Greater than Dim Sum of its Parts: Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, 1882
Single Delegate Crisis Committee
ccba@uclamun.org
Committee Summary
Be a part of the first committee with Asian American representation! Formally established at the same time as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) in San Francisco’s Chinatown served as the liaison between Chinese immigrants and Americans. Due to intensifying anti-Asian sentiment and an increase in discriminatory ordinances, the CCBA was formed as an organization to support Chinese Americans—providing communal care for the ill, offering aid loans to help set up businesses, and establishing communication/transport networks between the United States and China. Allocations would include powerful merchants and business people, such as those from the Six Companies who initially formed the CCBA. They will also include civil society leaders and other community leaders representing the Chinese diaspora in San Francisco at the time. Delegates will deal with the collective issues that Asian Americans faced in the late 1800s, as well as the many internal disputes that arise from within Chinatown. With the recent increases in anti-Asian sentiment in the U.S., especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, this committee is a relevant and challenging issue to tackle within a new, exciting context!
Chair Letter
Dear Delegates,
My name is Abigail Tsai, and it is a great honor to serve as your chair for the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) at LAMUN XIX. Welcome!
As a quick introduction, I am a second-year student currently majoring in Physiological Science (yes, I am indeed pre-med). In the future, I hope to specialize, but as of now, I have not decided on a specialty yet—though I suppose that’s what the next 10+ years of education will be for. In addition to my pre-health pursuits, you may find me exploring LA on public transit with friends, practicing cello, drawing digitally, and playing escape rooms.
My Model United Nations journey began in my freshman year of high school. Truth be told, I joined because the club advisor promised extra credit for social studies, but after competing in my first conference, I fell in love with both the dynamic activity and the community it cultivated. At UCLA MUN, I have participated as both a crisis staffer (Historical UNSC: 1976 at BruinMUN 30) and a dais staffer (Nintendo Board of Directors: Video Game Crash of 1983 at LAMUN XVIII). During BruinMUN 31, I had the opportunity to chair Novice SOCHUM, and I am beyond excited to return to the dais again for this year’s LAMUN!
As CCBA delegates, you will be catapulted back in time to the hustle and bustle of San Francisco’s iconic Chinatown, dealing with rampant anti-Asian sentiment under the Chinese Exclusion Act. Coming from an immigrant household, I resonate strongly with the struggles experienced by the Chinatown community—be it discrimination or the challenge of synergizing a unique Asian American identity. It is my hope that this weekend will be overflowing with both creativity and reflection, for as we discuss the past, we can inform our actions for the future.
Looking forward to seeing you all in committee! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
All the best,
Abigail Tsai
Chair
Greater than Dim Sum of its Parts: Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, 1882 | LAMUN XIX
Crisis Director Letter
Dear Delegates,
Welcome! My name is Veronica Reyes and I have the pleasure of serving as your CD for the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) at LAMUN XIX. I thank you for your time, hard work, and passion that drove you to participate in this committee.
I am a senior at UCLA double majoring in Global Studies and Economics. I was born and raised in SoCal and enjoy reading, snowboarding, and board games. I am hoping to pursue a career in foreign service and/or international development. My Model United Nations involvement started my freshman year of college, online nonetheless, when the warm MUN community assured me that it was never too late to start. I staffed BruinMUN and LAMUN in 2020-23 and fell in love with the exploration of different perspectives and collective passion for collaboration. My first experience chairing was for UNCSW during BruinMUN 2021, before chairing for the MLM Summit during LAMUN 2022, acting as the USG for Novice GA in BruinMUN 2022, then crisis directing for the Le Club des Chefs des Chefs specialized body. Despite the difficult transition to a hybrid conference, we persevered by adapting to change, remembering our passion for making a difference, and leaning on the bond within the MUN community, resulting in a smooth and successful conference. I expect and promise to ensure nothing less for this LAMUN.
I am beyond excited for one of the first crisis committees on the circuit to show Asian American representation! Delegates must show initiative and leadership to tackle short-term issues but also advance their own arcs. I can’t wait to witness how delegates approach the era of the Chinese Exclusion Act through empowering measures. The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association provides an innovative platform for crisis delegates to interact with diplomacy and international relations through the lens of a time of fresh globalization. I look forward to witnessing the visions and the ambition required to accomplish these goals.
Veronica Reyes
Crisis Director
Greater than Dim Sum of its Parts: Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, 1882 | LAMUN XIX