My name is Chidi Blessing Nnaji. I’m on a pre-med track planning to declare a major in biochemistry. Some general things to know about me are I am a devout Christian, my favorite color is white, and I love to sleep. I’m also a bookworm. 

One of the uniquest things about me I think is my name; when translated, my full name (first, middle, and last) translate into “There is God blessing brotherhood/togetherness.”

I actually think diversity is an amazing thing, especially how so many people from different cultural backgrounds can settle in one place (like NYC) and get along well together, so I am really looking forward to this class.

IMMIGRATION STORY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYAO7PXx43E

BLOG POSTS

HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVES

A Trip Back in Time via the Tenement Museum

There is a difference between hearing about something and seeing/experiencing it for yourself. Visiting the tenement museum did for me what reading a history textbook never could. My first reaction to the tenements was shock, and then intense sympathy. I come from a big family, and while I wouldn’t call my house spacious, I realize that I have nothing to complain about.

I have an active imagination, and I could almost see the families of the two tenements going about their daily lives. The living conditions tore at my heart– especially when I thought of the little children and how almost meaningless the word “childhood” would have been for them. In the case of the Levines, I could almost imagine Mr. Levine sitting by the window of his living room-turned-factory and his wife doing her best to make the space afforded her (e.g. kitchen and bedroom) feel like a home, both of them trying not to let the weight of their situation crush them; moving forward and comforted only by the knowledge that their struggles would enable their children to lead better lives. In this way, I am reminded of my parents. Everything they have sacrificed is for the sake of my siblings and I so that we can live better lives–as is the case I am sure with every parent, making decisions based on how their children will be affected. Which leads me to the conclusion that no matter the time period, a parent is a parent, living for the future of their children.

My one consolation from the tour was hearing about the Levine girls and how much different their lives turned out from the lives of their parents. I am really thankful for the tenement museum and the history it has preserved for the education of others.

BOOK REVIEW

CHINATOWN: A Portrait of a Closed Society By Gwen Kinkead

Chinatown: A Portrait of a Closed Society by Gwen Kinkead tells the behind-the-scene story of Chinatown in the late 20^th century. Intrigued by the mystery surrounding Chinatown and its inhabitants, Kinkead embarked on a “detective story” journey to piece together the puzzle of what she calls “virtually a nation unto itself,” (Kinkead 3). She accomplished as much of her goal as possible through a series of interviews, recaps of the personal stories of some Chinatown residents, and using her own personal experience in Chinatown.

Kinkead’s book is divided into three sections: The Social Structure, The Chinese Connection, and Group Portrait, respectively. In the first section, The Social Structure, her main focus is on the circumstances surrounding life in Chinatown in the 20^th century that made “most of its inhabitants lead lives segregated from the rest of America,” (Kinkead 3). Kinkead discovers through her research that the isolation of Chinatown during its growth was strongly tied to its inhabitants’ ethnocentric history and centuries old mistrust and dislike of foreigners. She also uses section one to address the social hierarchy in Chinatown, the biases of and against its inhabitants, how foreign the concept of freedom is to Chinese immigrants, the importance of money to Chinese, the exploitation of labor in Chinatown, and the issue of Chinese organized crime. Moreover, Kinkead emphasizes in this section that many of the inhabitants of Chinatown, at the time her book was written, were little more than “prisoners of Chinatown,” (Kinkead 27).

In The Chinese Connection, Kinkead fleshes out the issue of Asian crime and the impact it had on American society. She brings to light a lot of controversial topics in this section and in the next——topics such as drugs, smuggling, and the keeping of concubines. In addition, section three—Group Portrait—focuses on the culture of Chinatown. Kinkead explains in detail about celebrations; academic, family, and social expectations of individuals; the long-standing practice of Chinese medicine; and the beginnings of assimilation. More interestingly, she highlights the art of eating.

One recurrent theme throughout Chinatown: A Portrait of a Closed Society is revolution. Throughout the book, there are little side stories of individuals speaking out against mistreatment by the tongs (gangs) or seeking help from American authorities to control happenings within Chinatown. On page 56, Kinkead mentions the 1969 demonstration in Chinatown by a leftist group that “agitated for the establishment of diplomatic relations [of the US] with the People’s republic and the dropping of recognition of Taiwan as the sole legitimate government of China.” In chapter 20, she talks about democratic revolutionaries of China, such as “Wu’er Kaixi former chairman of the student leaders in Tiananmen square,” coming to America for hiding and then secretly starting up activism work again, (Kinkead 190).

I found Kinkead’s book mildly interesting. It was well put together and organized, and the structure was such that instead of sounding like a historical account of Chinatown, her book gave of the feeling of being the diary of someone recounting his or her experiences in Chinatown. While I did not feel any particularly strong emotions while engaging in the reading of Chinatown: A Portrait of a Closed Society, I am sure that is not the case with Kinkead’s readers at the time of the book’s publishing. Rather than being a historical recounting, the issues in Kinkead’s book were very relevant at the time of publishing and Chinatown: A Portrait of a Closed Society was sure to have gathered a massive reading audience interested in learning about a people and culture foreign to them. Even now, there are some who would feel strongly towards the information divulged in Kinkead’s book, though it is over two decades old. From what I gleaned in Kinkead’s book and from a friend of Chinese origins, certain parts of Chinatown: A Portrait of a Closed Society may be viewed as an unwelcome exposure of aspects of Chinese culture meant to be kept secretive; for example, information about the Chinese mafia, concubines, and so on.

Overall, Chinatown: A Portrait of a Closed Society was a good depiction of Chinatown from an outsider’s point of view. However, I feel that in order to accurately illustrate Chinatown, or any other ethnic group and culture, one has to be a denizen of Chinatown, or at least a part of the culture.

FLUSHING