America’s political map is changing regarding Congressional seats thanks to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Immigrants and their children are partly responsible for that.
Let’s back up for a minute. According to new data from the Census Bureau, the U.S. population has been growing over the past decade at the lowest rate since 1940. (This country now has 308,745,538 people living in its borders and that represents a 9.7% increase.)
Part of the increase can be attributed to immigrants and their children and because of where they live, more Congressional seats are moving to the South and the West -specifically to Arizona, Nevada and Texas. According to an article in the New York Times, “…Population gains in the South and West were driven overwhelmingly by minorities, particularly Hispanics, and the new districts, according to the rules of redistricting, will need to be drawn in places where they live, opening potential advantages for Democrats, who tend to be more popular among minorities.”
This has big implications for the next presidential election, which is just two years away.
People should never underestimate the power of immigrants and their children!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Writing with Children of Immigrants
Just back from a writing session with fifth graders, many of whom are children of immigrants, at Strauch Elementary School in Natomas, California. About 30 exuberant children wrote stories based on some objects I brought into the classroom like a jar of peanut butter, a tea bag, and a red scarf. When they read their stories aloud, it brought smiles to many people's faces including my own. There was the story about a magic tea bag that could take away sorrows. Another one focused on the scarf and how it reminded him of his father and the peanut butter turned into a tale about a person named Skippy.
These children are America's future. They are learning in a classroom that is filled with words and visuals for a better tomorrow and high achieving hopes. I saw t shirts and sweatshirts featuring names of the colleges they represent. The American flag waves overhead as inspirational quotes and photographs are plastered on walls around the room.
It's an honor to meet these young Americans and it's infectious to feel their excitement about learning and sharing their writing gifts!
These children are America's future. They are learning in a classroom that is filled with words and visuals for a better tomorrow and high achieving hopes. I saw t shirts and sweatshirts featuring names of the colleges they represent. The American flag waves overhead as inspirational quotes and photographs are plastered on walls around the room.
It's an honor to meet these young Americans and it's infectious to feel their excitement about learning and sharing their writing gifts!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The Future of America - Children of Immigrants
Listen up, America! Everyone knows children are our future and by looking at the information below, we have our work cut out for us to help them be prepared:
"Children of immigrant families are the fastest growing group of children in the United States and nearly all young children of immigrants living the the United States are U.S. citizens," according to a report by two researchers, who presened a paper on the topic at a roundtable meeting at the Urban Institute in the summer of 2010.
Other paper statements are very telling:
"More than one in four children under age six lives in households that speak a language other than English."
"Some children grow up in households only hearing and speaking a non-English language, while others learn English simultaneously with another language..."
"Immigrant families often are unaware of the availability of early education programs and services or of the eligibility rule for various programs."
The paper concludes:
"If children of immigrant families are given opportunities to participate, and if programs reflect their experiences, the linguistic and cultural diversity that these children offer will ultimately enrich the early childhood experiences of all children."
How about concluding that it benefits everyone when children get off to the right academic start?
Just ask a high school teacher or college professor how many students need English and math tutorials when they arrive, and you'll need time and patience to hear how bad the problem really is.
"Children of immigrant families are the fastest growing group of children in the United States and nearly all young children of immigrants living the the United States are U.S. citizens," according to a report by two researchers, who presened a paper on the topic at a roundtable meeting at the Urban Institute in the summer of 2010.
Other paper statements are very telling:
"More than one in four children under age six lives in households that speak a language other than English."
"Some children grow up in households only hearing and speaking a non-English language, while others learn English simultaneously with another language..."
"Immigrant families often are unaware of the availability of early education programs and services or of the eligibility rule for various programs."
The paper concludes:
"If children of immigrant families are given opportunities to participate, and if programs reflect their experiences, the linguistic and cultural diversity that these children offer will ultimately enrich the early childhood experiences of all children."
How about concluding that it benefits everyone when children get off to the right academic start?
Just ask a high school teacher or college professor how many students need English and math tutorials when they arrive, and you'll need time and patience to hear how bad the problem really is.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
COI AMERICANS
That's what we are. Children of Immigrants -or COI Americans. We are all related in a way - not by blood, but by being a part of this great country's modern mosaic, that has always been called a Melting Pot. It's our parents who brought us here. But, we're the ones who have had to make our own way here, too.
I've interviewed over 20 COI Americans so far and it's been so fascinating to hear how some have had to learn English in school because it wasn't spoken at home; how others have seen good elementary school friends turn into evil strangers, who taunted them in middle school, how some have happily celebrated their families' cultures and religions, while others have rejected them.
The bottom line is that all have enjoyed and appreciate the freedoms the United States has to offer and many, as adults, have embraced some of the family traditions they rejected as children.
America's a great country. Its people are the ones who make it that way.
I've interviewed over 20 COI Americans so far and it's been so fascinating to hear how some have had to learn English in school because it wasn't spoken at home; how others have seen good elementary school friends turn into evil strangers, who taunted them in middle school, how some have happily celebrated their families' cultures and religions, while others have rejected them.
The bottom line is that all have enjoyed and appreciate the freedoms the United States has to offer and many, as adults, have embraced some of the family traditions they rejected as children.
America's a great country. Its people are the ones who make it that way.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Southeast Asians Make Great Strides in U.S.
That's the recent headline in an article in the Sacrametno Bee by Stephen Magagnini, who interviewed some impressive children of immigrants and their parents about their hard work and successes in the United States.
The numbers in a Bee analysis of census data prove true regarding what the headline shouts. Half of Sacramento area Southeast Asians were poor in 1990 but today, 52 percent own homes and have a median household income of $50,000. Pretty impressive when you compare it to the 1990 median household income of $17,350!
The great outcome is attributed to good old-fashioned hard work, close family ties, and parents who sacrifice and push their children to achieve.
A quote from 34-year old Thao Xuan Doan sums it up nicely when he speaks about being a public school student: "I had a running story line in my brain, 'you're going to get straight A's,' and I willed myself to do it. We loved learning, and Mom told us that education would be our key out of poverty."
Accountant Lieu Nguyen, who helps refugees get social services and housing goods, has her own sentiments about growing up as a child of immigrants and living in the United States: "We owe America, so we're trying to work hard so we can pay back," she said. "You share your time and your blessings."
It's clear that success does not just come in the form of $ bills. It comes from a giving heart, too, and this article shows how paying it forwards pays off for everyone.
The numbers in a Bee analysis of census data prove true regarding what the headline shouts. Half of Sacramento area Southeast Asians were poor in 1990 but today, 52 percent own homes and have a median household income of $50,000. Pretty impressive when you compare it to the 1990 median household income of $17,350!
The great outcome is attributed to good old-fashioned hard work, close family ties, and parents who sacrifice and push their children to achieve.
A quote from 34-year old Thao Xuan Doan sums it up nicely when he speaks about being a public school student: "I had a running story line in my brain, 'you're going to get straight A's,' and I willed myself to do it. We loved learning, and Mom told us that education would be our key out of poverty."
Accountant Lieu Nguyen, who helps refugees get social services and housing goods, has her own sentiments about growing up as a child of immigrants and living in the United States: "We owe America, so we're trying to work hard so we can pay back," she said. "You share your time and your blessings."
It's clear that success does not just come in the form of $ bills. It comes from a giving heart, too, and this article shows how paying it forwards pays off for everyone.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Growth: Children of Immigrants & Voting Power
The Growing Political Power of Immigrants and Their Children
WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Immigration Policy Center releases a report on the rapidly rising number of New American voters. In The New American Electorate: The Growing Political Power of Immigrants and their Children, New American voters are defined as naturalized U.S. citizens and the children born to immigrants in the U.S. since 1965, when the current wave of immigration from Latin America and Asia began. The report also provides data on Asian and Latino voters.
New Americans have a highly personal connection to the modern immigrant experience and are part of families that live the political and economic realities of immigration today. The Immigration Policy Center began documenting the size of this important voting bloc in 2008.
The report finds:
New Americans accounted for 1 in 10 registered voters in the U.S. in 2008.
Between 1996 and 2008, the number of New American registered voters jumped 101.5%.
New Americans were 10.2 percent (15 million) of all registered voters in 2008; 9.3 million were naturalized U.S. citizens and 5.7 million were the children of immigrants.
The number of New American registered voters exceeded the victory margins in the 2008 presidential election in 12 states (AZ, CA, FL, GA, IN, MO, MT, NV, NJ, NC, TX, VA). In other words, these voters can mean the difference between winning and losing an election.
"At a time when elections are often decided by small voting margins, New Americans have been consistently overlooked and politically underestimated," said Walter Ewing, Ph.D., the report's lead author and Senior Researcher at the Immigration Policy Center. "The ranks of registered voters who are New Americans have been growing rapidly this decade and are likely to play an increasingly pivotal role in elections at all levels in the years to come. Candidates perceived as anti-immigrant are unlikely to win their votes."
To view the guide in its entirety, see:
The New American Electorate: The Growing Political Power of Immigrants and Their Children (IPC Special Report, October 14, 2010)
WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Immigration Policy Center releases a report on the rapidly rising number of New American voters. In The New American Electorate: The Growing Political Power of Immigrants and their Children, New American voters are defined as naturalized U.S. citizens and the children born to immigrants in the U.S. since 1965, when the current wave of immigration from Latin America and Asia began. The report also provides data on Asian and Latino voters.
New Americans have a highly personal connection to the modern immigrant experience and are part of families that live the political and economic realities of immigration today. The Immigration Policy Center began documenting the size of this important voting bloc in 2008.
The report finds:
New Americans accounted for 1 in 10 registered voters in the U.S. in 2008.
Between 1996 and 2008, the number of New American registered voters jumped 101.5%.
New Americans were 10.2 percent (15 million) of all registered voters in 2008; 9.3 million were naturalized U.S. citizens and 5.7 million were the children of immigrants.
The number of New American registered voters exceeded the victory margins in the 2008 presidential election in 12 states (AZ, CA, FL, GA, IN, MO, MT, NV, NJ, NC, TX, VA). In other words, these voters can mean the difference between winning and losing an election.
"At a time when elections are often decided by small voting margins, New Americans have been consistently overlooked and politically underestimated," said Walter Ewing, Ph.D., the report's lead author and Senior Researcher at the Immigration Policy Center. "The ranks of registered voters who are New Americans have been growing rapidly this decade and are likely to play an increasingly pivotal role in elections at all levels in the years to come. Candidates perceived as anti-immigrant are unlikely to win their votes."
To view the guide in its entirety, see:
The New American Electorate: The Growing Political Power of Immigrants and Their Children (IPC Special Report, October 14, 2010)
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Children of Children of Immigrants
My daughter, Haley, is in Israel as a college student and it's rewarding to see her pursue her interest in Israeli and Palestinian relations!
How interesting it is to see children of children of immigrants staying connected to their families' roots and taking that connection to another level.
Haley has learned Hebrew, is studying Arabic, and is taking courses in conflict resolution and ethics in international relations.
It will be fascinating to hear about what she has learned and what she will pursue as a career.
How interesting it is to see children of children of immigrants staying connected to their families' roots and taking that connection to another level.
Haley has learned Hebrew, is studying Arabic, and is taking courses in conflict resolution and ethics in international relations.
It will be fascinating to hear about what she has learned and what she will pursue as a career.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Presidental Message: Celebrate Diversity
"Obama Urges Students to Celebrate Their Diversity" was a recent headline that was featured in a USA Today article.
The story that followed focused on the President's visit to a Philadelphia school for 5th to 12th graders as they were returning to classes after a summer break. "Life is precious and part of what makes it so wonderful is its diversity," President Barack Obama said. "We shouldn't be embarrassed by the things that make us different. We should be proud of them," he said, "because it's the things that make us different that make us who we are, that make us unique."
The President's words certainly speak to children of immigrants, who can feel different (in a negative way,) when they try to bridge the different worlds in which they travel each day.
In my interviews with adults, who grew up as children of immigrants in the United States, I have heard from several who say it's been a tight rope they have walked between the homes in which they have lived and the outside world where they have attended school, work, and carried on their daily lives. Some of the interviewees continue to have parents who do not speak English and they carry on their roles as interpreters and a link to understanding and negotiating American ways.
It's fascinating to hear how some of the interviewees have changed their views about being a child of immigrants from the time they were young to their adulthood! For several, what had been embarassing about being different has now become a sense of pride and appreciation for their parents' sacrifices to raise their children in the United States.
The people I have spoken to are proud Americans who celebrate the diversity of the Unites States and appreciate their being part of this country's "flavorful" Melting Pot. If given the opportunity that President Obama had, they also could have carried the same message to the school children about the beauty of diversity.
The story that followed focused on the President's visit to a Philadelphia school for 5th to 12th graders as they were returning to classes after a summer break. "Life is precious and part of what makes it so wonderful is its diversity," President Barack Obama said. "We shouldn't be embarrassed by the things that make us different. We should be proud of them," he said, "because it's the things that make us different that make us who we are, that make us unique."
The President's words certainly speak to children of immigrants, who can feel different (in a negative way,) when they try to bridge the different worlds in which they travel each day.
In my interviews with adults, who grew up as children of immigrants in the United States, I have heard from several who say it's been a tight rope they have walked between the homes in which they have lived and the outside world where they have attended school, work, and carried on their daily lives. Some of the interviewees continue to have parents who do not speak English and they carry on their roles as interpreters and a link to understanding and negotiating American ways.
It's fascinating to hear how some of the interviewees have changed their views about being a child of immigrants from the time they were young to their adulthood! For several, what had been embarassing about being different has now become a sense of pride and appreciation for their parents' sacrifices to raise their children in the United States.
The people I have spoken to are proud Americans who celebrate the diversity of the Unites States and appreciate their being part of this country's "flavorful" Melting Pot. If given the opportunity that President Obama had, they also could have carried the same message to the school children about the beauty of diversity.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Farmer's Market Bounty
I saw them as I was returning to my car this morning at the weekly Farmer's Market under the highway bridge near downtown Sacramento. It looked like three generations of this Asian family headed toward the market as I was walking away. A grandmotherly woman had her arm around a boy, who looked like he was ten years old, and she was talking to him in a language I did not recognize. I imagined her passing down some wisdom - maybe about farmers' markets she has visited in the past.
That is what is so wonderful about this Sunday gathering of farmers and buyers. Not only is there a beautiful bounty of fresh vegetables, eggs, breads, meats, and fish, but there is also a colorful and varying vision of people from a multitude of cultures. It's not unusual to see men wearing turbans, women with scarves on their heads, and other women wearing saris amongst those clothed in jeans and t-shirts. Different languages swirl in the air with the varying aromas and humanity mixes together looking for food and deals and a shared experience.
I see immigrants, children of immigrants, and so many people I do not know. In my heart and soul, I believe, they have many stories to tell like the ones I am collecting for my book.
It is nourishing to see this bounty at the Farmers Market and to be part of it.
That is what is so wonderful about this Sunday gathering of farmers and buyers. Not only is there a beautiful bounty of fresh vegetables, eggs, breads, meats, and fish, but there is also a colorful and varying vision of people from a multitude of cultures. It's not unusual to see men wearing turbans, women with scarves on their heads, and other women wearing saris amongst those clothed in jeans and t-shirts. Different languages swirl in the air with the varying aromas and humanity mixes together looking for food and deals and a shared experience.
I see immigrants, children of immigrants, and so many people I do not know. In my heart and soul, I believe, they have many stories to tell like the ones I am collecting for my book.
It is nourishing to see this bounty at the Farmers Market and to be part of it.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Comfortable with Foreign Languages & Colorful Faces
Sacramento is one of the most diverse cities in the United States. I see and hear that fact in my everyday life - like today, when I went to the farmer's market on X Street and to a strip mall where stores like Marshall's, Ross, and Old Navy do business.
I actually enjoy seeing and hearing the diversity in the hustle-and-bustle of the farmer's market when I am shopping for fresh vegetables at the stalls that overflow with bounties of green peppers, white, husked corn, and nectarines, and so much more! I never hesitate to ask, a Hmong farmer, for example, how to prepare a certain vegetable with which I am not familiar.
When I was at Marshall's today, waiting in a long line, I could hear people speaking in an accent that was not familiar to me. I looked at the speakers, and like so many times before, I smiled at them and they smiled back.
Sometimes, the accents and faces that hint at different roots than mine, lead me to think about my parents and how they learned English and figured out how things worked in America after coming here from Europe.
Did people scowl at them when they spoke Yiddish or Polish to each other? Was it hard to learn the American monetary system? Did I drive them crazy when I wanted to shop at more expensive stores than the ones they could afford?
I'm learning from the interviews I'm conducting with people, who grew up in the U.S. as children of immigrants, that my family has much in common with theirs no matter how different we may look, or if our parents spoke different languages, or if they came from different ends of the Earth. We're all part of America's Melting Pot and that feels very good to me!
I actually enjoy seeing and hearing the diversity in the hustle-and-bustle of the farmer's market when I am shopping for fresh vegetables at the stalls that overflow with bounties of green peppers, white, husked corn, and nectarines, and so much more! I never hesitate to ask, a Hmong farmer, for example, how to prepare a certain vegetable with which I am not familiar.
When I was at Marshall's today, waiting in a long line, I could hear people speaking in an accent that was not familiar to me. I looked at the speakers, and like so many times before, I smiled at them and they smiled back.
Sometimes, the accents and faces that hint at different roots than mine, lead me to think about my parents and how they learned English and figured out how things worked in America after coming here from Europe.
Did people scowl at them when they spoke Yiddish or Polish to each other? Was it hard to learn the American monetary system? Did I drive them crazy when I wanted to shop at more expensive stores than the ones they could afford?
I'm learning from the interviews I'm conducting with people, who grew up in the U.S. as children of immigrants, that my family has much in common with theirs no matter how different we may look, or if our parents spoke different languages, or if they came from different ends of the Earth. We're all part of America's Melting Pot and that feels very good to me!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
From War-Torn Hungary to U.S. Surgeon & Advocate
Dr. Balazs Ernie Bodai is a highly respected surgeon in Sacramento and is the brains behind the fundraising breast cancer research postage stamp, which is used in countries around the world. He is also a medical device inventor, an international speaker, an author of several books, a cancer survivor and one heck of a nice guy.
Born in Hungary, Dr. Bodai remembers the time when his family fled to an underground shelter in Budapest in 1956 during a Russian invasion. "It was freezing, damp, and miserable," he recalls. "My mother would rub my hands and blow her warm breath on them to keep them from turning blue and freezing."
He believes she had a sixth sense that day recognizing that her son's hands would some day save lives.
Dr. Bodai's life in the United States has been a true success story and he credits his family's inspiration as being a big contributor to it.
When Dr. Bodai speaks to graduating medical students, he always mentions his parents whose work included houskeeping at buildings to make ends meet, even though his father had been a nuclear physicist in Hungary.
"My father was my hero," he tells them and he has infinite gratitude for his parents' sacrifices and the opportunites he has had in America.
Now, a new development in Dr. Bodai's life - being nominated for a Congressional Medal of Honor.
Dr. Bodai is living proof that children of immigrants make incredible contributions to American society, and sometimes, to those who live around the globe.
Born in Hungary, Dr. Bodai remembers the time when his family fled to an underground shelter in Budapest in 1956 during a Russian invasion. "It was freezing, damp, and miserable," he recalls. "My mother would rub my hands and blow her warm breath on them to keep them from turning blue and freezing."
He believes she had a sixth sense that day recognizing that her son's hands would some day save lives.
Dr. Bodai's life in the United States has been a true success story and he credits his family's inspiration as being a big contributor to it.
When Dr. Bodai speaks to graduating medical students, he always mentions his parents whose work included houskeeping at buildings to make ends meet, even though his father had been a nuclear physicist in Hungary.
"My father was my hero," he tells them and he has infinite gratitude for his parents' sacrifices and the opportunites he has had in America.
Now, a new development in Dr. Bodai's life - being nominated for a Congressional Medal of Honor.
Dr. Bodai is living proof that children of immigrants make incredible contributions to American society, and sometimes, to those who live around the globe.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Switching Friends & Identity Irony
Today, I interviewed Ramandeep Chand, who was born in Detroit, Michigan, raised in Missouri and is a child of immigrants from India.
Chand grew up in a community where being a child of foreign-born parents was exceptionally rare. She had no problems with her classmates in elementary school, but things changed dramatically when the whole community ended up in the same middle school "As soon as I got to junior high, my friends from the sixth grade wouldn't talk to me anymore," she recalls.
So, Chand says she ended up making new friends, most of whom were African Americans. "Whites saw me as colored or foreign while Black kids liked me because I wasn't White," Chand tells me.
Since then, the majority of Chand's friends have been members of minority groups.
She thinks it's ironic that in America, most people look at her and don't think she's an American while in India, people there believe she's an American and not an Indian.
Can't wait to write her whole story!
Chand grew up in a community where being a child of foreign-born parents was exceptionally rare. She had no problems with her classmates in elementary school, but things changed dramatically when the whole community ended up in the same middle school "As soon as I got to junior high, my friends from the sixth grade wouldn't talk to me anymore," she recalls.
So, Chand says she ended up making new friends, most of whom were African Americans. "Whites saw me as colored or foreign while Black kids liked me because I wasn't White," Chand tells me.
Since then, the majority of Chand's friends have been members of minority groups.
She thinks it's ironic that in America, most people look at her and don't think she's an American while in India, people there believe she's an American and not an Indian.
Can't wait to write her whole story!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Hable Child of Immigrants?
Picture this…I’m standing on a downtown Los Angeles street impatiently awaiting my friend, who’s ½ hour late picking me up. A man, who appears to be in his 40’s approaches me, carrying a small white piece of paper in his hand. He asks me something in Spanish and I clumsily answer, “No hable Espanol.”
He seems a bit frantic and repeats his question in Spanish to others on the street, and within seconds, he finds someone who speaks his language.
From what I could gather, he needed help dialing a number to reach someone who’s supposed to pick him up at the same place.
We stand a few feet apart staring in the same direction and he tries again to engage me in conversation. Somehow we communicate, with me telling him the few words I know in Spanish and with him telling me that he is from Mexico and then with pride he shares, “Jaqueline – daughter – born U.S.A.”
His ride pulls up before mine.
“Adios,” I yell.
“Goodbye. Goodbye,” he says.
He seems a bit frantic and repeats his question in Spanish to others on the street, and within seconds, he finds someone who speaks his language.
From what I could gather, he needed help dialing a number to reach someone who’s supposed to pick him up at the same place.
We stand a few feet apart staring in the same direction and he tries again to engage me in conversation. Somehow we communicate, with me telling him the few words I know in Spanish and with him telling me that he is from Mexico and then with pride he shares, “Jaqueline – daughter – born U.S.A.”
His ride pulls up before mine.
“Adios,” I yell.
“Goodbye. Goodbye,” he says.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Children of Immigrants Defend Immigration
Every day I read news stories related to immigration - most of them concerning illegal immigration. The topic of immigration, past, present, and future, seems to have become so touchy that many people are now on the defense (or offense) about any kind of immigration.
Take, for example, today's story in the Times Herald (Mogtgomery County Pennsylvania), in which Congressman Joe Sestake, a son of a Czechoslovakian father, is quoted. He talks about the United States being a nation of immigrants and relates how his father worked in Pennsylvania steel mills, fought in World War II as a Navy captain, and how he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, among other American heroes. "America has always attracted the best, brightest and most enterprising people from around the world," Congressman Sestake said. "I think that has always been a source of strength, character, and independence, and it continues today."
It's clear that especially in tough economic times, that immigration become a target. That's why immigrants and their children need to speak up about the value and importance of their contributions to this wonderful country.
Take, for example, today's story in the Times Herald (Mogtgomery County Pennsylvania), in which Congressman Joe Sestake, a son of a Czechoslovakian father, is quoted. He talks about the United States being a nation of immigrants and relates how his father worked in Pennsylvania steel mills, fought in World War II as a Navy captain, and how he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, among other American heroes. "America has always attracted the best, brightest and most enterprising people from around the world," Congressman Sestake said. "I think that has always been a source of strength, character, and independence, and it continues today."
It's clear that especially in tough economic times, that immigration become a target. That's why immigrants and their children need to speak up about the value and importance of their contributions to this wonderful country.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
California Controller Chiang is a Child of Immigrants
John Chiang is making headlines these days (and giving Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger a major headache) because of a fight over whether to pay state workers minimum federal wage while a budget impasse continues. (The Governor has ordered it; Chiang is refusing to comply.)
Chiang is a child of Taiwanese immigrants and was born in New York and raised in the Midwest.
According to an article in the Sacramento Bee, Chiang's family lived in a white, working class suburb of Chicago - Palo Heights - and they were targets of racial hatred.
Bee writter Marcos Breton writes, "There were the racial epithets spray-painted on their house, rocks hurled through windows and the numberous times Chiang had to defend himself and younger siblings."
In the interview, Chaing says his parents are now his heroes but that wasn't always the case when he was growing up.
He echoes some of the stories I'm hearing from other children of immigrants who have learned so much wisdom from the past as they've made a better future for themselves and others.
Chiang is a child of Taiwanese immigrants and was born in New York and raised in the Midwest.
According to an article in the Sacramento Bee, Chiang's family lived in a white, working class suburb of Chicago - Palo Heights - and they were targets of racial hatred.
Bee writter Marcos Breton writes, "There were the racial epithets spray-painted on their house, rocks hurled through windows and the numberous times Chiang had to defend himself and younger siblings."
In the interview, Chaing says his parents are now his heroes but that wasn't always the case when he was growing up.
He echoes some of the stories I'm hearing from other children of immigrants who have learned so much wisdom from the past as they've made a better future for themselves and others.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Mike Mendoza - Roots to the Phillipines
Mike Mendoza is a personal trainer at a prestigious athletic club in Sacramento. A friendly, beautiful-smiling young man in his late twenties, Mendoza is quick to tell me that he was embarassed to be a child of immigrants when he grew up in Concord, California. Why? Because he was the only one among his childhood friends with parents who were not born in the United States.
Mendoza and his siblings would race to the phone whenever it rang so that his parents would not get there first. He knew that if his parents had answered the phone, they would be the butt of joking from his friends. They would mock the accents and say they couldn't understand what his parents were saying.
Like several of the people I have interviewed, Mendoza says that as an adult, he is very proud of his parents and his heritage. But, he winces when he recalls how he did everything he could to fit in with his white classmates, including trying to spend as much time away from home playing with his friends at their houses instead of bringing them to his home.
Adulthood brings its wisdom and understanding and, I believe, helps us connect better to our families and to others who come into our lives during the years that we grow older.
Mendoza and his siblings would race to the phone whenever it rang so that his parents would not get there first. He knew that if his parents had answered the phone, they would be the butt of joking from his friends. They would mock the accents and say they couldn't understand what his parents were saying.
Like several of the people I have interviewed, Mendoza says that as an adult, he is very proud of his parents and his heritage. But, he winces when he recalls how he did everything he could to fit in with his white classmates, including trying to spend as much time away from home playing with his friends at their houses instead of bringing them to his home.
Adulthood brings its wisdom and understanding and, I believe, helps us connect better to our families and to others who come into our lives during the years that we grow older.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Meeting Children of Immigrants Where Ever I Go
While renting bikes in Hungtindon Beach, California at Zach's, I meet Joe Ali, whose father (not sure about his mother) was born in the Old City in what was then, Palestine. When Joe had asked us if we wanted locks for our bicycles, I made some wisecrack like, "Sure, we'd like some lox......and bagels."
Joe asked me if I was Jewish and one thing led to another and we had a brief talk about being children of immigrants and I mentioned that my high school boyfriend was also the son of Palestinian immigrants. He showed me the photo of his father behind the counter. He's pictured wearing a uniform during his service an American soldier in the Vietnam War.
It seems wherever I go in California and in other states in this country, I meet children of immigrants who grew up in the United States.
I challenge you to walk into any hotel or other service employer in a major city and strike up a conversation. The stories you will hear will amaze you and they will help you appreciate the beauty of this country even more.
Let me know what you hear.
Joe asked me if I was Jewish and one thing led to another and we had a brief talk about being children of immigrants and I mentioned that my high school boyfriend was also the son of Palestinian immigrants. He showed me the photo of his father behind the counter. He's pictured wearing a uniform during his service an American soldier in the Vietnam War.
It seems wherever I go in California and in other states in this country, I meet children of immigrants who grew up in the United States.
I challenge you to walk into any hotel or other service employer in a major city and strike up a conversation. The stories you will hear will amaze you and they will help you appreciate the beauty of this country even more.
Let me know what you hear.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
From Third World Country to Prestigious University
Madelyn Estrada is 27 years old and came to the United States as a Guatemalan immigrant at the age of 7. Her mother worked in an upscale neighborhood as a nanny and her father was a day laborer awaiting work each day at a 7 Eleven store in Maryland.
Today, Estrada is a full-time graduate student in Applied Economics at Johns Hopkins University.
She credits her parents and other important people who came into her life for inspiring her to make the right kind of choices that have landed her at this prestigious university.
Estrada remembers the time when her family became U.S. citiziens, She says it had been "a big deal" because she, her two sisters, and her parents had become "official" members of the special club in the United States. "This country has an all-start team and our citizenship has helped us blend in and we earned to right to be called Americans just like everyone else," she tells me.
It hasn't been an easy road to travel for Estrada and her family, but one well worth following, as her story displays.
Today, Estrada is a full-time graduate student in Applied Economics at Johns Hopkins University.
She credits her parents and other important people who came into her life for inspiring her to make the right kind of choices that have landed her at this prestigious university.
Estrada remembers the time when her family became U.S. citiziens, She says it had been "a big deal" because she, her two sisters, and her parents had become "official" members of the special club in the United States. "This country has an all-start team and our citizenship has helped us blend in and we earned to right to be called Americans just like everyone else," she tells me.
It hasn't been an easy road to travel for Estrada and her family, but one well worth following, as her story displays.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Numbers to Munch On
From the Huffington Post, an article with telling statistics:
"The children of immigrants are now the fastest growing sector of the child population in the United States. More than 80% of the population growth over the next generation will be via migration - the vast majority will be U.S. born children of immigrants."
This is already affecting Americans on so many levels - social, political, etc.
"The children of immigrants are now the fastest growing sector of the child population in the United States. More than 80% of the population growth over the next generation will be via migration - the vast majority will be U.S. born children of immigrants."
This is already affecting Americans on so many levels - social, political, etc.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Leon Panetta - Spaghetti Hill
Leon Panetta has told me that the first line of each speech he gives begins with, "I am the son of Italian immigrants."
Panetta grew up in a section of Monterey, California that he says is known today as Spaghetti Hill because that is where so many Italian immigrants lived and worked nearby in the sardine and fishing businesses in the 1940s. He says when he was growing up, Monterey was the sardine capital of the world.
Panetta's parents owned Carmello's Cafe back then. His father was the chef; his mother was the cashier and he says they worked very hard. He also recalls being recruited to wash some dishes at the restaurant when he was about five years old.
Some of the messages Panetta got from his parents were - Work hard. Get a good education. Make us proud.
This son of Italian immigrants, is a lawyer, former congressman, former army officer and former chief of staff to President Clinton, and currently serves as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
He's a proud American who continues to serve his country and he always remembers that he is the son of Italian immigrants.
Panetta grew up in a section of Monterey, California that he says is known today as Spaghetti Hill because that is where so many Italian immigrants lived and worked nearby in the sardine and fishing businesses in the 1940s. He says when he was growing up, Monterey was the sardine capital of the world.
Panetta's parents owned Carmello's Cafe back then. His father was the chef; his mother was the cashier and he says they worked very hard. He also recalls being recruited to wash some dishes at the restaurant when he was about five years old.
Some of the messages Panetta got from his parents were - Work hard. Get a good education. Make us proud.
This son of Italian immigrants, is a lawyer, former congressman, former army officer and former chief of staff to President Clinton, and currently serves as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
He's a proud American who continues to serve his country and he always remembers that he is the son of Italian immigrants.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Tony and Laos
He was born in Fresno, California and his parents and some older siblings were born in Laos.
Tony Xi0ng* is one of ten children, some of whom are gang members, and he tells me he"d like to become a police officer. That's quite a dream for someone who remembers frequent, unannounced visits by police and probation officers to the family's two-bedroom apartment throughout his childhood. LeeSai tells me that not one of the officers was Hmong and not everyone in his family spoke or understood the English the officers spoke.
Now, a college student majoring in Criminal Justice, Xiong wants to go into law enforcement so that he can be of service to his community and help young people make choices on the right side of the law.
His story is one of the most interesting I have heard so far. Resisting gang membership, having some brothers who are in gangs, living in a two-bedroom apartment with 11 other family members, speaking English at school but not at home, hungry for food and for guidance in the American culture, having a father who was a shaman, and on and on it goes. Xiong confesses that he still has trouble "fitting in" with white America and that his friends don't always run in the best of circles, so to speak.
I watched Gran Torino after interviewing Xiong and have done some research on the Hmong culture following the interview. As with all of the stories, I am provoked to learn more about others with whom I share this country and have a greater appreciation of the challenges they have faced and the successes they have earned.
*Tony Xiong is an alias this interviewee requested to protect his identity.
Tony Xi0ng* is one of ten children, some of whom are gang members, and he tells me he"d like to become a police officer. That's quite a dream for someone who remembers frequent, unannounced visits by police and probation officers to the family's two-bedroom apartment throughout his childhood. LeeSai tells me that not one of the officers was Hmong and not everyone in his family spoke or understood the English the officers spoke.
Now, a college student majoring in Criminal Justice, Xiong wants to go into law enforcement so that he can be of service to his community and help young people make choices on the right side of the law.
His story is one of the most interesting I have heard so far. Resisting gang membership, having some brothers who are in gangs, living in a two-bedroom apartment with 11 other family members, speaking English at school but not at home, hungry for food and for guidance in the American culture, having a father who was a shaman, and on and on it goes. Xiong confesses that he still has trouble "fitting in" with white America and that his friends don't always run in the best of circles, so to speak.
I watched Gran Torino after interviewing Xiong and have done some research on the Hmong culture following the interview. As with all of the stories, I am provoked to learn more about others with whom I share this country and have a greater appreciation of the challenges they have faced and the successes they have earned.
*Tony Xiong is an alias this interviewee requested to protect his identity.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Mother's Day 2010
Many random thoughts this Mother's Day: According to statistics, 750,000 children a year are born to immigrant women. I am sure these mothers have many hopes and dreams for their little ones as they start growing up in America.
Switching gears: I think of my two daughters, Leah and Haley, who have only known one grandparent, my mother, Esther, who was born in Poland and survived the Holocaust by working as an errand girl under a false identity. I wonder what effect and influence she had had on them because we are all "products" of our famlies in one way or another. When Haley visited a concentration camp in Poland and went to Yad Vashem, (the Holocaust Museum,) in Israel, she cried some sadder and deeper tears than her friends because she has witnessed her grandmother's pain and knows of our family's suffering and murders. Both girls have joined me in Holocaust commemoration ceremonies and we have lit memory candles, cried tears and held hands together.
Children of immigrants, grandchildren of immigrants....the family tree branches grow in many directions. All cannot survive without the roots and the trunk - the solid foundation of the beginning and continuation of life.
Blessings to mothers and children on this special day and gratitude for those who came to the United States to start anew!
Switching gears: I think of my two daughters, Leah and Haley, who have only known one grandparent, my mother, Esther, who was born in Poland and survived the Holocaust by working as an errand girl under a false identity. I wonder what effect and influence she had had on them because we are all "products" of our famlies in one way or another. When Haley visited a concentration camp in Poland and went to Yad Vashem, (the Holocaust Museum,) in Israel, she cried some sadder and deeper tears than her friends because she has witnessed her grandmother's pain and knows of our family's suffering and murders. Both girls have joined me in Holocaust commemoration ceremonies and we have lit memory candles, cried tears and held hands together.
Children of immigrants, grandchildren of immigrants....the family tree branches grow in many directions. All cannot survive without the roots and the trunk - the solid foundation of the beginning and continuation of life.
Blessings to mothers and children on this special day and gratitude for those who came to the United States to start anew!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Interviewing a Child of Laotian Immigrants Today
He is one of ten children of immigrant parents from Laos and he wants to be a police officer. This I have learned through the initial questions he has answered via email. Why a police officer? He's familiar with them because some of his older brothers have been in gangs and law enforcement types have visited his home to conduct unannounced searches. None of the officers has been Laotian. He wants to be a positive force in the community by becoming a police officer - maybe steering a few children away from a life of crime and helping families who have children who are in gangs.
His life has been tough growing up in the United States with parents who didn't know English, and the necessity for the children to interpret, figure out transportation and American laws, learn the monetary system, and on and on. Food had been in short supply when he was young, he says, and now he goes to college and works to help support his family.
Wow! I can't wait to learn more from this 21-year old and what an honor it will be!
His life has been tough growing up in the United States with parents who didn't know English, and the necessity for the children to interpret, figure out transportation and American laws, learn the monetary system, and on and on. Food had been in short supply when he was young, he says, and now he goes to college and works to help support his family.
Wow! I can't wait to learn more from this 21-year old and what an honor it will be!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Greek Guilt and Greek Pride
I never heard of Greek guilt until my dentist, Dr. Stella Dariotis, explained it to me when I interviewed her. A child of Greek immigrants, she says it's like being told to spend time with your grandparents because it makes them feel better - even though you'd rather be spending time with your friends.
Maybe each culture has its own form of guilt or prodding for children to do the "right thing" and honor their ancestors and roots. It's certainly not a bad thing even though children (and adults) may think there are more important priorities.
Dr. Dariotis, who speaks lovingly of her parents and with much pride about her heritage, also remembers having more responsibilities then her friends who had American-born parents when she was growing up in Flint, Michigan. Obligation and duty are two words she uses as she reflects on young friends seeming to lead simpler lives because they didn't have to take Greek lessons or go to church every Sunday.
It's not like those are complaints. Today, the mother of two sons, Dr. Dariotis has them learning Greek from a tutor and attending church - a connection to their ancestors and a way to know more about themselves and what they're made of. They also visit Greece each year.
Maybe each culture has its own form of guilt or prodding for children to do the "right thing" and honor their ancestors and roots. It's certainly not a bad thing even though children (and adults) may think there are more important priorities.
Dr. Dariotis, who speaks lovingly of her parents and with much pride about her heritage, also remembers having more responsibilities then her friends who had American-born parents when she was growing up in Flint, Michigan. Obligation and duty are two words she uses as she reflects on young friends seeming to lead simpler lives because they didn't have to take Greek lessons or go to church every Sunday.
It's not like those are complaints. Today, the mother of two sons, Dr. Dariotis has them learning Greek from a tutor and attending church - a connection to their ancestors and a way to know more about themselves and what they're made of. They also visit Greece each year.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Birthday - Birth of a New Generation
Today is my birthday and I wonder how many new children of immigrants are being born today in the United States. Are their parents looking into their innocent eyes and wondering who their little ones will be when they grow up in this wonderful country? Are they thinking of their own countries of origin and the sacrifices they made to come to the United States?
Will they tell their children about their families' roots and keep their cultures, faiths, and languages alive in their homes? Or, are they just thankful to be living in a free country where they can make the choices as they go?
When I was born 57 years ago, I'm sure my parents were delighted to have a healthy girl and I'm guessing they must have been so thankful to live in the safety of the United States after surviving the Holocaust in which so many of their family members were murdered during World War II.
A birthday is a wonderful thing to celebrate and it's a time to remember, too. If feel such gratitude for the sacrifices my parents made to come to this country. I am so proud to be an American!
Will they tell their children about their families' roots and keep their cultures, faiths, and languages alive in their homes? Or, are they just thankful to be living in a free country where they can make the choices as they go?
When I was born 57 years ago, I'm sure my parents were delighted to have a healthy girl and I'm guessing they must have been so thankful to live in the safety of the United States after surviving the Holocaust in which so many of their family members were murdered during World War II.
A birthday is a wonderful thing to celebrate and it's a time to remember, too. If feel such gratitude for the sacrifices my parents made to come to this country. I am so proud to be an American!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
We Are America - Children of Immigrants
On this first day of my blog, I marvel at the stories I have heard and write about. The spotlight is on children of immigrants - adults, who grew up as children of immigrants in the United States. They are proud Americans and proud of their ancestral roots, too.
It seems as if every day I run into someone like me, whose parents were born elsewhere, and who worked hard to make life easier for the children they raised in this great country.
Last night, I met Pete Carril, a legendary basketball coach, who is in his eighties and helps coach the Sacramento Kings. "Look at this," my husband said looking up Carril's name on the Internet.
Sure enough. There it is..."Son of Spanish immigrants....."
I wonder what being a child of immigrants has meant to him and how it has affected him and plan to ask if he'll participate in a book I am writing.
Sacramento is one of the most diverse cities in the country and I'm lucky to be surrounded by such special people - and to have interviewed folks from across the United States. Their stories are so special, just like they are.
It seems as if every day I run into someone like me, whose parents were born elsewhere, and who worked hard to make life easier for the children they raised in this great country.
Last night, I met Pete Carril, a legendary basketball coach, who is in his eighties and helps coach the Sacramento Kings. "Look at this," my husband said looking up Carril's name on the Internet.
Sure enough. There it is..."Son of Spanish immigrants....."
I wonder what being a child of immigrants has meant to him and how it has affected him and plan to ask if he'll participate in a book I am writing.
Sacramento is one of the most diverse cities in the country and I'm lucky to be surrounded by such special people - and to have interviewed folks from across the United States. Their stories are so special, just like they are.
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