Chapter 14: Model Minority

Asian immigrants settled in the western states simply because the west coast of the US is closer than the east coast and Asians tend to remain in family groups. This works out well for me since I am of Asian descendent and most of my family is within a day's drive. I have an incredibly close knit family on both sides of my parents: my mother's side has approximately 50 people and my father's side has 30 people (these estimations are only on immediate family members).

The first and most famous Chinatown is in San Francisco, CA. It remained more of a ghetto until the 1980s and became more of a tourist site later on. My father immigrated as a toddler from Hong Kong in the 1960s through the passage of the Paper Sons. My family was incredibly poor back then and settled in Chinatown. They were so poor that people living in the ghetto avoided my dad because they thought he'd beg for money. Also, my family literally sailed across the Pacific Ocean in a boat. My grandma says it was a 1-2 week journey. Even though she's been in the US consistently for about 50 years, she still does not speak English well. She's never needed to.

My mother, on the other hand, took an airplane from Manila, Philippines when she was 6 years old. My grandparents found a path of citizenship through the Immigration Act of 1965. Because my Filipino family was educated before immigrating, they were better off in assimilating in American culture. Most of the received employment soon after arriving since they've all graduated from college.

Between my mother and father, they have had two different immigration perspectives. Although this is true, the reason why they both work so hard is similar: their parents risked a lot by immigrating to another country for more opportunities so it's their jobs to seize those opportunities.

My view on Vietnamese immigrants/refugees is also somewhat personal even though I'm not ethnically Vietnamese. I'm from Milpitas, which neighbors San Jose. San Jose has the largest Vietnamese population in California. They're about 40% of the city's population. Many of my Vietnamese friends' families migrated in the 1980s, after the Vietnam War. My boyfriend's mother fled Vietnam, but was caught by the Communists and jailed. She spent 6 months in jail in her teenage years but ultimately found refuge in the US as an adult.

Most of my experience with Asian immigration is very personal since I am of Asian descent and I am of the 2nd generation. Most of my friends, also of Asian descent, follow this mold also. Our issue growing up has been fully embracing our Asian culture while still being American.

Some of my immediate family on my mother's side, which includes my parents, my aunites, my uncles, and my cousin.