CPC launched the “Our Community, Our Stories” campaign in May to share the personal stories of different community members directly impacted by CPC. Through these stories, we celebrate our collective impacts and our community's contributions and resilience.  

Our eighth community story features Alvin Lin.

Interviewed by Lai Ling Li, Co-Chair of the Leadership Council

Chinese-American Planning Council programs provide opportunities to community members in all stages and ages of their work lives. 

In 2008, Alvin Lin set out to find a new job. His aunt suggested he look into the Hospitality Careers Training Program at CPC Queens Community Center.

Alvin was twenty years old when he immigrated to America. He spoke a bit of English from his schooling in China but he knew he would have to improve to land the kind of job he wanted. According to him, CPC transformed his life.

The twelve-week hospitality training program covers every aspect of the industry, from food service, room care and cleaning to maintenance and mechanical engineering. Alvin focused on HVAC and heating systems, learning how to operate them on the scale needed for hotels, schools, and hospitals.

Once credentialed, Alvin and six of his CPC classmates found work at the boutique Mave Hotel near Madison Square Park. Alvin’s new skills and work ethic did not go unnoticed. He received an Employee of the Month citation in The Mave Hotel in August 2012.

“CPC opened many doors, and I could move, step by step, to a better job.”

Alvin is now part of the Local 94 union hotel workers. He is delighted with his professional prospects and attributes his new career to the help he received from CPC when he needed it.

“The Hospitality Careers Training Program gave me a new career, with better compensation and is a good opportunity for people who don’t know how to break into the industry.”

He also has built a network and keeps in touch with his classmates.

Alvin is grateful to the CPC staff he met for not only being friendly and welcoming, but with following up with him after he graduated from the program. 

Alvin is eager to give back to the Center. He has already come back to talk about his experiences and has donated to CPC Queens Community Center. He tells young people looking for work about the training program and how well it set him up for success.

Share Alvin's story on social media using #cpcstories.

By sharing the stories of our community members, CPC hopes to inspire and empower all our communities and allies to use their voices to set forth the change they want to see as we rally together to #StopAsianHate.

ABOUT CPC

The Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) is a social services organization that creates positive social change. Founded in 1965, CPC is the nation's largest Asian American social services organization and aims to promote the social and economic empowerment of Chinese American, immigrant, and low-income communities of New York City. CPC is the trusted partner to individuals and families striving to achieve goals in their education, family, community, and career. 

關於華策會

華人策劃協會（簡稱“華策會”）是一個致力於創造正向社會變革的社會服務機構。華策會成立於1965年，是美國最大的亞裔美國人社會服務機構，旨在促進紐約市華裔美國人，移民，及低收入社區的社會權益和經濟賦權。華策會是為實現其教育，家庭 ，社區及職業目標而努力的個人和家庭可信賴的機構。