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As my father drives our family to dinner on Bellaire Boulevard through Little Saigon and Chinatown, my nose presses against the barren, reflective windows of our 2010 Mazda Van.
I peek outside and ponder proudly. Situated in the heart of Southwest Houston—embedded in the most diverse city of our nation—is a unique bedroom community known as Alief. We are the cultural currency of the city representing the very fabric of our nation. We are a community that possesses incredible cultural prowess, working-class grit, and a dignified sense of community solidarity.
And so, I reflect. I grew up in a household filled with stories where Mandarin and English danced with tangled feet and loud laughter. One of these accounts was my parents’ journey to Alief. My mother, a native of Southeastern China of the Fujian province, and my father, from the brilliant Kowloon district of Hong Kong, pursued the American dream. Similar to my parents, immigrant families from Nigeria, Honduras, Vietnam, and New Orleans migrated en masse to Alief.
We prosper and work in a majority-minority neighborhood. Our livelihoods are defined by the deep roots and rich cultural heritage of the Vietnamese, Chinese, Caucasian, Latino, and African communities. We speak over ninety-three languages and have a precedent of producing productive people—Mo Amer, Beyonce, Lizzo, to the like
Alief lies in Houston’s District F. Historically coined as the “Forgotten District”, Alief has once lacked competent city representation, economic investment, and intergenerational civic engagement. There remains historically low voter turnout in Alief. Our community lacks civic engagement programming—particularly in resources, leadership opportunities, community engagement, and voter education. In the General and Special Elections of November 7, 2017, Harris County Precinct 0487 maintained a voter turnout of 3.27% in electing school board trustees.
Consequently, even with our celebration of diversity, Alief faces a swath of pressing issues. From illegal dumping and Chromium-6 hexavalent lead in our water infrastructure to community public safety and a lack of civic engagement, Alief shares the woes and worries of our sister neighborhoods in Houston. Until recently with Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas and Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, it was crystal clear that those in government forgot about Alief.
One needs not to be deceitful or doubtful, but hopeful. Mobilization and support of our local non-profits can go a long way—the Alief Superneighborhood Council, the WOW Project, AliefVotes, OCA-Greater Houston, and more. Supporting Alief ISD and developing educators will ensure intergenerational civic leadership In our community. Civic engagement has brought us a new neighborhood center, competent governance, tens of thousands of trees planted, youth involvement, infrastructure investments, and business development. A simple doctrine prevails: community and neighborhood engagement matters.
Equitable policy and civic engagement begin with us and our families. The food that characterizes our diversity, the songs we sing, the cultures we celebrate—don’t lose them. Learn the recipe that our grandmas passed down, celebrate our traditions with those closest to us, keep our native tongue sharp, and never forget the roots that define our collective identity.
Our beliefs, heritage, languages, ethnicity, and traditions bring us together. They allow us to advocate and to keep our elected officials officials accountable. Take initiative with community projects, and volunteer with your family. Be involved in your community. And certainly, don’t forget about Alief.
Tommy Wan is a civil engineering and government undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin from Alief. His interests lie in youth civic engagement, local governance, and urban policy.