Communities each have their own cultures. As a Chinese American, I've found that Chinatowns act as a "safe haven" for many who share an ethnic identity. Yet there's also a negative side to these communities; stereotypes exist for all cultural groups. An example: when I visited the South Bronx, a Hispanic woman stated that everyone seemed to view a predominantly Hispanic/Puerto Rican community as "dangerous." In reality, the crime rate wasn't particularly greater in that community than the crime rates in any other neighborhood in America. However, not many individuals were willing to see past that stereotype. Chinatowns have often been wrongly viewed as "breeding grounds" for the "model minority" as well. How do you think we can raise awareness of these social issues? Why is it important to challenge these dominant narratives?
Felicity Wong
Aug 8, 2018How does being a second-generation immigrant influence how we experience the world? I’ve often asked this question of myself because although I was born and raised in an extremely affluent town in New Jersey, my parents come from a socioeconomically disadvantaged community in Hong Kong. They immigrated to the United States in the 80’s (my father to Europe first) to pursue their education, and our family has been here since. I have learned to recognize that I currently live a life of privilege, but my parents have not. In fact, they have risked livelihoods, opportunities, and relationships for me. Although I am more self-motivated than pressured by my parents when it comes to schooling, they have always made education a priority. They believe in living simply, practically, and frugally. They are religiously devout and continue to pass on their faith to my siblings and me every day. Are traits like these a common theme in immigrant families? Stereotypes about the “tiger mom” or strict, foreboding parenting have always existed and have been linked to Asian households, specifically. Are these stereotypes directly connected to Asian culture, or are they more related to “immigrant” culture -- the type of parenting given by people who have made tough sacrifices for the sake of the futures and education of their children?
I feel like the best cure for this is openness. Psychologically, humans do not like to feel excluded, and Chinatowns or other enclaves often feel very exclusive due to obvious language and culture barriers. This may prompt people to construe stereotypes because they don't know any better. Therefore, by making these places more accessible (i.e. by opening popular shops and downtowns in these areas with a larger english-speaking presence), all Americans will be able to see for themselves that people of different ethnicities are not what they were originally made out to be.