A celebration of Asian American Heritage Month
Editorial
America has a long history of
immigrants arriving and finding successes, building industrial pillars
like our former Hall of Famer in Entrepreneurship International, Mr.
Dado Banatao, as well as the mom-and-pop “sari-sari” shops that
anchored generations of Asian neighborhoods.
This tradition of Asian immigrant entrepreneurship was so important during the Industrial Era that it is now exploding in the New Economy. With little fanfare, Asian immigrants are creating businesses and jobs at astonishing rates. The easing of immigration restrictions in 1965 allowed for the surge of many highly-skilled immigrants from non-European nations. This influx of talents fell into the detailed work of advanced technology and asserted itself in an age of innovation. The common Asian immigrant traits of thrift, courage, and family loyalty lent themselves to successful Asian businesses and careers that you can practically find in places like Chinatown, Koreatown, Indian Village, Vietnamese town, and the mushrooming of Filipino Home Healthcare businesses.
A nation with a population as diverse and with collective identities can bring about a multitude of moral concerns and predicaments. Asian Americans are hybrid men of dual culture. Raised in America by parents who instilled in them the best of both worlds, who grew up disciplined but inquisitive, smart but playful, they do not think their relaxed personality would have been been rewarded in the rigid academic system of Asia.
America’s love-hate relationship with Asian immigrants can be traced to the nation’s earliest days when Chinese laborers built the railroads. Today, the Asian Americans are highly successful individuals with no psychological nor social dysfunctions, and many social problems that exist within some ethnic communities. The model minority stereotype effectively silences the Asian community from speaking out about these urgent social problems.
The struggles and accomplishments of African Americans have been a great force in shaping the advancement of Asian Americans into the mainstream society. The civil rights movements of the 60’s opened the door for many marginalized groups to voice their rights in this country. African Americans at the forefront of the movement rightfully gained a gradual acceptance into mainstream America. Asian Americans, on the other hand, are still viewed as permanent houseguests of America. The lack of representation and outright misrepresentation of Asians in politics fuel the existing stereotypes and perpetual social separation. Asians Americans lack one unified voice. So much cognitive and organization efforts are put into solving internal conflicts, lacking the energy expenditure to focus on a collective goal. Many of the conflicts within the Asian American community arise out of inter-generational disputes and cultural clashes as a result of social construction of other ethnic groups.
Addressing undocumented Asians is crucial, and the nation may be moving closer to consensus. Perhaps more Americans are beginning to understand that the comprehensive immigration reform would make the country safer and economically stronger. The vision of America as the land of possibility may be the most inspiring quality of new Asian immigrants, and the most powerful lesson they impart. Know an Asian immigrant and you will know what it’s like to dream again.
We are Asians...we may begin to break down the barriers and promote our fundamental rights to be different in order to de-construct the Asian stigma. The integration of one unified voice is of utmost importance while being vigilant to the unique issues pose by the various cultural context. Only then we can live up to the ideological covenant between a moral society and the people to uphold diversity and celebrate individual uniqueness. We are Asians, and let’s all be counted on CENSUS 2010. Let’s show American our numbers and our unified force.
JOE MAURICIO
This tradition of Asian immigrant entrepreneurship was so important during the Industrial Era that it is now exploding in the New Economy. With little fanfare, Asian immigrants are creating businesses and jobs at astonishing rates. The easing of immigration restrictions in 1965 allowed for the surge of many highly-skilled immigrants from non-European nations. This influx of talents fell into the detailed work of advanced technology and asserted itself in an age of innovation. The common Asian immigrant traits of thrift, courage, and family loyalty lent themselves to successful Asian businesses and careers that you can practically find in places like Chinatown, Koreatown, Indian Village, Vietnamese town, and the mushrooming of Filipino Home Healthcare businesses.
A nation with a population as diverse and with collective identities can bring about a multitude of moral concerns and predicaments. Asian Americans are hybrid men of dual culture. Raised in America by parents who instilled in them the best of both worlds, who grew up disciplined but inquisitive, smart but playful, they do not think their relaxed personality would have been been rewarded in the rigid academic system of Asia.
America’s love-hate relationship with Asian immigrants can be traced to the nation’s earliest days when Chinese laborers built the railroads. Today, the Asian Americans are highly successful individuals with no psychological nor social dysfunctions, and many social problems that exist within some ethnic communities. The model minority stereotype effectively silences the Asian community from speaking out about these urgent social problems.
The struggles and accomplishments of African Americans have been a great force in shaping the advancement of Asian Americans into the mainstream society. The civil rights movements of the 60’s opened the door for many marginalized groups to voice their rights in this country. African Americans at the forefront of the movement rightfully gained a gradual acceptance into mainstream America. Asian Americans, on the other hand, are still viewed as permanent houseguests of America. The lack of representation and outright misrepresentation of Asians in politics fuel the existing stereotypes and perpetual social separation. Asians Americans lack one unified voice. So much cognitive and organization efforts are put into solving internal conflicts, lacking the energy expenditure to focus on a collective goal. Many of the conflicts within the Asian American community arise out of inter-generational disputes and cultural clashes as a result of social construction of other ethnic groups.
Addressing undocumented Asians is crucial, and the nation may be moving closer to consensus. Perhaps more Americans are beginning to understand that the comprehensive immigration reform would make the country safer and economically stronger. The vision of America as the land of possibility may be the most inspiring quality of new Asian immigrants, and the most powerful lesson they impart. Know an Asian immigrant and you will know what it’s like to dream again.
We are Asians...we may begin to break down the barriers and promote our fundamental rights to be different in order to de-construct the Asian stigma. The integration of one unified voice is of utmost importance while being vigilant to the unique issues pose by the various cultural context. Only then we can live up to the ideological covenant between a moral society and the people to uphold diversity and celebrate individual uniqueness. We are Asians, and let’s all be counted on CENSUS 2010. Let’s show American our numbers and our unified force.
JOE MAURICIO
