Last spring, Executive Director Elizabeth Nye released a statement against Asian hate:

Amidst the hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, our hearts break for our brothers and sisters of the AAPI community. We want to make our voice very clear— Lan Su is standing united with the Oldtown Chinatown community to strongly condemn racial intolerance and violence. This is no place for hate.

Built on the friendship between Portland and our sister city, Suzhou, China, Lan Su has always been an inclusive haven in Oldtown that inspires cross-cultural connections. From the planting of a single osmanthus tree to the raising of countless red lanterns, the garden has become the perfect backdrop for stories to be told, history to be learned, and diversity to be celebrated.

On the path to grow and evolve as a nonprofit organization, we are always learning with our community and listening carefully to your voices. Share your opinions with the garden by e-mailing us at info@lansugarden.org.

Walking through Portland’s Oldtown-Chinatown arch, you would be greeted by an inscription that reads “四海一家”, which means “One family from the Four Seas” in Chinese, a heartfelt wish to everyone, wherever they have traveled from, to find their community here in peace. A wish that we hope you can join us, to make happen.