Chop Suey: The Chinese-American Journey

The Chinese’s journey to Ellis Island, New York City was tedious and risky…

“Baba could not bring Mama as his wife, only as his sister…He gave us coaching papers. Mama and Baba said if we made a mistake, the white officers would deport us.” – Li Keng Wong

Once they arrived, though, they made their selves right at home.

Chinatown, my Chinatown, when the lights are low, hearts that know no other land, drifting to and fro – Chinatown My Chinatown, Chris O’Connor

Now, every year, Chinese-Americans take to the streets of New York and celebrate their culture…

 

The dragon is in the street dancing beneath windows, pasted with colored squares… – Chinese New Year, Lynda Hull

 

…and celebrate being American.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPwiqmv6Xeo]

“I am happy to be both Chinese and American!” “You are like the Chinese dish the Americans invented…Chop Suey: everything is in it, all mixed up.” “I like that.” – Flower Drum Song, Rodgers and Hammerstein

The Chinese’s American Dream is a hard on to achieve.

“I wish people wouldn’t just see me as the Asian girl…You add race to it, and it became, ‘Well, she’s too Asian,” or, ‘She’s too American’… – Lucy Liu

In New York City, though, no matter what ethnicity you are…

If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere! – New York, Frank Sinatra