What Groups Comprise Asian-Americans?

1. What Groups Comprise Asian-Americans? “‘Asian’ refers to those having origins in any of the peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.” http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/p20-540.pdf

2. Population Size • As of March 2002 Asian Americans comprised 12.5 million, or 4.4% of the U.S. population. • During the 15 months preceding the March 2002 census, “the number of people who were part of this group increased 3.8 percent, more than triple the growth rate of the entire U.S. population.” • Asian Americans are the fastest growing ethnic group in the U.S http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/p20-540.pdf http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-ff05.html

3. Asian American Profile • These are the seven major Asian American groups that comprise the Asian American population in the U.S. This shows the percentage breakdown by country of origin: • Japan 8% • China 24% • Philippines 18% • Korea 11% • India 16% • Vietnam 11% • Other 12% Carr-Ruffino, 2003

4. Regions of Residence in the US • “Asian Americans are now the most urbanized U.S. population, with about 95% living in urban areas.” • Geographically concentrated in the West Coast and Hawaii. • More than one-third of single-race Asian Americans (4.1 million) live in • California. • Sizeable numbers also live in Hawaii (538,000), New York (1.2 Million), Texas (649,000), Illinois (481,000), and Florida (316,000). http://www.prb.org/Template.cfm?Section=PRB&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=9808 http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/p20-540.pdf

5. Wisconsin Population Breakdown http://www.censusscope.org/

6. Population Breakdown in Milwaukee http://www.censusscope.org/

7. Asian American Population Breakdown in Milwaukee http://www.censusscope.org/

8. Education • As of March 2002, 87% of Asian Americans, and 89% of non-Hispanic Whites had earned a high school diploma. • 50.9 % of Asians and Pacific islanders age 25 and older earned a bachelor's degree or higher as opposed to 31.7% for all other Americans. • Asians and Pacific islanders have the highest proportion of college graduates of any race or ethnic group. http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/p20-540.pdf http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-ff05.html

9. Asian Americans and Employment • 67% of Asian Americans are employed as opposed to 66% for all Americans • Filipino Americans, Asian Indian Americans, and Thai Americans all have an employment rate higher than 70%. • Over 11% of Asian Americans are self employed. • Asian and Pacific Islander-owned businesses in the United States totaled about 913,000, employed more than 2.2 million people and generated $306.9 billion in revenues in 1997. • In 2002, 6% of Asian Americans were unemployed. • Approximately 41% of Asian American men work in managerial and professional specialty jobs compared to 33.4% of Euro-American men, and 37.2% of Asian American women compared to 36.5% Euro-American women work in managerial and professional specialty jobs. Carr-Ruffino, 2003 http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/p20-540.pdf http://www.imdiversity.com/villages/asian/Article_Detail.asp?Article_ID=6478

10. Asian Americans and Income • In 2001, 40% of all Asian families had incomes of $75,000 or more compared to 35% of non-Hispanic White families. • Per capita income for Asians, after adjusting for inflation, is $24,277. • The annual median income of Asian households is the highest of any racial group at $ 52,626, as opposed to $45,086 for Euro-American households. • However, the average Asian American household consists of 3.2 people compared to the Euro-American family of 2.5 people. http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/p20-540.pdf Carr-Ruffino, 2003 http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-ff05.html http://ferret.bls.census.gov/macro/032003/hhinc/new02_008.htm

11. Employment Barriers • Glass or "bamboo ceiling“ • Cannot aspire to higher positions of management • Among Fortune 500 companies’ boards of directors totaling over 6,000 people, fewer than 25 Asian Americans represented in 1995. • Today, there are still fewer than 40, far less than 1%. • Pay Discrimination for Foreign-Born Asian Americans • Asian-American men earn $1.04 for every dollar earned by White men. • Asian-American women earned $1.15 for each dollar earned by White women. • Foreign born Asian American and Pacific Islander women’s median weekly earnings were only 70% of foreign born White men. http://www.committee100.org/Published/articles/091800.html http://www.redding.com/news/state/past/20030508state037.shtml

12. Employment Barriers Continued • Relative Ignorance • There is overall ignorance concerning Asian culture which leads to misconception and fallacy. • Racial Backlash • Many other minorities think of Asian business people as deceptive and cut throat or incapable of holding management positions http://faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/soc/355lect10.htm http://www.manaa.org/ www.asian-nation.org

13. Barriers to Employment Survey • A survey completed in 1994 documented the barriers Asian Americans feel they face. • Employee characteristics as barriers: • Written and verbal communication skills 25% • Lack of role models 18% • Interpersonal interaction styles 17% • Leadership ability 11% • When asked to identify all "company characteristics" which created obstacles, there was a strong perception of unequal treatment . • Barriers to career Advancement • Arbitrary and subjective promotional processes 40% • Lack of encouragement from supervisors 30% • Lack of role models 30% • Racial prejudice and stereotypes 25% http://modelminority.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=97

14. Asian American Culture • Asian Americans are the most diverse racial/ethnic group in the United States in terms of language, religion, and customs. • There are common values among Asian groups. • In regard to family, roles are clearly defined and emphasize duty, obligation, and ancestor worship. Family and it’s concerns come before personal desires. • With religion, Asian American preferences have been non-expansionist and non-denominational. • 20.2% of Asian Americans do not identify with any religion or faith http://www.prb.org/template.cfm?template=InterestDisplay.cfm&InterestCategoryID=209 http://www.asian-nation.org/religion.shtml

15. Asian American Culture Continued • Promote group harmony. Stress modesty/avoid open conflict. • Communicate indirectly or silently. • Hold education and hard work in high esteem. • Respect status hierarchy: elders revered, women subordinate to men. • Large amount of personal space. Carr-Ruffino, 2003

16. Asian American Stereotypes • Hollywood’s Portrayal • Women are romantic and exotic • Asian Men not as desirable as White Men • Asians cunning and savage (Jackie Chan, James Bond villians) • Normally portrayed with accents perpetuating the stereotype that all Asian Americans are foreign • All Asian Americans are the same • non-Asians have a very difficult time telling Asian Americans apart • Model Minority • viewed as studious, hard-working and quiet • excel in math and sciences, but fail in liberal arts subjects due to their disinclination to speak up • Leads to restrictions in higher learning institutions http://faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/soc/355lect10.htm http://www.manaa.org/ http://www.asian-nation.org/index.shtml http://www.bol.ucla.edu/%7Etiffloui/stereotypes.htm

17. Asian American Stereotypes Continued • Asian males as gang members • They have an intimate connection to their ancestral homeland • Asian American are not politicians or activists • influential activists as Bill and Yuri Kochiyama are often neglected or left out of the media • maintains the image of Asians as non-confrontational • All Asian Americans are foreigners • cultural differences have been used in American society to distance and separate Asian Americans as foreigners http://sun3.lib.uci.edu/~dtsang/aalgm.htm http://www.asian-nation.org/index.shtml www.bol.ucla.edu/%7Etifflovi/politic.htm

18. What Co-workers and Employers Should Know • Asian Americans are not all foreigners • While more than half of all Asians in the U.S. were born outside the U.S. it is incorrect to assume all were. • Because all Asian Americans are perceived as foreigners, it becomes easier to deny the same rights that other Americans take for granted-This is incorrect and must be changed. • Do not make assumptions concerning English proficiency, or lack there of. • Not all Asian Americans identify themselves with the same group • The generalization that certain beliefs or stereotypes about one or a few Asian Americans can be applied the entire Asian American population is simply incorrect. • Actions should be taken to educate management and workers on the differences. http://www.asian-nation.org/index.shtml

19. What Co-workers and Employers Should Know Continued • The model minority is a myth. • While many Asian Americans seek higher education the idea all strive to become specialty professionals such as doctors and lawyers is untrue. • This stereotype causes much stress for individuals trying to live up to it as they are not predisposed to this type of attitude/lifestyle. • Management and workers must not assume all Asian Americans are significantly more intelligent or hard working, possibly pigeon-holing them into certain career fields. www.Asian-nation.org http://www.bol.ucla.edu/%7Etiffloui/hardwork.htm

20. What Co-workers and Employers Should Know Continued • Simply put: Become Educated • Need to Recognize Asian Americans’: • Abilities • Values • Hard Work • Obligation to Family • Modesty and Humility Carr-Ruffino, 2003

21. Guest Speaker • Professor Kim • UWM Professor in the Economics Department • Degrees:Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Research Interests:Urban and Regional Economics, Economic Development

22. References • U.S. Census Bureau, March 2002. Current Population Survey. • Carr-Ruffino, 2003 • www.committee100.org • www.censusscope.org • www.prb.org • www.imdiversity.org • www.redding.com • www.modelminority.com • www.asian-nation.org • www.manaa.org • www.bol.ucla.edu • www.uci.edu