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.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
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.
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