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| The Asian Influence by: Herndon L. Davis |
What immediately comes to mind when you think of the word Asian?
Do images of dragons, rice and chopsticks pop up? And do the
countries China and Japan immediately rise into your consciousness?
Now what comes to your mind when you think of the word Asian
American? Do the words of superior intellect and affluence prevail?
And does the term “model minority” ring through your ears?
There’s both a truth and a myth behind each of these images, but in
order to gain a clearer picture of Asian American culture, it takes both
time and willingness to understand this rapidly growing segment of the
country.
From a purely statistical perspective, the results are stunning and highly
impressive. From 1990 to 2001 the Asian American community’s
purchasing power grew 124%, according to the University of Georgia's
Selig Center for Economic Growth. In addition, the projected buying
power is expected to grow an additional 45% between 2004 to 2009.
Collectively, the Asian Pacific Islander community only represents
5.1% of America’s population with nearly 15M people, but their
population growth was a whopping 25% (16% Asian, 9% Pacific
Islander) from years 2000-2004 according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
In terms of educational attainment, a 2002 U.S. Census study showed
that Asian Pacific Islander Americans were more likely than non-
Hispanic whites to have earned at least a college degree. In addition,
16% of all API ages 25 and older earn an advanced degree (master’s,
Ph.D., MD, JD, etc.).
Do images of dragons, rice and chopsticks pop up? And do the
countries China and Japan immediately rise into your consciousness?
Now what comes to your mind when you think of the word Asian
American? Do the words of superior intellect and affluence prevail?
And does the term “model minority” ring through your ears?
There’s both a truth and a myth behind each of these images, but in
order to gain a clearer picture of Asian American culture, it takes both
time and willingness to understand this rapidly growing segment of the
country.
From a purely statistical perspective, the results are stunning and highly
impressive. From 1990 to 2001 the Asian American community’s
purchasing power grew 124%, according to the University of Georgia's
Selig Center for Economic Growth. In addition, the projected buying
power is expected to grow an additional 45% between 2004 to 2009.
Collectively, the Asian Pacific Islander community only represents
5.1% of America’s population with nearly 15M people, but their
population growth was a whopping 25% (16% Asian, 9% Pacific
Islander) from years 2000-2004 according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
In terms of educational attainment, a 2002 U.S. Census study showed
that Asian Pacific Islander Americans were more likely than non-
Hispanic whites to have earned at least a college degree. In addition,
16% of all API ages 25 and older earn an advanced degree (master’s,
Ph.D., MD, JD, etc.).
A similar census study also found that 40% of APIs had incomes at or
exceeding $75,000 a year; greater than their non-Hispanic white
counterparts. And they’re young, too! Nearly 27% of APIs were
under the age of 18, making them one of the youngest racial/ethnic
groups in America.
So it appears that the smart, young, educated and affluent “model
minority” label fits well until you begin to dig a little deeper and
discover a myriad of diversity that also exists within this community.
Although segments of the API community are indeed far more
educated and affluent than other racial and ethnic groups in America,
shockingly this same community is also more likely to have members
reside in poverty with less than a 9th grade education than other racial
and ethnic groups.
Further, in a November 2004 article, journalist, Kipp Cheng cited that
“a look at Fortune 500 companies illustrates that an intense focus on
education really doesn't guarantee professional success. Despite high
education levels, Asian Americans represent less than 1 percent of
senior-management ranks or corporate boards. “
But these facts were captured more acutely by Gary Okihiro, then
director of the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race and a
professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University.
"Everybody cites the success of Asian Americans, yet if you
compared the level of education and position with that of white people,
they come below white people," says Okihiro. "Their investment in
education does not pay off. There's a glass ceiling for them."
exceeding $75,000 a year; greater than their non-Hispanic white
counterparts. And they’re young, too! Nearly 27% of APIs were
under the age of 18, making them one of the youngest racial/ethnic
groups in America.
So it appears that the smart, young, educated and affluent “model
minority” label fits well until you begin to dig a little deeper and
discover a myriad of diversity that also exists within this community.
Although segments of the API community are indeed far more
educated and affluent than other racial and ethnic groups in America,
shockingly this same community is also more likely to have members
reside in poverty with less than a 9th grade education than other racial
and ethnic groups.
Further, in a November 2004 article, journalist, Kipp Cheng cited that
“a look at Fortune 500 companies illustrates that an intense focus on
education really doesn't guarantee professional success. Despite high
education levels, Asian Americans represent less than 1 percent of
senior-management ranks or corporate boards. “
But these facts were captured more acutely by Gary Okihiro, then
director of the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race and a
professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University.
"Everybody cites the success of Asian Americans, yet if you
compared the level of education and position with that of white people,
they come below white people," says Okihiro. "Their investment in
education does not pay off. There's a glass ceiling for them."
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Probably the most difficult concept for non-Asians is seeking to
understand the diversity of culture, ethnicity, and country of origin of
the Asian American community. The top 10 ethnicities of the Asian
Pacific Islander community are Chinese, Filipino, Asian-Indian,
Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Cambodian, Pakistani, Laotian, and
Hmong.
In total, Asian Pacific Islander Americans represent nearly 25
countries and almost as many languages. Hence, with so many
different languages and cultural belief systems, it’s far easier for the
average non-Asian American to paint with a broad brush their
attitudes towards Asian culture than to seek to understand the
differences within it.
The mislabeling of culture is a common problem that Asians
experience. From co-workers to neighbors, non-Asians tend to
misidentify an individual, for example, as Japanese when they’re
actually Korean, or Chinese when they’re really Vietnamese.
To an extreme degree, hate crimes have also been directed towards
Asians with similar misidentification. Probably one of the most
notable hate crimes due to misidentification actually happened back in
the 1980’s when the late Vincent Chin was beaten with a baseball bat
in retaliation for the demise of the Detroit auto making industry to the
Japanese. However, Chin wasn’t Japanese, but instead was Chinese.
In April 2005, journalist, Angela Johnson Meadows published a 3-
part article series titled “To Be Asian” which studied the American
Asian community. John Kuo Wei Tchen, the founding director of
the A/P/A Studies Program and Institute at New York University,
was quoted stating that ”it is the challenges stemming from
stereotypes, misconceptions, discrimination and exclusion that help
this disparate group to unite under the umbrella term of Asian
American. The experience of being treated as foreigners, exotics,
outsiders, hordes, dangerous, those kinds of images that are recycled
in American media … perpetuate some kind of basis for people of
different backgrounds to come together," said Tchen.
And come together they have; through a handful of powerful
media/advertising firms and savvy entrepreneurs, the API community
is experiencing greater attention as a community poised for
significant future growth.
In fact over the past 3 years alone the number of Asian cable
channels/networks has grown tremendously. The following is a list
of 24-7 cable programming which has either been launched or will be
launched targeting both English and in-language speaking audiences:
ImaginAsian TV, AZN TV, American Desi, MTV Desi, MTV Korea,
and MTV China.
From a big picture perspective, it appears as if the future for the
Asian Pacific Islander community will be nearly identical to its past;
diverse, distinct, and poised for collective growth and expansion.
Next in the series: The Asian American Political Influence, The
Asian American Gay/Lesbian Community, The Asian American Youth.
understand the diversity of culture, ethnicity, and country of origin of
the Asian American community. The top 10 ethnicities of the Asian
Pacific Islander community are Chinese, Filipino, Asian-Indian,
Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Cambodian, Pakistani, Laotian, and
Hmong.
In total, Asian Pacific Islander Americans represent nearly 25
countries and almost as many languages. Hence, with so many
different languages and cultural belief systems, it’s far easier for the
average non-Asian American to paint with a broad brush their
attitudes towards Asian culture than to seek to understand the
differences within it.
The mislabeling of culture is a common problem that Asians
experience. From co-workers to neighbors, non-Asians tend to
misidentify an individual, for example, as Japanese when they’re
actually Korean, or Chinese when they’re really Vietnamese.
To an extreme degree, hate crimes have also been directed towards
Asians with similar misidentification. Probably one of the most
notable hate crimes due to misidentification actually happened back in
the 1980’s when the late Vincent Chin was beaten with a baseball bat
in retaliation for the demise of the Detroit auto making industry to the
Japanese. However, Chin wasn’t Japanese, but instead was Chinese.
In April 2005, journalist, Angela Johnson Meadows published a 3-
part article series titled “To Be Asian” which studied the American
Asian community. John Kuo Wei Tchen, the founding director of
the A/P/A Studies Program and Institute at New York University,
was quoted stating that ”it is the challenges stemming from
stereotypes, misconceptions, discrimination and exclusion that help
this disparate group to unite under the umbrella term of Asian
American. The experience of being treated as foreigners, exotics,
outsiders, hordes, dangerous, those kinds of images that are recycled
in American media … perpetuate some kind of basis for people of
different backgrounds to come together," said Tchen.
And come together they have; through a handful of powerful
media/advertising firms and savvy entrepreneurs, the API community
is experiencing greater attention as a community poised for
significant future growth.
In fact over the past 3 years alone the number of Asian cable
channels/networks has grown tremendously. The following is a list
of 24-7 cable programming which has either been launched or will be
launched targeting both English and in-language speaking audiences:
ImaginAsian TV, AZN TV, American Desi, MTV Desi, MTV Korea,
and MTV China.
From a big picture perspective, it appears as if the future for the
Asian Pacific Islander community will be nearly identical to its past;
diverse, distinct, and poised for collective growth and expansion.
Next in the series: The Asian American Political Influence, The
Asian American Gay/Lesbian Community, The Asian American Youth.
| All Asian Americans Not The Same |
Copyrighted 2006
Herndon Davis is an author, lecturer, and TV/Radio Host of
The Herndon Davis Reports. He can be reached directly at
http://herndondavis.com
Herndon Davis is an author, lecturer, and TV/Radio Host of
The Herndon Davis Reports. He can be reached directly at
http://herndondavis.com
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