Asian-Americans: Proud and Free in America
Download
Report
Transcript Asian-Americans: Proud and Free in America
Asian-Americans:
Proud and Free (At Last!) in
America
Eva Lerner-Lam
President
Palisades Consulting Group, Inc.
Tenafly, NJ
Presented to the US Missile Defense Agency
In celebration of Asian Pacific American
Heritage Month
May 3, 2004
Speaker Background
“First Generation” AsianAmerican, daughter of
immigrants from China
Admitted to Princeton
University in 1972
Elected President of Class
Elected President of Eating
Club
Appointed University
Trustee
Speaker Background
Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering, MIT
Director of Planning & Operations for San Diego
Metro Transit Development Board
Board Member, New Jersey Transit Corporation
Founder and President of Palisades Consulting
Group, Inc.
Leadership in Professional Societies:
American Society of Civil Engineers
Institute of Transportation Engineers
Asian-Americans: Helping to Build
a Strong America
5,000+
year-old civilizations
150-year history in America
Hard work, determination to succeed
Continuing struggle to overcome institutional
stereotypes, discrimination and intimidation
History of Asians in America
1840s: Gold Rush
First large-scale
immigration of Asians
into the U.S.
Foreign Miners’ Tax
targeted Chinese
laborers
History, con’d.
1860s:
Transcontinental
Railroad
12,000 Chinese
workers
Paid 60% what
European workers
were paid
Excluded from
Promontory Point
ceremonies
History, con’d.
1882: Chinese Exclusion Act
1890’s: Japanese workers replaced Chinese
workers
Followed by Korean and Filipino workers
1908: “Gentleman’s Agreement”
Railroad completed, gold rush finished, Chinese
workers were seen as a threat
Excluded Japanese immigrant workers
1920’s: National Origins Act
Set “2% quotas” on all countries (except England) to
limit immigration; explicitly excluded East Asians
Becoming Americans
All Asian groups in America fought hard for rights
to own property and become citizens
Significant strides in past 40 years
Still a “work-in-progress”
History, con’d.
1940’s: World War II:
Executive Order 9066
120,000 Japanese
citizens imprisoned in
desert camps
History, con’d.
442nd Regimental
Combat Team
composed entirely of
Japanese Americans,
including Senator
Daniel K. Inouye
most decorated
combat unit of its size
in the entire U.S.
military during World
War II
History, con’d.
Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
Immigrants were to be admitted by their skills and
professions rather than by their nationality
Outgrowth of civil rights movement of the 60’s
Nationalized permanent inhabitants
Immigration Act of 1990
Allowed substantial increase in immigration
George W. Bush Administration's Asian
Americans and Pacific Islanders Appointees
Today’s Demographics
The AAPI population is the fastest-growing
minority population in the United States, with a
72% increase from 1990 – 2000
Demographics
There are
approximately 10.4
million AAPIs in the
United States (4% of
the total U.S.
population)
Asian
Other
Demographics
The four largest sub-populations among AAPIs
are Chinese (2,432,585), Filipino (1,850,314),
Asian Indian (1,678,765), and Vietnamese
(1,122,528).
Chinese
Filipino
Asian Indian
Vietnamese
Other
Demographics
The population is projected to reach 37 million
(9.3% of the US population) by the year 2050
Asian
Asian
Other
Other
Cultural Themes
Confucian
Ethics
Emphasis on Education
Professional and technical careers
Confucian Ethics
“Do unto others as
you would have
others do unto you”
“Do your best for
others”
“Harmonize with
Nature”
“Treat your elders
with respect”
Confucius
551-479 BC
Emphasis on Education
Although only 4% of the
nation's population,
Asian Americans
comprise nearly 20% of
all medical students
12% of California's
populace, but 45%
percent of Berkeley's
freshman class
Just 3% of Texas
populace, but 18% of the
freshman class at UTAustin
Professional Careers
Computer Sciences
Engineering
Medicine
Finance/Accounting
Other Asian-American
Contributions to American Society
Sports
Journalism
Music
Technology
Fashion
Architecture
Business
Government
Sports
Michael Chang,
Champion Tennis
Player
Sports
Michelle Kwan,
Champion Figure
Skater
Sports
Yao Ming, Basketball
Player
Journalism
Connie Chung, TV
news journalist
Music
Midori, violinist
Music
Yo Yo Ma, cellist
Technology
Dr. Steven Chen,
inventor of the Cray
supercomputer
Technology
Jerry Yang, CoFounder of Yahoo!
Fashion
Vera Wang, Fashion
Designer
Architecture
I. M. Pei, East Wing,
National Gallery
Architecture
Maya Lin, Vietnam
War Memorial
Engineering
T. Y. Lin, Structural
Engineer
Business
Andrea Jung, CEO,
Avon Corporation
Government
Senator Daniel K.
Inouye, Hawaii
Government
Elaine L. Chao, US
Secretary of Labor
Government
Norman Y. Mineta, US
Secretary of
Transportation
Government
Carol C. Lam, US
Attorney, Southern
District of California
AAPI Issues
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are often
viewed as a model minority with few health or
social problems
However, emerging data on AAPIs show significant
disparities and barriers to health care and social
service access
Tongans, Cambodians, Laotians and Hmong face
tremendous cultural and linguistic barriers to health
and social services
AAPI Issues
The poverty rate of AAPI families (14 percent) is
higher than that of non-Hispanic White families (8
percent)
AAPI Issues
AAPIs lack health insurance at a higher rate
than the total U.S. population, with Korean
Americans being the most likely racial/ethnic
group to be uninsured
An estimated 2 million AAPIs are uninsured
AAPI Issues
AAPIs suffer disproportionately high rates of
hepatitis B, diabetes, cancer and tuberculosis
AAPI Issues
Infant mortality rates in the U.S.-associated
Pacific Island jurisdictions exceed the U.S. rate,
in cases more than twice as much
AAPI Issues
Fewer than 6 percent of Tongans, Cambodians,
Laotians and Hmongs have completed college
The high school graduation rate for Hmongs is
just 31 percent
Looking to the Future
Asian economies are growing at breakneck speed
in 2003 and 2004
Chinese companies are beginning to invest heavily
in North America and Europe
This will have positive and negative impacts on
Asians in America