Our Delaware is a monthly series that will explore the history of communities and the institutions that serve them around the state. To suggest a potential topic for an upcoming feature, email Editor-In-Chief Jacob Owens.
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For almost three decades the Delaware Chinese American Association has been a pillar of the Hockessin community, serving Chinese American residents statewide. But the organization is more than just a service hub, it’s a cultural haven where community members can connect with their heritage and share it with others.
At the age of 10, Y.F. Lou moved with his scientist parents from mainland China to Lewes so that his father, an oceanographer, could complete his dissertation and his mom, a marine biologist, could conduct research for the University of Delaware.
He said they made the move across the Pacific Ocean in search of a better life and more financial stability. And shortly after, his mom secured a research position at the UD’s marine biology campus near the Delaware beaches.
Growing up in the beach town as the only Chinese student in his school district, Lou said he faced constant discrimination from other students. And with the lack of Asian families in the area, he often felt disconnected from his roots.
But the occasional family drives up to Hockessin for small events held by the Delaware Chinese American Association, or DCAA, became a refuge. He said it provided him with a sense of belonging to his culture, including by allowing him to interact with others who spoke Mandarin.
It was “a very positive way to kind of help me remember that we’re not the only Asians,” he said.
Lou remembers when the Delaware Chinese American Association was a small group that would hold events at different members’ houses. Adults would converse while the children played. They would hold big events once or twice a year, often to celebrate important holidays like the Lunar New Year.
Founded nearly 30 years ago, the nonprofit now supports hundreds of members through various services and activities that help the Chinese-American community stay connected to their culture and also provide opportunities to share their identity with the broader Delaware community.
“Back then, some of the founding members realized that even thought4, yes, we have to assimilate to America, it doesn’t mean that we must give up who we are and kill off our identity completely, just to be called an American,” Lou said.
To this day, it does not have its own brick-and-mortar operation, but often uses space for activities – such as adult dance programs and choir groups – at the Chinese American Community Center, a partner organization that sits on Little Baltimore Road in Hockessin.
Lou says back when it was founded, families in the organization were vital in supporting each other through the immigration process and helping those with kids navigate Delaware’s school system.
That same spirit continues through one of the Delaware Chinese American Association’s core programs, the Chun Hui Chinese School, which serves about 200 students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Run mostly by volunteers, the weekend school offers language classes in English and Mandarin, as well as math and cultural enrichment programs that include dance, Chinese calligraphy and art.
The school operates out of the Chinese American Community Center.
In addition, the Delaware Chinese American Association helps individuals with career development by partnering with the University of Delaware’s Chinese Students and Scholars Association to assist students who may need help with resumes or with how to conduct job interviews.
They also support local entrepreneurs by promoting their businesses on its website. But they also nurture community members in other ways.
“I always say that I’ve been raised by Delaware’s Chinese community,” said Devin Jiang, co-founder of Make Us Visible Delaware.
The 22-year-old UD graduate grew up attending the Chun Hui Chinese School and volunteering at the association’s gatherings. With support from the Delaware Chinese American Association, Jiang became a dedicated political advocate for the Asian community.
He and Lou started Make Us Visible Delaware in 2023, to integrate the history and the contributions of Asian Americans into K-12 classrooms in Delaware public schools.
Jiang said the Delaware Chinese American Association played a crucial role by sponsoring events, and helping to build support in the community.
And last year, Jiang and Lou successfully led the passage of legislation that created the Delaware Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage and Culture and amended the law to ensure that diversity programs explicitly include the cultures of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Jiang also spearheaded a bill that recognized Asian American and Pacific Islander Month.
Beyond supporting and creating connections within the community, the Delaware Chinese American Association members focus on sharing their culture and creating relationships with the broader community.
Jane Zhou, president and board chair of the DCAA, said her community often suffers from stereotypes, such as one that implies that Asian Americans are closed off to other communities.
“But when you come to our community, you can appreciate that we’re not like that,” she said.
Zhou said residents outside the Chinese community often come to their events and she highly encourages more people to participate. She hopes to soon team up with outside organizations to host a multicultural event, but will need the proper funding to do so.
The Delaware Chinese American Association hosts different events throughout the year, including festivals, concerts, sports events and antique exhibits.
Last weekend, 800 residents filled an auditorium for the group’s 25th Lunar New Year Gala celebration – a time of renewal and fresh beginnings in Chinese tradition.
The night was filled with performances, bringing the community together for a vibrant display of different traditional acts like folk dances, Peking opera and face-changing art.
Lisa Adams, a Wilmington resident who came to see the show for the first time with her son, said she was fascinated by all the different costumes and plans on coming back next year.
“Everyone should learn about someone else’s culture,” she said.
U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride and New Castle County Council President Monique Jones were also present to show support for the Delaware Chinese American Association.
Lou, now a board member of the Christina School District and diversity inclusion and outreach chair of the Delaware PTA, watched the show with his two young sons. He even received an appreciation award for the work of Christina’s Chinese immersion program.
Alongside Lou was Jiang, who served as an emcee throughout the show.
“I believe that Chinese Americans and Asian Americans have played a pivotal role in shaping the history of the state and this country, and it’s events like these where we can showcase our culture and heritage and the resilience of our communities,” Jiang said.
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