The Chinese Association provides a supportive cultural as well as social environment for industry unity. Unlike other societies, we keep our doors open to students from all ethnic origins.
Being a member of CSA will help you to change your perspective, learn new things and grow as a person or future professional. Strong friendships are made while planning unity events.
Membership
CSA members can find academic, clinical and career support from fellow Chinese American nurses. Full membership requires you to be of Chinese heritage and a licensed RN in the U.S. Honorary membership is based on distinguished service to the association or the community.
In 1889, there was a growing demand for a representative body to be set up that was exclusively concerned with Anglo-Chinese affairs. The China Association was established to meet this need. Its first membership included representatives from the major China Houses, members of parliament and retired colonial and military officials returned from China.
The Association played a significant role in safeguarding British commercial interests in China. In the years following World War II, the Association alerted the government to the deteriorating conditions in which many of its members were operating in China and acted to ensure that official action was taken to protect their concerns and assets. A collection of the Association’s papers is lodged at SOAS.
Activities
The society organizes social and cultural activities to support its members. They are geared towards helping the members integrate in American society, promote their career advancement and introduce and inherit Chinese culture and traditions to the next generation.
In the past, the Chinese Association has organized community support for victims of anti-Chinese racial violence, lobbied the city government to translate employment forms into Chinese, and worked to increase the number of Chinese voters in local elections. It has also helped homeless people, aided the incarcerated, and provided food, shelter, and medical care to children in Chinatown.
Today, the Chinese Association continues to serve a wide range of community needs. It has a membership that includes people from all walks of life, with different ethnic and religious backgrounds. The association has its own newsletter, Trade Winds, which discusses common problems faced by the community and features articles on science and technology as well as introduces outstanding Chinese professionals in the United States.
Fundraising
During the Covid-19 pandemic, charitable organisations ranging from social welfare centres for autistic and disabled people to youth and elderly protection groups to gender education bases and anti-domestic violence service foundations have faced increasing difficulty in raising funds. Many have reorganised their operations and cut salaries.
The CCBA has been active in fund-raising for its community projects and other purposes. In addition to organizing a dinner for charity at the Thatched House Club and other fund-raising events, it lobbied the City of Augusta for unemployment forms and office support in Chinese and other Asian languages, organized community support for victims of anti-Chinese racial violence, and worked to increase Chinese-American involvement in electoral politics. The CCBA has also been involved in the development of local cultural institutions and the preservation of historic sites.
Officers
Over the decades, a number of dedicated scholars have served as officers of CHINESE ASSOCIATION. The list below contains the names of these individuals – based on records published in the Journal of the Chinese Language Teachers Association, USA, which began publication in 1966. Earlier information on CHINESE ASSOCIATION officers and board members can be found in the archived issues of the journal (see links below).
These leaders and other members formed local chapters around the country. The national organization was loosely structured as a social network and the local chapter presidents were responsible for organizing events in their local area.
The Association sought social justice, protected civil rights, and promoted economic opportunities for Chinese Americans. For example, it organized community support for victims of anti-Chinese racial violence and lobbied the Commonwealth to provide unemployment forms and office assistance in Chinese and other languages. It also worked to increase the participation of Chinese-Americans in electoral politics and raised awareness about the struggles of immigrant workers.