In the wake of the anti-Asian violence that intensified during the pandemic, I worried about how I might protect my mother and my community. The attacks have been a devastating reminder of this country’s long history of xenophobia against immigrants and their families.

In late May, President Biden signed legislation aimed at expediting the review of hate crimes, authorizing grants for state and local governments to prevent and respond to such incidents.

On a personal level, though, I’ve been looking for ways to make a difference, especially now that I’m fully vaccinated. On Monday, June 28, I volunteered with Oakland Chinatown Coalition’s pilot ambassador project: helping with trash collections; reporting requests for routine maintenance and other urgent infrastructure issues on Oak 311; passing out snacks and water; and greeting people along the neighborhood’s retail corridor.

Lisa Ng, the project’s volunteer coordinator, explained that the group goes out Monday mornings because that’s when elders, who tend to run their errands then, appreciate seeing volunteers out and about. And though clean streets are a top concern for Chinatown residents, they might not always have the tech skills or language ability to report those issues.

At video game arcades, I’m all thumbs when it comes to retrieving prizes in the claw machine. The toys and tchotchkes always remain tantalizingly out of reach. But armed with my trash picker, I felt a thrill each time I grasped a cigarette butt, plastic bottle, napkin, food container and other detritus. I’d never used one before, and it was surprisingly agile and dare I say almost ... fun?

It was also deeply satisfying to focus on a patch of sidewalk and clear it, even if litter would soon return. After two hours, I’d filled two trash bags.

“People look upon Chinese people as diseased, and a dirty environment contributes to that,” said volunteer Matthew Lee; the cleanup helps counteract that impression. A college student who spent his junior year living at home because of the pandemic, Lee says he’s started to reengage with the world.

Indeed, the social isolation of these many months has made basic human interactions — whether in daily life or while out volunteering — more precious.

“It was easy to feel disconnected,” Amanda Mangione said of those times. She’s been volunteering with the coalition since the pilot program began in late April. “When you can form a connection, it feels new and special. A lot of opportunities don’t require a big commitment up front; if you can come out for a few hours, you might really like it. You might see the impact that you’re making.”

Every time I said zao an — good morning in Mandarin — people cheerfully replied, and one grateful shopkeeper rushed up to us with bottles of water, thanking us for our service.

Years ago, Amanda Farrell’s Filipino grandparents passed away. Yet when the attacks against Asian elders hit the headlines, she couldn’t help but think they could have been targeted, too.

Along with pitching in with the trash pickup, she also escorts elders with Compassion in Oakland, an organization founded in response to the rising violence. She volunteered at its recent self-defense demonstration and takes part in its group strolls around Lake Merritt.

A Filipina participant — who is fluent in multiple languages — has been teaching Farrell conversational phrases. Her time spent with these elders “fills a grandparent-shaped hole in my heart,” said Farrell, founder of Embroidered Panda, which sells hand-stitched artwork, jewelry, and clothing.

After the losses of the last 16 months, how many of us also have holes in our heart that need healing?

Not long ago, groups of friends volunteered together to collect trash, according to Ng. As reunions resume, and if your schedules free up in the summer, consider a volunteer outing with friends and family, too.

To register for Oakland Chinatown Coalition, go to https://signup.com/go/tDsyiZQ and Compassion in Oakland and San Francisco at https://compassioninoakland.org.

Vanessa Hua is the author of “A River of Stars.” Her column appears Fridays in Datebook. Email: datebook@sfchronicle.com

Written By

Vanessa Hua

Vanessa Hua is a former reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Francisco Examiner, the Hartford Courant and the Los Angeles Times. At The Chronicle, she launched an investigation that led to the resignation of the California secretary of state and prompted investigations by the FBI.

She's won a number of journalism awards from groups including the Asian American Journalist Association and the Society of Professional Journalists. She also won the James Madison Freedom of Information Award.

Her short-story collection, "Deceit and Other Possibilities," won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. Her debut novel, "A River of Stars" received a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Award, and her next novel, "The Sea Palaces," is forthcoming from Ballantine.