In The Transformation of Chinese American Communities, Zhou, Chin, and Kim discuss the changing circumstances of Chinese immigrants and the places they live.  One aspect I found interesting was the difference in the expectations of past European and Chinese immigrants.  It was said that European immigrants were expected to assimilate into mainstream American society quickly, and they did.  The Chinese immigrants, on the other hand, were banned from immigration, naturalization, and assimilation by the laws of the time.  For example, the Chinese Exclusion Act did not permit Chinese immigrants to come to the United States.  At other times, there were quotas on the number of immigrants allowed, and the number of Chinese immigrants was small compared to immigrants from other countries.  When Chinese immigrants were allowed in, they lived in Chinatowns with their own workplaces where they did not have to compete with natives.  This is different from today as well.  Now, Chinese immigrants and other immigrants come from different socioeconomic backgrounds with different levels of education.  These people live in various places from small Chinatowns to larger ethnic enclaves and global ethnoburbs.

One interesting link made was between what the ethnic neighborhoods do for immigrants.  As time goes on, middle-class immigrants are continuing to enter the country; however, they are able to go to not only cities but suburbs as well.  Still, ethnic communities, like Chinatowns, provide immigrants with what they need when they get here.  These neighborhoods are able to create an ethnic community and economy with strong capital and resources.  Still, the people in these places are still connected to the outside world.  They have links to back home; however, they use them as a way to intertwine their lives and culture with life in America.

I really enjoyed reading this article because it shed light on a very positive side of immigration. It has become ingrained in our heads that people immigrate to new countries for better opportunities, mostly driven by a desire for monetary success. Often times, in conversations, it would not be surprising to hear something along the lines of “Well, their country is successful already, I don’t see why he would want to come here, anyway”. I never questioned it, and just accepted such generalized conclusions because they seemed plausible enough. This article greatly broadened the scope of immigration and why people really immigrate to new countries. I found it interesting how there are many different reasons that go beyond the limitations of seeking monetary success. These reasons include finding not just monetary success, but financial stability for themselves, being able to develop a stable establishment here, from which they can use their benefits and profits to further help those back home. This article also touches upon how many immigrants come here in hopes of finding some sort of stability in either insurance or for their children, and it is not something they seek for temporary gain. Their investments in real estate show that they are here to stay, which is just a more positive feature in immigration.

I liked how this article seemed to emphasize a policy of give-and-take between the city and the immigrants. They come here with already developed skills and talents, and put these abilities to practical use not only to help themselves, but to also contribute to the city, as well. This reminded me of an oath that we had to recite upon entering my high school alma mater. The Ephebic Oath essentially stated that a person would wield his talents and put them to practical use, for the purpose of serving their community and leaving their country greater and better than they found it. These words greatly resounded with me as I was reading this article on how these well established and highly skilled Asian immigrants come to America to benefit both themselves and their country in many different ways, including financially, as their work benefits the economy, as well as promoting diversity, as they are coming from all different parts of Asia, as well, and distributing this immense diversity throughout many different parts and neighborhoods of the cities.

– Nadera Rahman

This article explores the changes in trends of Asian American immigration and settlement in the cities of NY and LA. The most prominent new development is the increase and growth of middle-class immigrant Chinese communities. The “new” immigrants usually are better educated and more economically affluent than their 19^th and 20^th century predecessors and while Chinatowns still primarily serve as places for obtaining employment and a sense of community, the new Chinatowns in both NY and LA are much better linked globally on political, economic, and social levels. Instead of isolating their inhabitants, new Chinatowns serve as pathways to assimilation and incorporation into mainstream American society. I thought it was interesting how Monterey Park in LA is predominantly Chinese while Flushing and Sunset Park in NY are more “global” in that they harbor a more diverse mix of Asian ethnicities, this leads me to wonder: how did this particular trend affect the residential mobility prescribed to each of the neighborhoods? How does this affect each of these areas politically?

The term ghetto gets many negative connotations in todays language, however the ghettoization of a neighborhood is just the place in which minorities live together mainly due to societal and economic pressures.  Areas in large cities have turned into ghettos throughout the years, especially during times of large amounts of immigration.  The Chinese in particular create one of the most popular sections of many cities, including New York City and Los Angeles.  These Chinatowns while made of people of the same origin are very different.

One important fact for each of the Chinatowns, is that as time goes on, and with the increase in sophistication of the technology, the communities are linked more to their cultures and the rest of the world and city.  I initially believed that as time goes on the communities would become less and less like their initial roots, but with the upcoming and recent technology this is understandable.  Within my own family this is true, my Nonna who lives in Astoria, Queens, is able to talk to her sisters who are living in South Africa and Trieste, Italy.

It also surprised me that the communities in both cities are becoming more ethnically diverse.  When visiting Chinatown in Manhattan, it is easy to tell that is a Chinese neighborhood, however, being of non-Asian background, I do not feel out of place.  These neighborhoods are being ‘ethnoburbs,’ multicultural, a neighborhood made of a mixture of various ethnic groups.  Though the neighborhoods within Los Angeles and New York City are different especially in effect of this mixture of ethnic groups, they have many commonalities.  The mixture I believe adds to the notion of “Americanness,” which differs from what those native born to these neighborhoods think.

One thing I found interesting in “The Transformation of Chinese American Communities,” other than the word “ethnoburb,” was the description of San Gabriel’s Chinese ethnoburb. It was described as quite large, yet the community was still able to develop and be close because of social organizations as well as businesses. I feel like this is also quite evident in Chinatown here in Manhattan, especially from what we’ve heard of its earlier history: everyone knew each other, and they all visited the same places in order to be social with one another. Another thing that I found to be interesting was the article’s discussion of the language and cultural barriers within the Chinese immigrants – those from different provinces in China, Hong Kong, or Taiwan; those who spoke Mandarin, Cantonese, or their own province’s dialect. It is definitely something that, even today, people who don’t know the culture or the language very well wash over – believing everyone in China to be one and the same. Many times I have been asked if I understand Cantonese, when I am learning Mandarin and haven’t been able to understand Cantonese since I was a child.

– The article draws attention to the cultural differences and language barriers (for example, Cantonese vs. Mandarin) that exist among the Chinese immigrants who originate from Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong.  It is interesting to note that the Chinese Exclusion Act generalized the group as a whole in barring their migration, completely overlooking the fact that these differences even exist.

– It is interesting to note that Chinese outmigration can be likened to white flight.  The article draws upon the opinion of those who fled Monterey Park because they felt it was becoming overcrowded and unsafe (380).  This migration can be attributed to the growing class diversity that exists because established immigrants sponsor their relatives that may not be so wealthy.  These relatives are generally working class and do not possess English language proficiency.   Within this coethnic group, the more well-to-do seek to disassociate themselves with the stereotype of being “immigrant and poor” (380).  The presence of this phenomenon among the Chinese immigrant community suggests that the multifaceted attitudes towards others of different socioeconomic backgrounds transcends issues of race.

– It is interesting to note the similarities and differences that exist between the traditional Chinatowns and areas such as Monterey Park, Sunset Park, and Flushing.  Both areas of settlement provide workers with employment opportunities; however, the traditional Chinatowns are not quite as globally linked – economically, culturally, and socially – to the outside world.  Chinatowns are ethnic enclaves that seem to be more self-contained.

– In the increasing trend among Chinese generations to become “American”, what elements of their Chinese culture do they shed?  What elements do they retain?

-I was intrigued that the Taiwanese immigrants did not move into Manhattan Chinatown because they did not identify with the others that lived there. The language barrier between the Taiwanese and the old timers in Manhattan created a “subtle social distance,” separating the “coethnics who spoke Cantonese or other southern regional dialects from those who spoke Mandarin.” Furthermore, I learnt in class that the Taiwanese are more educated and earn more money than the other Chinese immigrants; they have a higher socioeconomic status than the residents in Chinatown.

-I found it ironic that Councilwoman Julia Harrison, who was depicted as an “anti-Asian bigot,” endorsed John Liu, a Taiwanese immigrant, for the Councilman position. She previously publicly referred to the “influx of Asian immigrants and Asian-owned businesses as an ‘invasion.'” What caused her to change her views on Asian Americans?

-I think it’s great that the Chinese leaders of the new social service organizations in Los Angeles are interested in interethnic relations. Unlike members of the “old ethnic elite,” they are making an effort at assimilation, which is very important for immigrants. They should not try to exclude themselves from the rest of society. While their cultural identity is important, it does not mean that they will lose it when they interact with other ethnicities.

-When I read that in the 1990s an “anti-Asian bigot” had won two elections when she was running against Asian Americans on both occasions in Flushing, I was flabbergasted. How could that be when Asians made up almost one-third of the population? Why was only seven percent of the Asian population registered voters? Did political acts such as the Chinese Exclusion Act cause Asian Americans to distant themselves as far away from politics as they could get? If so, what made them regain their faith in the American government? Or, did the Chinese’s lack of faith convince them that they should finally vote and partake in the government by being officials and controlling their own affairs/destiny? As the article pointed out towards the end, “the [eventual] electoral success of the Chinese immigrant community reaffirms the democratic message that every vote counts, which in turn empowers Chinese immigrants, nurtures a greater sense of civic duty, and facilitates their incorporation into the American polity.” Despite feeling as though they may not have a voice, I believe the great thing about the US is that if an individual or group of people, native born or naturalized citizens, make an effort to be heard, they will.

-It was also very interesting how Old Chinatown paved the way for places like Monterey Park. Rather than being isolated, these newer communities are maintaining better economic, social and political ties. They are finally realizing the importance of active assimilation. Did the mold of Chinatown lay the foundation of what should and shouldn’t be done when a new ethnic enclave comes about in a community?

-What were the visual differences between Old Chinatown and Chinatown of the here and now as compared to communities like Monterey Park? Is the visual differences as apparent as the divisions between the economic makeup, social landscape and political ties?