A Taste of Support: Tufts' Cherish Chinatown Challenge Returns for Year Four

This year, Tufts University is organizing the 4th Annual Cherish Chinatown Restaurant Challenge to support small businesses and restaurants in Boston’s Chinatown. The challenge invites Tufts students, faculty, and staff to order from locally owned Chinatown restaurants and bakeries—whether for dine-in, take-out, or delivery—throughout the month.

The initiative was launched in Spring 2021, in response to the economic hardships and anti-Asian sentiment that heavily impacted Boston’s Chinatown during the COVID-19 pandemic. As Chinatown businesses saw a sharp decline in sales, even before official mandates for non-essential business closures and physical distancing, students from Tufts' Dental and Medical schools, with support from the university, created this challenge to raise awareness of Chinatown’s history, cultural significance, and the importance of supporting local businesses.

In 2023, the Tufts community made 500 purchases across 84 different restaurants and cafes, furthering the mission of the challenge and showing support for Chinatown businesses.

A resolution adopted this week emphasizes the importance of maintaining momentum to ensure the success of immigrant-owned businesses. The resolution stated, "By supporting these restaurants—whether through shopping locally, advocating for more language resources, or speaking out against racism and discrimination—we contribute to the vitality of Chinatown and its communities."

The Council recognizes Tufts University’s Cherish Chinatown Restaurant Challenge and encourages those in the Tufts community to participate in support of our local small businesses in Boston Chinatown.