Articles

HCC book author to spotlight Houston's Chinatowns at national conference

Oct 21, 2024

Following the publication of his book on the history of Houston's two Chinatowns, Zen Zheng, HCC Southwest's director of communications, has been invited to speak on his research at a national conference in October. 

The PastForward National Preservation Conference will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana, from Oct. 28-30. Zheng will present during a session titled, "This Is, Was, Will Be Chinatown: Preservation of Cultural Communities in the United States."

The conference is organized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that advocates for the preservation of America's historic buildings, neighborhoods, and heritage.

"I'm honored to have the opportunity to put Houston's Chinatowns on the national map," Zheng said. "I hope the stories of challenges, resilience, loss, and triumph that have shaped Houston's Chinese American neighborhoods can illuminate a meaningful approach to preserving America's Chinatowns, many of which face stagnation in their development."

Zheng, a former journalist, is the principal author of The Significance of Chinatown Development to a Multicultural America: An Exploration of the Houston Chinatowns, published by Emerald Publishing.

Drawing from his 16 years of research, Zheng will highlight how these once-ethnic enclaves can continue to survive, adapt, and transform despite economic, environmental, and socio-political pressures to ensure they remain vibrant for future generations.