NYC Chinatown's Underground History: Gangs, Gambling, and a Unique Walking Tour

Chinatown Legacy Tours

• 🗺️ A unique tour explores the history of NYC's Chinatown, focusing on the era when gangs ruled the streets in the 80s and 90s.
• 🚶‍♀️ The tours are led by individuals who lived through that period, offering a firsthand perspective on the neighborhood's past.

Former Gang Headquarters

• 🐉 The tour visits the former headquarters of the Flying Dragons, which operated as an illegal gambling house.
• 🎰 Remnants of its past, like holes from slot machines and original security cameras, are still visible.
• 💰 The former gang member leading the tour, known as Woody, recounts collecting debts for others.

Tour Guides and Their Motivations

• 👮 Michael Laauo, a former NYPD precinct commander, shares his personal motivation for joining the force after witnessing crime in Chinatown.
• 💡 Laauo was instrumental in dismantling two of the four major gangs operating in the area.
• 🤝 Woody, who served 20 years in prison for racketeering, now co-leads the tours with a focus on not glamorizing the violence.

Community Impact and Reflection

• 📉 The Chinatown Legacy Tours, co-founded by ABC News producer Raj Lee, aim to revitalize the neighborhood by sharing its complex history.
• ⚖️ The tours highlight the consequences of community exclusion from political power and opportunities.
• ⚠️ Woody expresses deep regret for his past involvement in drug-related activities and their negative impact on the community.