Immigration Images and Realities

1. ImmigrationImages and Realities Lee Baxter, Dustin Brooks, Lena Chiang, Lindsay Dilworth, Julianna Landry, Jay Lee, Luis Manzo, Maraia McGary, Phaydra Mutch-Geiger, Jackie Phan, Sara Pierie, Margaret Rogers, Lindsay Rozee, Lance Sasser, Michael Thyken, Alycia Werthan, Ryan Westhusing

2. Introduction • Asian-American: Common Differences • Asian Americans & The Model Minority • Asian American Movement 1980’s & 1990’s • Latino’s in the U.S • Resistance

3. Asian American Common Differences • Who are these groups? • How does the history of their immigration shape their differences?

4. “Asian Americans were systematically stripped of theirpolitical, economic, cultural, and citizen rights” (Bob Wing, 2005).

5. Korean Americans • First wave arrives in 1903 • Pursue the American dream • Immigration Law 1965 • Ethnic enclave • Struggle

6. Japanese American Immigrants • WWII Pearl Harbor • 1890 First arrival because of Japans dependency on the West. • Effects and aftermath – Redress Movement

7. Immigration Process and West Indians • Student Visas • Selective Immigration process • Myth of West Indians

8. Vietnamese Immigration • Spring 1975 – first wave (ship/ air lift). • Different refuge centers throughout the U.S. • The fall of Saigon

9. In America- • Mainstream • Unwelcome • Ethnic Enclaves • Reunification

10. Chinese Immigration • First wave arrived in 1848 arrived for Gold Rush. • Economic instability (ex. Poverty and lifestyle) • Effects and aftermath- The naturalization, Chinese and Walter-McCarren Act passed • 2000 Census of Chinese Immigrants • 1,314,537 have migrated • 39.8% growth rate

11. Socioeconomic Characteristics of Asian & Other Racial/Ethnic Groups Whites Blacks Hispanics/Latinos NativeAmericans AsianIndians Cambodian,Hmong,or Laotian Not Proficient in English 0.7 0.8 30.3 2.6 8.4 44.3 Less than High School 15.3 29.1 48.5 27.4 12.6 52.7 College Degree 25.3 13.6 9.9 10.8 64.4 9.2 Advanced Degree 3.0 1.2 1.6 0.9 12.5 0.4 Median Personal Income $23,640 $16,300 $14,400 $14,500 $26,000 $16,000 Median Family Income $48,500 $33,300 $36,000 $32,240 $69,470 $43,850 Living in Poverty 9.4 24.9 21.4 25.1 8.2 22.5 Public Assistance 1.3 4.5 3.5 6.1 0.9 9.9 Married, Spouse Present 64.5 38.0 56.3 50.2 74.9 66.6 Homeowner 78.2 54.4 52.4 64.2 56.8 53.3 In Labor Force 63.6 59.8 61.5 61.2 71.0 58.8 High Skill Occupation 21.4 12.3 9.6 11.9 51.6 9.8 Median SEI Score 47.0 44.0 26.0 44.0 65.0 18.0 Chinese Filipinos Japanese Koreans PacificIslanders Vietnamese Not Proficient in English 31.3 7.0 10.0 32.9 7.1 40.4 Less than High School 23.6 13.1 9.5 13.8 21.7 37.8 College Degree 46.3 42.8 40.8 43.6 13.6 13.8 Advanced Degree 8.5 4.3 4.6 5.6 1.6 2.5 Median Personal Income $20,000 $23,000 $26,000 $16,300 $19,100 $16,000 Median Family Income $58,300 $65,400 $61,630 $48,500 $50,000 $51,500 Living in Poverty 13.1 6.9 8.6 15.5 16.7 13.8 Public Assistance 1.8 1.6 0.9 1.6 4.4 4.8 Married, Spouse Present 67.1 62.7 60.7 69.0 61.4 61.2 Homeowner 65.7 67.6 70.8 51.9 48.1 60.0 In Labor Force 65.1 68.3 58.0 62.0 67.4 63.5 High Skill Occupation 41.9 29.7 32.0 27.0 13.8 22.6 Median SEI Score 65.0 46.0 62.0 52.0 38.0 32.0

12. Asian Americans & The model Minority • Model Minority myth- all other minority groups should follow the lead and example of the one supreme minority group. The Model Minority is defined as a bright shining example of hard work and patience whose example other minority groups should follow.

13. Model Minority continued.. • Model Minority myth is based primarily on statistics. • Do statistics lie? • Myth of Asian Success • Genetic Advantages? • Cultural Traditions?

14. “Success Story of One Minority Group in U.S.” • Origins of the term Model Minority • Created in the 1960’s • U.S. News and world report • Work ethics • Highly intellectual minds • Exploitation of Chinese Americans

15. Today’s immigrants from Asia • Middle class immigrants vs. refugees • Consequences of the model minority myth. • Whites vs. Asian Americans • Overall Impacts

16. Asian American movement 1980’s & 1990’s

17. Asian American Movements Pre-1980’s • Asian American population grew due to reform of immigration laws • More Asian Americans in poverty and more hate crimes • More Asian Americans enrolling in universities • Organized successful grassroots organizations

18. Impacts of Movements prior to 1980 • Proud of Asian culture • Accelerated desegregation of the suburbs with middle-class Asian Americans • Moving into predominately white suburbs • Young Asian Americans gained access to higher education – greater numbers enrolling in universities including elite universities

19. Possible Reasons Asian Americans were able to make such progress • Cultures emphasis on education/Family values/community cohesion • Structural changes in Gov. policy and changes in global economy • Grassroots organizations able to last into the 1980’s • Many were small business owners which gave access to “start up capital” • Rise in number on young Asian American professionals due to the removal of quotas at universities and more job opportunities for middle-class people of color

20. Increased Number of Neo-Conservatist Professionals • Born during the Regan-Bush ear • Experienced a time period of class and racial polarization. • Emphasize individual advancement through higher education • Proud to be Asian American and speak out against racism • Belief in ending affirmative action will result in ending racism • Oppose minority quotas admitted to universities • Belief that lack of advancement for other groups of color are due to their culture

21. Chinese Progressive Association (CPA)  • Founded in 1977, composed primarily of Chinese immigrants, most are workers in low-wage industries.  • Main Focus : Is on workers and improving their living and working conditions. 

22. Asian Immigrant Women Advocates (AIWA)  • Founded in 1983, it is a community-based organization. • Main Focus: To empower low-income, limited -English-speaking Asian immigrant women in their homes and their work places. 

23. Korean Immigrant Worker Advocates (KIWA)  • Founded in 1982, it is focused on low-income Korean immigrants in Los Angeles' Korea town  • Main Focus: Bringing labor issues to the forefront of the Asian American community, educating labor unions about the needs of Asian American workers, and forming coalitions with other forces in the city to deal with interethnic tensions 

24. The Future Vera Cruz  • Manong generation: came in the early twentieth century and worked in restaurants, fields, and hotels  • United Farm Workers (UFW): he helped develop the organization and now is the vice president  • Empowerment: Vera Cruz has defined the word empowerment as the “expansion of democracy for the many”. He also says that empowerment is not for an elite group of people. It is up the people to join together and develop their own ideas and then have leadership build from there.”

25. Cruz’s movement for liberation  • Compassion/solidarity/commitment  • “whiz kids”: growing poor population, increase of non excelling students, and large number of family owned businesses not making it • Need for change  

26. Latinos in the U.S. • Who are the new immigrants (as compared with historical figures)? • Where are the new destinations of these immigrants? • Why have most changed choice of destination (changed cities)? • What immigration patterns have there been in Oregon?

28. New Destinations • Where are the new destinations? • Changed cities • Patterns in Oregon

31. Latinos in the U.S. Continued… • What is the growth rate of native born Hispanics vs. foreign born Hispanics? • How many undocumented workers are there in Oregon? • What is the rate of growth of these undocumented workers? • What do we believe is the main underlying cause of immigration into the U.S.?

34. Latino Immigration • Immigration has been thought to be a direct result from the push factors from people’s home country. • Economic factors largely influence the numbers of immigrants flowing into the U.S. • When unemployment in the U.S. hit a record low at 3.9% immigration was at its peak. • At the highest unemployment rate the Mexican immigration was at its 15 year low.

35. Latinos in the U.S. conclusion • We have shown many graphs and tables made up of raw statistics from three major sources. • The statistics have shown us where most of the immigrants are coming from. • The statistics indicate how many of them are documented workers vs. undocumented workers. • Where the new destinations are for Hispanic immigrants. • The underlying causes of immigration.

36. Resistance

37. March 1968 - Chicano and Chicana high school students walked out of class to protest a racist educational system The “Blowouts” Began with several thousand students from six schools, and increase each day till 10,000 had struck Brought the largest cities school system to a halt First time Chicano students had marched in masses in demonstration against racism and educational change Be Down With The Brown

38. Combating repressive new anti-crime laws Re-election of right wing Gov. Pete Wilson To fight proposition 187- (the call to deny educational and health services to anyone suspected of being undocumented) The “Blowouts” focused on public schools for the reason that California’s public schools lose $17.20 for each un-excused absence per day Thirty Years Later New “Blowouts” Emerged

39. Racism in the school system was at the top of the list for the reasons of the new blowout wave Nation wide Latinos have the lowest high school graduation rate of any group Of every 100 Latinos who enter kindergarten only 55 graduate from high school. Of those 55, only 25 enter college, Of the 25, 7 finish Only 4 go on to graduate school and 2 finish Reasons

40. The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) was founded in 1995 with workers from Mexico, Guatemala, and Haiti October 1997, the CIW launched an “anti-slavery campaign” to call to public attention to sub-poverty wages in the tomato fields and orange groves Boycotting Taco Bell: The Coalition of Immokalee Workers

41. CIW discovers that the power is beyond the growers and focus attention at the large corporations Boycott Taco Bell because they are the largest consumers of the tomatoes they pick CIW gives demands to Taco Bell, there is no response from Taco Bell Focus Attention on Taco Bell

42. The coalition decided to target 16-24 year-olds, which was the largest consumer for Taco Bell CIW begins the Truth Tour receives a great deal of media attention Taco Bell

43. The Coalition of Immokalee       Workers • Students “booted the Bell” from campus or declared their campus a “Taco Bell-free zone” • Pressure toward the shareholders at the Yum Brands start to develop • Taco Bell has not reached the demands of CIW

44. Freedom Riders • Since 9/11, immigrant communities generally, Arab, Muslim, and South Asian communities in particular, feel besieged. The federal government has conducted random sweeps workplace raids, and carried out secret detentions and judicial proceedings, initiated special registration programs based on nationality, and deported established immigrants based on mere technicalities • Since 9/11, the government measures have ended up going too far, These measures target immigrants who have nothing to do with terrorism

45. Freedom Riders • The government’s actions have also made it more difficult for millions of immigrants to work and provide for their families and driving them further underground • This system keeps millions of hardworking immigrants from becoming full members and enjoying equal rights in this nation. Resulting in exploitation, separation from loved ones, and no protection by our laws 

46. Freedom Riders • The Immigrant Freedom Riders set out striving for Policies that work for immigrants and all Americans • Nearly 1,000 Immigrants joined in the cross county ride of 20,000 miles. Stopping at 100 cities to expose the injustice of current policies toward immigrants • They joined in various rallies and protests, and met with more than 120 members of Congress in their pushed for a road to citizenship

47. The immigrant Workers Freedom Ride ended in New York on Oct 4 More than 125,000 union and community supporters joined the workers who had crossed the country in effort to put immigration issues on the national political agenda for 2004

48. Northwest Treeplanters and Farmworkers United (PCUN) • PCUN=Pineros y Campesinos Unidos Del Noroeste • Oregon’s union of farmworkers, nursery, and reforestation workers, and Oregon’s largest Latino organization • PCUN’s fundamental goal is to empower farmworkers to understand and take action against systematic exploitation and all of its effects by being involved in community and workplace organizing

49. PCUN • Founded in 1985 PCUN has more than 5,000 registered members • Office is located in center of Oregon filtered agricultural industry in the mid-Willamette Valley, city of Woodburn • A cultural center for the Valleys Mexican community, Woodburn currently has a majority Latino population of just over 50%

50. What and Who is PCUN fighting for? • Oregon farm workers • Employees work long hours for low wages, with no overtime pay, paid breaks, seniority, job security, or other benefits • Seasonal workers often housed in squalid labor camps owned and operated by growers or labor contractors • Exposed to a myriad of chemicals and pesticides sprayed on crops and often lack the proper protective gear and training to apply pesticides • They also lack the right to collective bargaining, which is guaranteed to all other industries under the National Labor Relations Act