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Non-profit

Chinese Progressive Association (Boston)

Website:

cpaboston.org/
Location:

BOSTON, MA
Tax ID:

04-2631569
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2017):

Revenue: $708,565
Expenses: $941,550
Assets: $2,087,242
Executive Director:

Karen Chen
Type:

Civic & Social Organization
Formation:

1977

Not to be confused with the San Francisco, California-based organization of the same name.

The Chinese Progressive Association (CPA; formerly Chinatown People’s Progressive Association) is a Boston-based left-of-center organization that engages in community organizing and activism among Chinese-Americans in Massachusetts.

The organization has hosted events with consular officials of the Communist-ruled People’s Republic of China (PRC). 1 The group has held or participated in multiple PRC-flag-raising events at Boston’s City Hall Plaza commemorating the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War. 23

Members of Chinese Progressive Association leadership4 have aligned with radical- and extremist-left movements through the journal Leftroots. 56 Lydia Lowe, a cofounder of CPA and former executive director,7 co-wrote an article for Leftroots calling for revolution to a “fundamentally different society.” 8 Michael Liu, listed as an “elder” by CPA,9  and founding CPA member May Louie10 have also written for Leftroots. 11

Chinese Progressive Association is associated with the Chinese Progressive Political Action group, which endorsed left-wing Democrats like John Barros for Mayor, 12 Ed Flynn for City Council, 13 and U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA). 14

Activism

The Chinese Progressive Association supported a tax to create affordable housing and organized residents to oppose Airbnb’s use of homes in Chinatown as it was reducing available housing for residents. It is working towards renewable energy in Chinatown. 15 The association is fighting for Chinese-American renters by educating them on tenant’s rights, including those standards from the United Nations including the “Right to Adequate Housing.” 16

It co-sponsored a protest conducted by the radical-left and communist-aligned group Leftroots against the inauguration of President Donald Trump for his purported white supremacist viewpoints. 17

The organization has hosted events with consular officials of the Communist-ruled People’s Republic of China (PRC). 18 The group has held or participated in multiple PRC-flag-raising events at Boston’s City Hall Plaza commemorating the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War. 1920

CPA succeeded in gaining approval for bilingual ballots in Chinese and Vietnamese for all federal, state and local elections. 21

Labor Union Activism

Community Labor United (CLU)

The Chinese Progressive Association joined other Boston-based groups to form Community Labor United in 2004. Community Labor United assists the labor movement by extending its influence to the promotion of good schools and affordable worker housing. The CLU formed the Green Justice Coalition to drive environmentalist-aligned jobs. 22

Labor Lawsuit

The Chinese Progressive Association won a lawsuit against Sunshine Travel for undermining employees’ efforts to form a union. 23

Workers Justice Award

The Chinese Progressive Association has given its Workers Justice Award to Indira Talwani. She was appointed by President Barack Obama as a federal judge for the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. 24

Donors                                                               

The Chinese Progressive Association is supported by the Herman and Frieda L. Miller Foundation, which donates to left-wing organizations in Massachusetts. 25

The Marguerite Casey Foundation supports CAP26 and other left-wing organizations. 27

Radical-Left Associations

Lydia Lowe was the director of the Chinese Progressive Association for close to 30 years. 28 Lowe was a co-author of an Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) organizing manifesto for the Communist-aligned radical-left publication Leftroots titled “The Role of Asian American and Pacific Islander Movements: Race, Nationality Oppression and Revolutionary Strategy.” The manifesto calls for Asian Americans  to join with other communities of color to foster revolutionary change in the United States. 29 She also authored multiple pieces for the Asian American Movement Ezine (Azine), on-line publication which self-described as providing “Progressive, Radical, & Revolutionary Asian American Perspectives.” 30

Lowe was a member of two pro-communist China organizations, the League of Revolutionary Struggle that became the Unity Organizing Committee, and Wor Kuen. 31 She participated in the controversial raising of the flag of the Communist-ruled People’s Republic of China in Boston’s City Hall Plaza on multiple occasions and gave a speech commemorating the anniversary of the communist takeover. 32

The paper celebrates its claim that Asian-Americans were early members of the United States Communist Party. It claims America’s history and economy is based upon theft and exploitation of people of color. The essay blames “racial capitalism,” for oppression and calls for the oppressed to fight for “socialist liberation.” 33

Michael Liu is an elder for the Chinese Progressive Association. 34 He is a member of LeftRoots and co-author of their radical-left blueprint, “We Believe That We Can Win.” May Louie is a founding member of the Chinese Progressive Association,35 and another co-author of “We Believe That We Can Win.” The work serves as an introduction for LeftRoots’ movement towards forming its “liberatory strategy.” 36

Leadership

Karen Chen is the executive director and claims that President Trump offers challenges for minorities, workers, and immigrants. She alleges that the United States needs to attain economic and racial justice, that housing, health care, and good jobs are rights. Chen believes that the privatization of transit and education negatively affect people of color and workers. 37 She supports housing regulations to stabilize home rentals,38 and believes the Asian community has been most impacted by COVID-19. 39 Karen Chen sees an opportunity to leverage opposition to build a national pro-immigrant and human rights movement. 40

References

  1. He, Amy. “China’s NY Consulate Reaches out to Citizens Living in Boston.” Chinadaily.com.cn, April 8, 2010. http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201704/08/WS59bb44b5a310d4d9ab7e1f3e.html.
  2. Gunnoe, Brandon. “Demonstrators Protest Raising of Chinese Flag at Boston City Hall.” Boston News Weather Sports WHDH 7News, September 30, 2019. https://whdh.com/news/demonstrators-protest-raising-of-chinese-flag-at-boston-city-hall/.
  3. Li, David. “Boston Marks China’s National Day with Flag Raising Ceremony.” Bostonese.com, October 7, 2014. https://bostonese.com/2014/10/boston-marks-chinas-national-day-with-flag-raising-ceremony/.
  4. “Chinese Progressive Association.” The People of CPA | Chinese Progressive Association. Accessed April 2, 2020. https://cpaboston.org/en/about-us/the-people-of-cpa.
  5. “The Left We Want to Build: Breaking out of the Margins.” Communist Party USA, October 19, 2017. https://www.cpusa.org/article/the-left-we-want-to-build-breaking-out-of-the-margins/.
  6. “Out to Win.” Out to Win. Oakland , CA: Leftroots, 2019. https://journal.leftroots.net/downloads/out-to-win_eng_fin.pdf.
  7. “Lydia Lowe.” Barr Foundation, Accessed April 16, 2020. https://www.barrfoundation.org/bios/lydia-lowe.
  8. “Out to Win.” Out to Win. Oakland , CA: Leftroots, 2019. https://journal.leftroots.net/downloads/out-to-win_eng_fin.pdf.
  9. “Chinese Progressive Association.” The People of CPA | Chinese Progressive Association. Accessed April 2, 2020. https://cpaboston.org/en/about-us/the-people-of-cpa.
  10. “Chinese Progressive Association.” The People of CPA | Chinese Progressive Association. Accessed April 2, 2020. https://cpaboston.org/en/about-us/the-people-of-cpa.
  11. “Out to Win.” Out to Win. Oakland , CA: Leftroots, 2019. https://journal.leftroots.net/downloads/out-to-win_eng_fin.pdf.
  12. Scharfenberg, David. “For Boston’s Asian-American Community, A Political Arrival.” For Boston’s Asian-American Community, A Political Arrival | WBUR News. WBUR, September 23, 2013. https://www.wbur.org/news/2013/09/23/boston-asian-american-voters.
  13. “Red World Order File: Worst-Ever Political Violence Explodes in Hong Kong.” Once Upon a Time in the West, October 1, 2019. https://onceuponatimeinthewest1.wordpress.com/2019/10/01/red-world-order-file-peoples-republic-of-china-celebrates-70th-anniversary-of-communist-regime-as-worst-ever-political-violence-explodes-in-hong-kong-special-administrative-region-residents/.
  14. “Chinese Progressive Political Action Endorses Ayanna Pressley for Congress.” Sampan.org, August 9, 2018. https://sampan.org/2018/08/chinese-progressive-political-action-endorses-ayanna-pressley-for-congress/.
  15. Semuels, Alana. “The End of the American Chinatown.” The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, February 4, 2019. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/02/americas-chinatowns-are-disappearing/581767/.
  16. “MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning.” Boston’s Chinatown: Forced from Home | MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning, February 28, 2019. https://dusp.mit.edu/news/boston’s-chinatown-forced-home.
  17. Rozziecole. “Boston People’s Inauguration.” Massachusetts Peace Action, January 20, 2017. http://masspeaceaction.org/event/boston-peoples-inauguration/.
  18. He, Amy. “China’s NY Consulate Reaches out to Citizens Living in Boston.” Chinadaily.com.cn, April 8, 2010. http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201704/08/WS59bb44b5a310d4d9ab7e1f3e.html.
  19. Gunnoe, Brandon. “Demonstrators Protest Raising of Chinese Flag at Boston City Hall.” Boston News Weather Sports WHDH 7News, September 30, 2019. https://whdh.com/news/demonstrators-protest-raising-of-chinese-flag-at-boston-city-hall/.
  20. Li, David. “Boston Marks China’s National Day with Flag Raising Ceremony.” Bostonese.com, October 7, 2014. https://bostonese.com/2014/10/boston-marks-chinas-national-day-with-flag-raising-ceremony/.
  21. “Women’s Victories and Voices.” accessstrategies.org, August 1, 2013. http://www.accessstrategies.org/womens-victories-and-voices.
  22. Dean, Amy B. “Doing Green Jobs Right.” The Nation, June 29, 2015. https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/doing-green-jobs-right/.
  23. Leung, Amy. “Chinese Progressive Association’s Motion to Dismiss Sunshine Lawsuit Granted: Victory for Workers Rights Organizing.” Open Media Boston, August 7, 2009. http://openmediaboston.org/content/chinese-progressive-associations-motion-dismiss-sunshine-lawsuit-granted-victory-workers.
  24. “Indira Talwani.” Ballotpedia. Accessed April 2, 2020. https://ballotpedia.org/Indira_Talwani.
  25. “The Herman and Frieda L. Miller Foundation.” The Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation RSS, 2017. https://millerfoundation.grantsmanagement08.com/?page_id=200.
  26. “Home.” Marguerite Casey Foundation. Accessed April 2, 2020. https://caseygrants.org/.
  27. “Marguerite Casey Foundation.” Marguerite Casey Foundation. Accessed April 2, 2020. https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/marguerite-casey-foundation/.
  28. “Lydia Lowe.” Barr Foundation, Accessed April 16, 2020. https://www.barrfoundation.org/bios/lydia-lowe.
  29. “Out to Win.” Out to Win. Oakland , CA: Leftroots, 2019. https://journal.leftroots.net/downloads/out-to-win_eng_fin.pdf.
  30. “Search.” Search | API Movement. Accessed April 2, 2020. https://apimboston.org/search/node/Lydia Lowe.
  31. Lowe, Lydia. “LEGACY TO LIBERATION Politics and Culture of Revolutionary Asian Pacific America.” LEGACY TO LIBERATION politics and culture of revolutionary asian pacific america | API Movement, January 6, 2001. https://apimboston.org/legacy-liberation-politics-and-culture-revolutionary-asian-pacific-america.
  32. “Lydia Lowe Speaking at the People’s Republic of China 48th Anniversary Celebration.” Lydia Lowe speaking at the People’s Republic of China 48th anniversary celebration – DRS, October 1, 1997. https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:79995.
  33. “Out to Win.” Out to Win. Oakland , CA: Leftroots, 2019. https://journal.leftroots.net/downloads/out-to-win_eng_fin.pdf
  34. “Chinese Progressive Association.” The People of CPA | Chinese Progressive Association. Accessed April 2, 2020. https://cpaboston.org/en/about-us/the-people-of-cpa.
  35. “Chinese Progressive Association.” The People of CPA | Chinese Progressive Association. Accessed April 2, 2020. https://cpaboston.org/en/about-us/the-people-of-cpa.
  36. “Out to Win.” Out to Win. Oakland , CA: Leftroots, 2019. https://journal.leftroots.net/downloads/out-to-win_eng_fin.pdf.
  37. “Chinese Progressive Association Celebrates Worker Rights.” Sampan.org, April 5, 2019. https://sampan.org/2019/03/chinese-progressive-association-celebrates-worker-rights/.
  38. Cotter, Sean Philip, and Erin Tiernan. “Few Boston Short-Term Rentals Meet Regulations so Far.” Boston Herald. Boston Herald, October 21, 2019. https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/10/20/few-boston-short-term-rentals-meet-regulations-so-far/.
  39. Faraone, Chris. “Boston News Today – ASIAN AMERICANS SPEAK OUT AGAINST CORONAVIRUS FEAR-MONGERING.” DigBoston, March 12, 2020. https://digboston.com/asian-americans-speak-out-against-coronavirus-fear-mongering/.
  40. “Karen Chen.” The Bay State Banner, March 9, 2018. https://www.baystatebanner.com/2017/05/26/karen-chen/.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: June - May
  • Tax Exemption Received: April 1, 1987

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2017 Jun Form 990 $708,565 $941,550 $2,087,242 $88,618 N $625,479 $53,709 $7,380 $98,020 PDF
    2016 Jun Form 990 $1,543,126 $817,459 $2,297,868 $65,731 N $1,335,017 $154,720 $6,415 $91,800
    2015 Jun Form 990 $677,162 $742,805 $1,527,003 $44,125 N $486,897 $131,487 $3,672 $44,702 PDF
    2014 Jun Form 990 $752,573 $834,924 $1,615,855 $72,343 N $629,374 $85,981 $3,697 $45,227 PDF
    2013 Jun Form 990 $655,889 $530,011 $1,628,006 $24,965 N $590,277 $31,859 $1,293 $39,367 PDF
    2012 Jun Form 990 $527,109 $530,958 $1,485,810 $28,798 N $436,808 $59,497 $2,521 $47,069 PDF
    2011 Jun Form 990 $602,973 $595,492 $1,473,198 $25,339 N $517,653 $56,908 $2,231 $46,880 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Map image for Chinese Progressive Association (Boston)

    Chinese Progressive Association (Boston)

    28 ASH ST
    BOSTON, MA 02111-1517