CYC Volunteers Get The Word Out

Down in Fresno’s Chinatown, on lower F Street near Ventura Avenue, the Chinatown Youth Center, or CYU, a youth center dedicated to art and community, operates at a different pace.

“It’s all about students, for students’ entertainment,” said Chris Perez, a CYU volunteer, just before a punk show March 14.

Perez said all the volunteers are students at either Fresno City College or at Fresno State. The CYC, he said, gives college kids something to do.

“When people coordinate, they can get the word out,” he said. “People find out there is entertainment in Fresno.”

The center does music shows including rock and punk and all types of sub genres of music. It has even hosted a hip-hop show and a techno show that packed in about 140 people, the most the center has held at one time, according to Perez. The center also participates in Art Hop and hosts movie nights, and will be participating in this year’s Chinatown Parade.

Rachanee Wilson, a front-desk volunteer who has been at the center since its beginning, said a few places have now opened up nearby.

“It’s exciting,” she said. “A skate and apparel shop opened up. So did a graffiti art gallery, a screen printing store – we can make our own t-shirts soon! – a Chinese food place and a Chinese herbal medicine shop as well.”

“It’s like we’re changing things,” Wilson said. “For a while we had no venue and any stage or set place to play, just playing at houses and garages. Now … we’re changing the block.”

Perez, Wilson, along with main organizer of the CYC, Jeremy Brownstein, and some of their families were at first the only volunteers to renovate and coordinate the CYC. Now they have about 10 volunteers.

Wilson was friends with Brownstein, who first got her to volunteer.

“I helped out,” Wilson said. “My parents volunteered their money and time to fix the bathroom. But it’s been a collaboration of everybody.”

Pachia Vang has just started volunteering at the CYC.

“Jeremy asked me [to volunteer] and I eventually started coming more often for my friends, just hanging out and doing whatever they needed really,” Vang said.

Wilson said anyone can become a member for $1 and attend free shows. The membership also gets you a $1 discount on shows with a price tag.

The membership fees go toward paying for electricity and soon water as well, providing snacks and water and even earplugs if the music is uncomfortably loud.

Haley Lopez, another new volunteer, got involved through Perez.

“I knew Chris. At first I would come to the shows. And then my band started playing and I just recently started volunteering.”

When asked why she did it, Wilson responded, “I do it to support my scene.”
For more details, visit the CYC Web site at ChinaTownYouthCenter.blogspot.com.