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Karen Chen

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Karen Chen
Karen Chen, former co-director of the Chinese Progressive Association, now takes up the role of CPA’s executive director, with the transition official in July.

Karen Chen, former co-director of the Chinese Progressive Association, now takes up the role of CPA’s executive director, with the transition official in July. Lydia Lowe, CPA’s other co-director, will step down after 30 years in CPA in order to direct the Chinatown Community Land Trust.

Chen immigrated to the U.S. at age 10, and first joined the CPA through its youth program. Her parents’ experiences as low-wage workers in restaurant and garment industries inspired her social justice involvement and after college she became the worker rights organizer at CPA. In this role, she helped educate Chinese workers on their rights in the workplace and advocate on their behalf. Chen’s previous roles also include work as a paralegal for the Asian outreach unit of Greater Boston Legal Services, and as tenant service coordinator for Castle Square Apartments, a 500-unit low-income housing complex at the edge of Chinatown and South End.

Chen said in an article published by CPA that the organization will continue fighting against displacement and advocating for community control of public land and strong labor protections and standards. The Trump administration brings new challenges for immigrants, minorities, workers, and others, Chen said. On the state level, there is a need to combat the increasing privatization of public education and public transit, which will hit hard working class neighborhoods communities of color, and on the local level, gentrification and stagnant wages present challenges.

“2017 is an important milestone for CPA and it’s also a year of tansition and change. We are embarking on a journey with a lot of new challenges, in which our strength, courage and unity will be tested on many levels,” Chen said.

However, Chen added, along with challenges there is opportunity, including opportunity to seize on opposition energy emerging nationally and build a movement advocating for immigrant and human rights. Locally, CPA has many more members than in the past. She said the organization is poised to strengthen and broaden alliances.