Karis Lee

Karis Lee is a recent graduate of William & Mary and an aspiring educator. When she's not researching the stories of the DMV's immigrant communities, she enjoys indulging in hot cheetos, writing mediocre iphone notes poetry, and watching Korean dramas. 

Posts by Karis Lee

The History & Survival of Washington D.C.’s Chinatown

4/10/2020 in DC by Karis Lee
Friendship archway

When walking the streets of downtown D.C. near Penn Quarter, Washington’s Chinatown is difficult to miss.  The vibrant Friendship Archway marks the entrance of the neighborhood, and if you look closely, you’ll even be able to spot markers of the Chinese zodiac on the crosswalks. But despite the area’s seemingly thriving shops and restaurants, Chinatown’s Chinese population today is estimated to be as low as 300. Things weren’t always this way, though. In fact, Chinatown was first located in a different D.C. neighborhood altogether. So how did Washington’s Chinese community first develop? What was Chinatown like before, and how and why did that change?

The Filipino Women’s Club of Washington D.C.

3/20/2020 in DC by Karis Lee
Filipino Woman's Club, Washington, D.C.

When the U.S. entered WWII in late 1941, women all over Washington stepped up to fulfill wartime needs; and Filipino women were certainly no exception. The Filipino Women's Club of Washington, formed in 1943, played a crucial role in the war effort and inspired community when the city most needed it. 

The 1868 Mayoral Election, African-American Vote, and Riots That Followed

3/12/2020 in DC by Karis Lee
Howard University near Miner Hall in 1867

On January 8, 1867, Congress passed the District of Columbia Suffrage Bill, granting African-American men the right to vote for the first time in U.S. history. D.C.’s black community was ecstatic. But though this was certainly an exciting start, the stakes surrounding the black vote escalated in June 1868, when the two candidates for Washington’s new mayor promised vastly different futures for the city.

A Filipino Literary Landmark: The Manila House in D.C.

1/30/2020 in DC by Karis Lee
Filipino family in front of a house (Source: University of Maryland Libraries, Special Collections)

2422 K St. NW, nestled in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood just down the street from the George Washington University, looks like any other D.C. row house. But for the Filipino community in D.C. during the 1930s through the 1950s, it was a haven - a source of culture, community, and comfort. As those who remember it fondly today can testify, 2422 K St. NW wasn’t just a row house; it was the Manila House.

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