Walking Together Toward Reconciliation: United Hub at Tacoma’s 2026 Walk Against Racism

On Saturday, October 24, 2026, United Hub Executive Director Qiong Chen and Founder Winston Lee joined community members in Tacoma for the 2026 Walk for Reconciliation Against Racism. We were honored to attend at the invitation of Theresa Pan Hosley, President of the Chinese Reconciliation Project Foundation and a founder and organizer of this meaningful annual event.

The gathering commemorated the 141st anniversary of the 1885 Tacoma Chinese Expulsion. More than a remembrance, the walk invited participants to retrace—and symbolically reverse—the route along which Tacoma’s Chinese residents were forcibly driven from their homes, affirming that the city belongs to people of every background and culture.

Remembering the History

The 1885 anti-Chinese broadside displayed at the Washington State History Museum.

A museum panel recounts the forced expulsion of Tacoma’s Chinese residents and the history of the “Tacoma Method.”

The day began at the Washington State History Museum, where exhibits and speakers placed the walk in its historical context. The program reminded us that hundreds of Chinese residents were expelled from Tacoma in 1885, while their homes and businesses were destroyed. Facing this history honestly is essential to building a more just future.

The opening program at the Washington State History Museum.

Voices for Reconciliation

Several civic and community leaders offered powerful remarks. Tacoma Mayor Anders Ibsen spoke to the gathering, and Nicholas Vann, Executive Director of the Washington State Historical Society and a Chinese-born American of mixed heritage, shared a deeply personal perspective on history, belonging, and public service. Their words connected the injustices of the past with the responsibility each generation carries today.

Winston Lee, Tacoma Mayor Anders Ibsen, and United Hub Executive Director Qiong Chen

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Tacoma Mayor Anders Ibsen addresses participants at the 2026 Walk for Reconciliation Against Racism.

Three Miles of Reflection and Resolve

After the museum program, participants set out on a three-mile walk through downtown Tacoma toward Chinese Reconciliation Park. Led by lion dancers, the route passed places where Chinese homes and businesses once stood and followed the railroad corridor shaped by immigrant labor. Walking together transformed remembrance into a visible act of solidarity.

The Fuzhou Ting pavilion at Chinese Reconciliation Park.

At the park, participants gathered once more for community fellowship, performances, and inspiring speeches. The pavilion, the crowd, and the many conversations across generations created a powerful sense of shared purpose.

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Theresa Pan Hosley, President of the Chinese Reconciliation Project Foundation and a founder and organizer of the event.

We are grateful to Theresa Pan Hosley and the Chinese Reconciliation Project Foundation for bringing the community together and for inviting United Hub to take part. Her leadership has helped create a space where truth, remembrance, and reconciliation can move forward together.

Winston Lee with a guest at the park gathering.

Moving Forward Together

For United Hub, the day was a moving reminder that reconciliation requires both memory and action. By learning the full history, listening to one another, and standing together against racism, we strengthen the relationships that make our communities more welcoming and resilient.

United Hub is proud to have joined this walk alongside Tacoma’s civic leaders, community advocates, families, and neighbors. We left inspired—and even more committed to building bridges across cultures and advancing dignity, inclusion, and belonging for all.

Learn More About the Walk