Ethnic enclaves are a double-edged sword, as they are essential in providing means of community and opportunities for immigrants, yet are also beds of exploitation and erasure from mainstream society. It simultaneously provides freedom and bondage for those who live there. One of the first examples that immediately comes to mind is Chinatown. From its flourishing around the ‘80s, Chinese immigrants came to New York for labor, which according to Kenneth J. Guest is attributed to three factors: “a Chinese cultural work ethic, a positive comparison to poorer wages in China, and a willingness to make sacrifices in the short term in order to derive benefits in the future”. This type of ethnic enclave creates an “unregulated free enterprise zone, operating within a globalized world economic system”, wherein establishments such as garment shops and restaurants operate within long hours with little pay and no benefits.
My own grandmother worked in a clothing factory in Chinatown until retirement, as there wasn’t any other options for an elderly immigrant who can only speak in a heavy Wenzhou dialect. She called America a place of hardship, and the language barrier and pressure to make money only makes it all the worse. This predicament carried on to my mother; although she has “safe” position as a housekeeper for a company that provides healthcare and insurance, she has to constantly work extra hours and put up with harassment to prove herself to her managers and keep her job. Even a privatized corporation can teem with mistreatment and abuse, especially if the workforce isn’t seen as “respectable”. It is very telling that to this day, the blue-collar workforce is heavily concentrated by immigrants, with not many other options. Personally, I hate the fact that the job market hinders social mobility and how labor/blue-collar work is mainly relegated to the lower class and immigrants, but understand that the places that provide such work are necessary for survival.
As of recently, city development is increasingly threatening communities and their means of employment. In the case of Willets Point, it seems to make sense to shut down the area for the government to improve employment and infrastructure. At the same time, some small business owners aren’t receiving any benefits and are forced to move out and lose their homes and jobs. One of the many problems with the development project is the failure to provide the promised public works services to the residents. In addition, it’s unlikely for all the jobs to successfully relocate, as “some neighborhoods might simply not want them”. There are many reasons for this, including the fact that there is a limited range of jobs within Willets Points that is reflective of the community, which will not transfer as easily in other areas, especially as demographics are shifting and prices are accelerating higher. If you ask me how to “solve” this problem, I honestly have no idea. In my opinion, the nation has a poor relationship with entry-level work, and on a city level, governments don’t provide sufficient protections for these occupations. At the very least, there must be reform in how society treats and perceives lower-paying jobs, and offer public works projects and opportunities without relocating or disenfranchising residents.
— Stephanie Yu
