The Language of Relief: Funding LEP Businesses Amidst COVID-19
By Lamei Zhang
In Chinese culture, the first few months of every year are often the busiest as the Lunar New Year usually falls sometime between late-January and mid-February. This year, however, festive spirits were cut short with feelings of hesitancy as certain American cities began to feel the impact of COVID-19. In Philadelphia, a stay-at-home order was issued in late March, and non-essential businesses were closed to limit the spread of the disease.
Local businesses felt the economic hurt from the arrival of COVID-19 most deeply. The usually bustling corridor of Chinatown was barren. Ms. C, a clothing shop owner in Chinatown, was a witness to the chilling effect of the pandemic. Ms. C moved to the U.S. from Hong Kong and opened her store in Chinatown in 2001, selling traditional Chinese clothing and day-to-day wear for both visitors and residents. As the sole-proprietor of the business, Ms. C relies on her business for income, and runs every part of the business on her own, from inventory and maintenance to sales.
Prior to the stay-at-home order, Ms. C was already experiencing financial hardship and had to close her shop. She noted that business revenue went down by 80% in early March, a loss so dramatic that she decided to close her store instead of trying to bear the costs of staying open. Ms. C was not alone – this was a prevailing challenge for almost all businesses in Chinatown. As early as January, there were reports that businesses were experiencing as much as a 50% decrease in sales. Restaurants were also cutting back work hours and laying off employees.
Media coverage of the pandemic also contributed to the misinformation and misconception that Asian communities, particularly Chinese communities, were to blame for the pandemic. Although there were very few cases of COVID-19 in Philadelphia, and no confirmed cases of the disease in Chinatown, xenophobia and heightened fear of Asian-owned establishments slowed business to a halt and warped perceptions of the Chinatown community.
After she closed up shop, Ms. C struggled to pay for inventory and rent. Resources were limited, and most of those that were available offered English applications and could only be accessed online. This largely inhibited Chinatown businesses from applying, as many owners were Limited English Proficient (LEP), and older business owners who were less computer-literate.
Since March, PCDC has been leading the effort in Chinatown to inform business owners of funding opportunities and COVID-19 policies, as well as providing technical assistance to help businesses survive. Ms. C, a client of PCDC, was provided in-language guidance, which helped her secure $7,500 in grant funding to support the costs of rent, utilities, vendors, and property taxes.
From March to June, PCDC has been in contact with over 130 businesses in Chinatown and throughout the whole city of Philadelphia, all seeking support to keep their livelihood afloat. These interactions have underscored the major barriers for Chinese-speaking businesses, and many immigrant-owned businesses more broadly, to get the funding that they need to survive through the COVID-19 crisis. In addition to this, the Asian American Pacific Islander population in the Chinatown area of Philadelphia are faced with significant poverty, at similar rates (21.8%) as other parts of the city (23.1%). Challenged by language barriers, financial hardship, and considerable poverty, there is an increasing need to support immigrant and LEP businesses now, more than ever. These businesses contribute to an estimated $7.4 billion in taxes paid to the Philadelphia Metro Area.
With the considerable impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the economy, federal, state, and local governments have acted quickly to address the needs of businesses. However, in the effort of funding struggling businesses, some small business supporters have missed people like Ms.C who contribute to the community, but are left out due to technical difficulties, such as language barriers and culturally competent resources. Only when programs and resources that support small businesses recognize the diversity in cultures and languages that exist in our communities and thus, offer support that is in-language and culturally competent, will essential small businesses be able to survive beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.