From China to Chinatown: My Po Po’s Journey by Hailey Soh

From China to Chinatown: My Po Po’s Journey is a documentary by Hailey Soh that tells the stories of people who immigrated to Los Angeles Chinatown. Hailey created this documentary in the hopes that a public audience might learn more about the history of Los Angeles Chinatown. As the immigrant population in Chinatown grows older, she wanted to help preserve the histories of those who helped build Los Angeles into the city it is today. She realizes that there are many untold immigrant stories and her documentary is only a snippet of the bigger picture.

Hailey’s documentary follows her grandma, her Po Po, Koon Tai Lee Kung, along her journey from Guangzhou, China to Chinatown, Los Angeles. It also includes interviews from her grandmother’s daughter Helena and neighbor Chui King Joe which tell of the community that Chinatown provided for Chinese Immigrants.

Born and raised in Pasadena, California, Hailey Soh is a junior attending Blair High School and lives with her parents and younger sister. Hailey is active member of the student body and is involved in various clubs such as serving on the Associated Student Body as Junior Treasurer, National Honors Society, Girls’ Tennis Team, and she even started her own club – The Broadcasting Club which creates weekly videos to inform students about school-related events and activities. In her free time, Hailey likes to listen to music and play instruments such as the piano and the guitar, and she also enjoys watching her favorite K-dramas on Netflix. She wants to pursue a future where she can continuously learn new things and encounter new experiences.