Philadelphia’s downtown core.
She has always carried her "godmother" title proudly.
“I’m a high school graduate and yet I was able to accomplish all that,” she said of her accomplishments.
To younger generations, she offered advice: “You’re educated; look what you can do. You can make a big difference because you have the education to do it.”
Throughout Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, KYW Newsradio is celebrating the contributions of these diverse and essential communities with an audio series called “Asian Americans Making Their Mark.”
Asian Americans are a diverse group comprising more than 30 ethnicities and nationalities and are the fastest-growing racial group in the United States. This series, led by KYW’s Denise Nakano and Tim Jimenez, recognizes their history, culture and achievements in the Philadelphia region at a time when AAPI communities are seeing a rise in anti-Asian speech and activity across the country.
Join KYW throughout the month of May as we celebrate the journeys, cultures and unique life experiences of people from Philadelphia’s AAPI communities.