INSIDE BAMBOO OFFSHOOT

LA’s Jersey Shore: “K-Town” 8 / Vietnamese fishers in

the gulf 14 / Midwestern culture 17 / Japanese farming
in NY 20 / America through Asian eyes 25

VOLUME XVIII
ISSUE 1
FALL 2010
Fall 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
3 Editor’s Note
WEST
4 Dance crews
6 Bruce Cabanayan
8 K-Town Jersey Shore
SOUTH
10 Eaphy Mao
12 Political leaders
14 Vietnamese fishers
16 A brief history lesson
MIDWEST cover art by DIANA LING
17 Midwestern culture
18 Beibei Bai
NORTHEAST
20 Japanese Shumei
farming
22 Maithreyi Shankar
24 USC at a glance
25 Voices of immigrants
26 Opinion: “Asian
American” too broad
 Edi
BAMBOO OFFSHOOT
VOLUME XVIII | ISSUE 1

tor
FALL 2010

EDITORIAL BOARD Pssst… We’re mostly

’s
NIMISHA THAKORE online now! Check out our
Editor-in-Chief spankin’ new website for weekly

No
content about everything Asian
MICHELLE BANH
American under the sun (p. 26).
USC News Editor

te
PHILANA HO
Arts & Entertainment Editor Flower Mound, Texas, is 86 percent white.
No, that’s not an exaggeration, and yes, it’s really called Flower
ALYSON OWYANG Mound.
Opinion Editor
Flo Mo, as I affectionately call it, is where I did most of my growing up. It’s
DIANA LING an interesting thing, being Indian and American and Texan all at once.
DAVID LAU I don’t fit the Texan stereotype. Don’t care much about the Dallas Cowboys, don’t
Art & Design Editors have an accent, and I’m vegetarian to boot. But I’m still a proud Texan! Case in point: I am the
obnoxious owner of a 3’x5’ Texas flag.
ELIZABETH DENG I also don’t fit the Indian stereotype. Got my dad’s frizzy curls instead of a Bollywood
Managing Editor mane, don’t feel the need to marry a nice Indian boy, and likely to the chagrin of the entire
Indian community, I’ve decided to shun medicine, engineering and business to be a journalist.
ELAINE JIANG But I’m still a proud Indian! Case in point: I’ve learned classical Indian dance since I was 6.
Business Manager
Growing up in Texas, I never felt brown enough for the brown kids or white enough for the
white kids. I live in a strange space in between, and it took me a long time to realize that other
STAFF people live there too. This got me thinking: what is it like being Asian American across the
CONTRIBUTORS country?
Ivana Banh And so this issue is dedicated to the geographic diversity of Asian America. We don’t simply
Tiffany Banh exist in pockets on the East and West coasts. We exist everywhere and our environments at
Rebecca Gao least partly shape who we turn out to be. Read about Eaphy Mao, one of only 2 Asians in his
Chanel Hung high school class in Ponca City, Oklahoma (p. 10), Japanese-style farming in upstate New York
Stacy Kwok (p. 20), and even the three-headed monster that is “K-Town,” L.A.’s Asian version of “Jersey
Edwin Lee
Shore” (p. 8) – somewhat horrifying, but you can’t look away.
Cherise Osaki
Karen Pham We’ve tried our best to give you a snapshot of Asian American communities in the West,
Alekya Reddy South, Midwest, and Northeast, from coast to coast. Y’all enjoy now, ya hear?
Maithreyi Shankar
Anne Su Yours till the cows come home,
Chloe Wang
Yimu Xue
Vivian Yan
Rita Yeung

about us contact
We serve as both a sounding board and a resource for Bamboo Offshoot c/o
USC’s growing Asian Pacific American population. Bamboo Asian Pacific American Student Services
Offshoot is dedicated to educating its readers about issues University of Southern California
impacting the APA community both on campus and in the Student Union 410
surrounding LA area and features stories covering topics as Los Angeles, CA 90089
diverse as politics, entertainment and health.
http://BambooOffshoot.com

decoded EMAIL// bamboo@usc.edu

TWITTER// @BambooOffshoot
{APA} Asian Pacific American
{API} Asian Pacific Islander FB// Facebook.com/BambooOffshoot
{APASS} Asian Pacific American Student Services, the official
USC student services department Bamboo Offshoot is published with support from
{APASA} Asian Pacific American Student Assembly, a student- Campus Progress, online at CampusProgress.org.
run umbrella group that oversees APA organizations

FALL 2010 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | 3

 Asian American or not -- dance is all about the movement and
connection. C3 considers itself a team and a brotherhood.

West Coast Asian

Americans rock the
dance crew scene
Watch a few episodes of “America’s Best Dance Crew” and you’ll notice
a trend: many of its best crews are Asian American. And from the West
Coast, too. by ALEKYA REDDY / Photography by NIMISHA THAKORE
4 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | FALL 2010

Q
uest Crew, Kaba
Modern,Jabbawockeez,
and Poreotics are all
representative of two
worlds. Not only are the
groups all from the West Coast, they
represent an emerging culture of
Asian American dance crews.
Over the last decade, Asian
Americans have taken hip hop,
break dancing, choreography,
and robotics to new heights. So
famous are these current top crews
that MTV’s critically acclaimed
television show “America’s Best
Dance Crew” has been dominated
not only by West Coast crews but
Asian American West Coast crews.
From the Jabbawockeez to
Poreotics, the champions of the
majority of the seasons hail from the
Southern California region.
Their display of dancing
prowess shows not only an
exodus of talent from the area but
also an Asian American interest
in displaying athleticism that
challenges the stereotypical molds.
Break dancing, often considered
one of the most physically taxing
sports in existence, is no small feat.
It’s a sport full of artistic concepts
that require hours of practice and
training to execute.
The top crews have become
vanguards for the Asian American
community. They show that doing
what you love, even if it is not
a traditional profession, can still
be a worthwhile pursuit. With
their examples of hard work and
success, they break the traditional
stereotypes of Asian Americans.
What is it about dance that
draws Asian Americans? It’s more
than just an idea; it’s a lifestyle
choice. It’s a culture that has taken
hold of the West Coast and has
challenged succeeding generations
of dancers to follow their passions.
One of the most influential
aspects of these crews is their
role in inspiring new generations
of dancers on college campuses.
USC’s own Chaotic 3, for example,
is more than just a team. It’s
a brotherhood of likeminded
individuals who share a common
passion.
“I think being Asian American
definitely allows me to connect with
the many other Asian American
dancers on the team,” said Richard
Wang, a USC sophomore and C3
member. “To be honest, I don't
know why or how Asians just came
to be the majority of the hip hop
dance team. But culturally, Asian
Americans are able to bond more
easily to other Asian Americans.”
According to Wang, C3 goes
out for bubble tea and ramen all
the time – “definitely an Asian
American thing to do.”
Chaotic 3 is a major presence
in the Southern Californian hip
hop scene. Upcoming competitions
include All-Cal and Maxt Out. In
the past, the group has attended
competitions such as Prelude and
WEST
Vibe, competing
against teams from various
universities all around California.
It’s not always easy to
juggle the image of being an
Asian American crew while also
searching for new opportunities
to dance. Some crews participate
in events that showcase their
heritage, such as Los Angeles’s
Asian Culture Day and the Asian
American and Pacific Islander
Voter Registration Concert. But
others have had to contend with
the issues of negative stereotyping
and being compared unfairly to
other crews because of their Asian
backgrounds.
In an interview with MTV’s
Remote Control Blog, a member
of the Asian American Fr3sh
Crew emphasized the group’s
desire to be dancers before Asian
Americans.
"We are an all-Asian crew and
we embrace our heritage, but we
want to be thought of as dancers,
not Asian dancers," crew leader
Adrian Causing told Remote
Control. "There is nothing wrong
with being compared to those
crews, but we feel we have more
to offer.”
Still, this dance culture
persists and attracts more Asian
followers each day. A new
movement for the pursuit of
artistic passion in the West Coast
Asian American community?
It seems so. •
FALL 2010 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | 5
WEST

Out of the
desert,
parched
cultural
roots start
to grow
USC senior Bruce Cabanayan
discovered his Filipino culture
here, after growing up in a
small, predominantly white
suburb of Phoenix, Ariz.

Story & photography by

house, charmingly enclosed by a of Phoenix.
TIFFANY BANH white fence and cheery flowers. As an Asian American

B
ruce Cabanayan wasn’t
hard to spot through the
students crowded in the
shade alongside Tommy
Trojan.
The 20-year-old USC senior
had donned a light blue polo and
khaki shorts, sporting an outfit
that embodied his put-together yet
laid-back personality. After initial
introductions, we hopped on our
bikes and made our way to his
Inside was no different.
Cabanayan’s warmth radiated
off the sand-colored walls and
he was instantly at home.
In fact, he hadn’t always
referred to Los Angeles as home
until moving his life here four
years ago to pursue a degree
in biochemistry. Born in San
Diego, Calif., Cabanayan and
his family later relocated to
Chandler, Ariz., a small suburb
among a predominantly
Caucasian population, Cabanayan
occasionally felt the sparseness
of the Asian community. Because
of the large ratio of Caucasians
to Asians, Cabanayan felt the
students at his school formed
assumptions about him. He never
thought the issue of ethnicity was
an outright problem – just that
there was something separating
the Asian community from the

6 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | FALL 2010

rest.
“I was stereotyped or
overlooked,” he said. “And they
placed expectations on you that
you’re quiet, which I definitely
lived up to in a lot of aspects, but
there is also so much more to me.”
But the culture clash
disappeared when Cabanayan
arrived at USC. Here, he has
been able to explore his Filipino
roots through his involvement
with Troy Philippines. TroyPhi
is an organization that immerses
university students in Filipino
culture.
Cabanayan has taken on
various roles in TroyPhi, from
acting at the forefront of its
annual culture show as a freshman
to coordinating the show as a
sophomore to currently serving as
president.
However, as a freshman,
Cabanayan was baffled by the
existence of a club just for
Filipinos.
“Here, I was very much
surprised by different aspects of
the culture that I wasn’t used to,”
Cabanayan said. “I didn’t know
there was a whole club dedicated
to bringing Filipinos together.
So it was very different coming
from Arizona just because of the
composition of races.”
There was something of a
lack of cultural roots growing
up in Arizona. This void drove
Cabanayan’s involvement with
TroyPhi so that he became its
president. Because of USC, he
went from having little knowledge
of to becoming the epitome of
Filipino culture.
“It’s been a blessing that I
got to come here and learn more
about the culture,” he said.
Besides the cultural distinction
between Arizona and Los Angeles,
Cabanayan feels that another
difference is the friendliness of
Californians. When going home,
he often finds that he must readjust
back to Arizona’s traditionalist
nature.
“Everyone in Arizona is
more conservative. Coming here,
everyone is hugging and everyone
is loud. Just because I wasn’t used
to it, the friendliness of everyone
was almost overwhelming at first,”
“They placed
expectations on you
that you’re quiet,
which I definitely
lived up to in a lot of
aspects, but there is
also so much more to
me.”
Cabanayan said.
His defining college memory
is taking the stage as a freshman
for TroyPhi’s culture show. The
last time he had been on stage
was when he played Peter Pan in
elementary school. Playing the lead
role reinvigorated his lost interest
in acting.
To Cabanayan, being able
to showcase his talent at Bovard
Auditorium was an incredible
sense of achievement. The
experience sparked his initiative to
declare a theatre minor.
When he’s not spending
time on stage, Cabanayan
is completing his studies in
biochemistry.
Coming from Arizona, where
the educational climate wasn’t
extremely competitive, he had
the misconception that college
wouldn’t be much different than
high school. He soon found
himself fighting to prove to his
professors that he belonged
alongside other top students.
Since he was in the Resident
Honors Program, a program
offered by USC for high school
juniors to begin college a year
early, he especially felt the
pressure to measure up with his
peers.
But Cabanayan eventually
realized overshadowing his peers
was not most important.
“It’s more about being
here to learn and challenging
yourself,” he said.
As a senior preparing for
graduation, Cabanayan entertains
many possibilities for his future:
Teach For America, medical
school, social work, or even
activism.
He has too many passions to
stick to a particular line of work
for too long. It’s likely he’ll find
himself tackling any or even all
of these possibilities. Regardless
of what he decides to pursue,
he knows that he will have the
support of his family and friends.
“I want to keep a lot of
options open. But it’s kind of
scary right now because I don’t
have a very set life. If anything,
college has shown me that
through hard times, you need
to have those people to support
you,” Cabanayan said.
Lessons well learned by a
small town kid from Arizona
turned big city dreamer. •
FALL 2010 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | 7
WEST
Jersey Shore
goes Asian in
LA’s Koreatown
A group of 8 Asian Americans are the new stars of an Asian spin-off of
MTV’s “Jersey Shore,” set in our very own backyard.
H
ow to break down the
beat at Club Karma.
Defending yourself from
grenades.* GTL.**
These are just a few lessons we’ve
learned from the classy guidos
and guidettes of Seaside Heights,
the stars of MTV’s latest reality
television hit, “Jersey Shore.”
The show revolves around a
group of 8 roommates who hook
up, get low, and fist pump until
their tans melt off. With standout
caricatures like Snooki or The
Situation, America is exposed
to an extreme version of Italian
Americans who have received
numerous amounts of backlash due
to their inappropriate, disorderly
conduct.
Intrigued by this concept,
rapper-actor-model Tyrese Gibson
of “Transformers” fame believed he
could monetize on an opportunity
to introduce to America a new,
previously unheard of culture.
“I want sexy, wild, personality, I
want hot tubs, sex scenes,” Gibson
has said in interviews. “At the
same time, I want people to know
8 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | FALL 2010
the many different layers and
characteristics… I want people to
know that Asians have layers…
We’ve got insecurities…
heartaches… challenges… I want
to capture all of that on camera
for all the world to see.”
Thus we are introduced to a
new monstrous hybrid: a reality
show starring Asian Americans
based in downtown Los Angeles’
Koreatown. Each character seems to be an
“K-Town” is immersed
with, as a Craigslist casting
advertisement calls for,
“interesting, attractive, colorful
Asian-Americans with lively,
strong, and unique personalities
between the ages of 18 to 30
with equally interesting life
stories and perspectives to share,
especially individuals who know
about and/or experienced the
Koreatown life.”
The cast – Young Lee,
Joe Cha, Peter Le, Steve Kim,
Jennifer Field, Scarlet Chan,
Violet Kim, and Jasmine Chang
– is a glorified Asian version of
the original characters of “Jersey
by YIMU XUE
Shore.” We are introduced to a new
type of Asian American, ranging
from the juiced muscle head
gorillas (hold the hoisin sauce) to
the platinum blonde diva.
Throw away any conceptions
of a studious, reserved, and
conventional Asian – these people
love to party and go wild.
But is it a carbon copy of an
already established TV show?
Asian replica of a “Jersey Shore”
member: The Situ-Asian; a
miniature mom who resembles
Snooki; an erotic model whose
outlandishness resembles
JWoww’s.
But when all the booze
stops pouring and the rooms stop
spinning, it gets one thinking: Who
are these people?
Scarlet Chan’s blog is
dedicated “to my hookers, whores,
and cross-dressers... to my mother
who taught me strength and
courage... to the gays who embrace
my slutty ways... I heart you.”
Jennifer Field, the only non-
full-Asian cast member, is “a
Who says getting crazy is just for guidos and guidettes? The shameless stars of “K-Town” like to
party, too. From left: Young Lee, Jennifer Field, Joe Cha, Scarlet Chan, Violet Kim, Peter Le, Steve
Kim, Jasmine Chang.
Eurasian actor recently relocated
to Los Angeles,” supposedly
trying to claim her 15 minutes of
fame.
Joe Cha’s Facebook name is
Joe Knuckles Cha.
What kind of image are they
trying to portray, let alone bring
forth as a new vision of Asian
Americans everywhere?
Defying established
stereotypes in America has
been a major issue for all races
and ethnicities, but especially
Asian Americans. Not only
is there an extremely limited
amount of Asian Americans on
TV, but those that do get the
opportunities to shine are outdated
misrepresentations of the Asian
American people.
It’s the age-old debacle
of increasing Asian American
exposure on television and having a
culture so misrepresented on TV.
Drunken renditions of K-Pop
at karaoke bars. Sake bombing and
Korean barbecue. BCD.***
Perhaps a few of the lessons we
can take from “K-Town”: both a
defiance of and a new resource for
Asian stereotypes. •
*To those out of the loop: a gre-
nade is defined by TMZ as “an ugly
chick who tags along with her hot
friend.” Hey, we don’t make this
stuff up.
**GTL: Gym, Tan, Laundry, the
daily prescription for maximum
freshness.
***BCD: Buk Chang Dong, an
area of Seoul, South Korea, made
famous by Koreatown’s BCD Tofu
House.
FALL 2010 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | 9
SOUTH
J
unior Eaphy Mao seems like
your average USC student in
Los Angeles: jeans, a tan, a
friendly smile and a love for
football. And then you hear
he’s from Oklahoma.
What?
It’s alright – he gets that reaction
a lot.
“And I totally understand,” said
by VIVIAN YAN Mao. “Because before I moved there,
when I was told by my parents I was
moving there, I was like, ‘What?
Why?’”
Though he was not born in
Oklahoma, Mao, a self-described
American-born Chinese, has lived in
the South for the majority of his life.
He moved from Texas to Florida to
a suburb outside Atlanta, Georgia,
before settling in Ponca City, Okla.
Ponca City is a small place of 25,000

Southern
in north-central Oklahoma that is
comfortably outnumbered by USC’s
student body of 35,000.
Among those students, more
than 10,000 are Asian – a striking

hospitality
contrast to Mao’s hometown
demographics.
“I was one of two Asian kids
in my class of 300,” said Mao. “So
there were maybe 10 Asians in my

with an Asian twist

Photography by STACY KWOK

10 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | FALL 2010

USC junior Eaphy Mao was one of two Asians in his high school class. He’s
learned more about being Asian American at USC, but the charm of the
South still has his heart.
high school out of 1,500.” fried chicken in particular – and
Mao, a business and Chinese passionately roots for his home team
double major, knew all the other at football games.
Chinese people in his town, which “Football’s like a way of life
amounted to a total of 20 or 30 people. there,” said Mao, who played football,
“It’s like a circle of friends,” said cross country and track in high school.
Mao. “You know all the Chinese kids “Like here, ’SC football fans,
and then your parents know each other we go and when we’re up by 20, we
and… on holidays we’d all get leave. But there, they get excited
together.” about the game probably a week
But outside of his before. And then they
home life, Mao “You’ve heard of stay for the entire
describes himself as game. And then after
“just another guy” in his the term Southern the game, that’s all
town, absorbing many hospitality? It’s they talk about for like
facets of Southern basically just like the next half-week.”
culture into his own Mao also recalls
personality. He that.” celebrating other
espouses a die-hard American traditions
love for soul food – with a similar
exuberance unique to the South,
largely due to the openness of
Oklahoma’s landscape. In Southern
California, not everyone will buy
fireworks from stands for the Fourth
of July, but according to Mao, it’s a
common practice down South.
“My friends and I, during the
summer, would usually go and pool
a bunch of money together, spending
like $300 on fireworks, and just shoot-
ing them off for hours,” said Mao. “In
the country, no one really cares in the
middle of nowhere. Everyone does it.”
Though Mao “grew up in an all-
American way,” his parents tried to
keep him in touch with his Chinese
heritage. They sent him to Chinese
school to learn the language and took
him to China to visit his relatives.
Yet the mix of Chinese and
Southern backgrounds led Mao, like
many other American-born Asians,
to struggle finding a balance between
cultures.
“When I was younger, I tried
to do everything I could to be more
white, because all my friends were
white and I just wanted to fit in
with them,” said Mao. “But then
as I got older, I’ve gotten more and
more interested in Asian culture.”
Coming to USC also influenced
Mao’s desire to explore his Chinese
heritage further, partly because of
the sizeable Asian population on
campus.
“I felt like I knew a lot less
about Asian culture,” said Mao.
“They [other students] knew the
dates of all the Asian holidays, or
they’d eat Asian food. Like I had
no idea what boba was before I
came here, and they were more
used to hanging out with Asians
than I was.”
Mao now looks toward
having a career that eventually
takes him to China. But he still
wants to live mainly in the Ameri-
can South, evidence of his obvious
love for its people and lifestyle.
“You’ve heard the term
Southern hospitality? It’s basically
just like that,” said Mao. “It seems
like people there just care more or
are more interested in you when
they meet you. They’re just
friendly for friendliness’ sake.
They’re just friendly because it’s
the right thing to do.”
Mao admits with
practicality and a wry grin that
Oklahoma wouldn’t be his first
choice to settle in (“I’m a business
major, right? There’s not a whole
lot there”). But it’s clear that his
love for the South, with its fried
chicken, its football and its people,
will have him living there again. •
FALL 2010 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | 11
SOUTH
 Political leaders
rise from the South
The South gave birth to jazz, bourbon, Elvis Presley, fried anything and now: a
handful of strong Asian American political leaders.
by IVANA BANH / Art by EDWIN LEE

A
lthough Asians only make up a mere 4.6 percent of the United States’ population, several
political leaders of Asian descent are beginning to make their mark in history. Vietnamese
Americans made up 45 percent of Hurricane Katrina’s victims – a statistic that strongly urged people
like Anh Joseph Cao to aid in the recovery of many of those who could not speak English. Other
Asian American political leaders have also been prompted to rise to power in order to aid the
growing Asian population. As can be seen from the accomplishments of leaders like Bobby Jindal and Harry
Lee, their strong cultural connections with the people have clearly been beneficial. •

BOBBY JINDAL In 2008, Bobby Jindal was sworn in as the governor of Louisiana. At the age of 36, Jindal
was not only one of the youngest but also one of the few Indian Americans to take
political office. Jindal was born in Baton Rouge, La., on June 10, 1971, to parents who had emigrated from
India several years earlier. The first-generation baby attended both Brown and Oxford Universities and
completed a two-year stint as a consultant for numerous Fortune 500 companies. Jindal also aided in
rebuilding Louisiana, which was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. After a multitude of accomplishments with
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Jindal emerged as one of the most favored candidates for
governor. Since his election, Jindal has been heavily involved with Louisiana’s Hurricane Katrina recovery and
medical and taxing policies.

“King” Harry Lee served 28 years as the sheriff of Jefferson Parish, La., before his death in
HARRY LEE October 2007. Lee was born in 1932 to a Chinese family in New Orleans. He attended
Louisiana State University and Loyola Law School. Lee worked as a right-hand man for a congressman and
was quickly inspired to pursue politics. He ran for sheriff in 1979 and easily defeated his opponent. During his
political career, Lee was often accused of racism. He had been known for barricading to separate races and for
unjust court cases against African Americans. Despite the accusations, Lee’s loyalty to the citizens won him six
re-elections. Lee’s final accomplishments included his quick evacuation of the Parish during Hurricane Katrina,
as well as his patrol of the area after the storm. “The Chinese Cowboy” died of leukemia several months after
Katrina, leaving behind a wife, daughter, and two grandchildren.

Cao’s childhood in Vietnam during the 1970s may very well have inspired him to devote
AHN JOSEPH CAO his life to social equity. After eight years in Saigon, he emigrated to Houston, Texas, as a
refugee following the Vietnam War. Cao’s mother shipped him and two siblings out just three days before the Fall of
Saigon. His father was serving in the Southern Vietnamese Army.
Cao started a new life in the U.S., initially intending to become a Jesuit priest. After graduating with degrees from
Baylor and Fordham Universities and Loyola Law School, Cao became a legal counsel and later part of the
National Advisory Council of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. As a member of the Conference, Cao aided in
the recovery of Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina. In 2007, Cao was nominated to head the Louisiana
Republican Party and as a delegate to Minneapolis. Cao’s political efforts eventually earned him the title of
Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District Representative as well as the first Vietnamese American and Vietnam native in
the U.S. Congress.

FALL 2010 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | 13

SOUTH

t
rdn pi l l mo s a
Ga e s , for per
er, in M re
ute y.
im

rs.
a
Se bou s, La n shr

Re
ra i a
.
oto tion Bu od
Ph rma ng in amb

an t th
inf eeti e & C

a
a m mes

by
tna

o
Vie

Louisian
a’s Vietna
rebuilt it mese Am
self after er
Hurrican ican community
e Katrina
...

M
ore than 1 million
people fled Vietnam
after the fall of Saigon
at the end of the Vietnam
War 35 years ago.
Thousands died trying to escape the
country via boat. Those who survived
became refugees, most settling in
North America, Europe and Australia.
The United States accepted
823,000 Vietnamese refugees who
came to rebuild their lives.
In the face of struggles
establishing a new life in a foreign
land, Vietnamese Americans have
rapidly built strong and resilient
communities throughout the U.S.
One such community established
itself in New Orleans.
Perhaps finding the tropical
weather familiar to home, the
Vietnamese found New Orleans a
perfect place to settle. Even more, the
Catholic community there sponsored
many Vietnamese refugees
14 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | FALL 2010
but now it faces another crisis at sea:
recovering from the BP oil spill.
following the Vietnam War. Most of
the population became involved in
the fishing and shrimping industries
and through the years developed a
thriving network that has come
together, especially in the midst of
disaster.
In Louisiana, there are about
25,000 Vietnamese Americans,
according to the New Orleans
Tourism Marketing Corporation. Of
those, 6,000 live in a concentrated
area of New Orleans East. Roughly
80 percent of Vietnamese Americans
in the Gulf region have ties to the
fishing industry, whether it be as
seafood restaurant owners, vendors,
or fishermen.
These fishermen’s ties to the
sea trace back to their roots, back
to Vietnam, where many fishermen
relied on the sea to fuel their
livelihoods.
Hurricane Katrina ripped
through the Gulf Coast in 2005,
leaving the region devastated
physically and financially.
A public housing
neighborhood named Versailles is
home to many Vietnamese
Americans on the outskirts of New
Orleans. In the wake of the
damage, the Vietnamese congre-
gated to rebuild their existence.
With little government funding, the
community reconstructed Versailles
faster than other neighborhoods in
New Orleans. The local
government attempted to imple-
ment a landfill harboring toxic
 Vietnam
ese
America
n fishers
in the G
hit hard u l f
again by CHAN
E L HUNG
waste from the nearby hurricane. The
community rallied together to protest
against the city’s will, forming one
voice to save their neighborhood.
Now, Vietnamese Americans
dependent on the Gulf of Mexico
for survival face another crisis. The
British Petroleum oil spill that started
in April and gushed for three months
has left many out of work and with
many bills to pay.
This time, recovery is uncertain.
Many Vietnamese Americans
have lost their jobs now that fishing
zones are restricted and there is no
work available. Fishers are bringing
in less than half the yield normally
produced in the Gulf waters. Without
jobs, the Vietnamese American
community struggles to pay off
mortgages and bills.
“Entire livelihoods are affected,
and there may not be an immediate
recovery due to the environmental
impacts of the spill,” said Mai Phan,
a Vietnamese lawyer who works with
the Vietnamese American Bar
Association’s efforts to help the
New Orleans community.
But while many need assistance,
few actively seek it, quite possibly
due to cultural norms. Vietnamese
Americans are self-driven hard
workers and have always managed
to rebuild from scratch. It is no
surprise that they are a proud people.
Accepting government-sponsored
assistance is equivalent to accepting
charity in a community that deems
accepting handouts a sign of
weakness.
The legal fight is another battle
all its own. The lengthy and
complex legal documents that are
supposed to offer compensation for
damages have proven to be tedious
and unhelpful.
Many Vietnamese Americans,
especially the older generation, are
not fluent in English. With such a
strong community and knowledge
about their trade, English isn’t a
necessity. Yet this language barrier
has hindered Vietnamese Americans
in pursuit of filing claims against
BP to gain compensation. More-
over, BP offers only about half the
amount of revenue these fishermen
would be earning if the Gulf were
clean and healthy.
A gloomy future lies ahead for
Vietnamese Americans in the Gulf
region. Until BP successfully cleans
up the spill, disastrous environ-
mental and economic implications
remain for those who rely on the
sea to maintain their livelihoods.
For such a strong, hardworking
community, idleness and powerless-
ness during BP’s inaction is painful.
There is no doubt, however, that
the Vietnamese people will pull
through the oil crisis and become
stronger than ever. •
FALL 2010 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | 15
SOUTH
Asians in
F
rom as early as the
mid-1800s, people

America: Putting
from Asian
countries have
immigrated to the

APA immigration
United States seeking better
lives. With assurances of
prosperity and opportunities
abound, the U.S. has and

on the map
continues to play the role of
the promised land for many
foreigners.
Filipinos expected just that when
they settled in modern day Louisiana in the
1760s. Arriving by Spanish galleons – broad, multi-
decked ships – that stopped in Mexican ports, these Asian by MICHELLE BANH
pioneers deserted their maritime posts to make their way into
America. Once settled, Filipinos began forming shrimping
villages that have lasted to this day.
Roughly 80 years later, Chinese and Indian immigrants came to the U.S., though
under extremely unsavory circumstances. With the abolition of the slave trade recently
underway, British and Spanish colonialists were running short on African slaves. Before long, South
China and India became the new “it” locations to find replacement laborers. These Chinese and Indian
individuals were ultimately “recruited” to work at remote sugar and cotton plantations.
Approximately 250,000 Chinese and 500,000 Indians were transported to America under this new system of
slavery.
It was not until 1848 that Asians voluntarily immigrated to the U.S. in significant numbers. Lured by the promise of
wealth at “Gold Mountain” (a Chinese nickname for California during the Gold Rush), Chinese immigrants flocked to
America in record numbers. While some became miners, others worked as smalltime merchants, gardeners, and
domestics.
Then in 1865, the Transcontinental Railroad project revolutionized transportation and effectively established Asian
social standing in America.
As the Union Pacific worked westward from Nebraska and the Central Pacific worked eastward from Sacramento, the
two companies hired roughly 3,000 Chinese immigrants to take part. Although they worked strenuous hours –
often without fair pay – and sacrificed a number of their lives in the process, the Chinese were ultimately left out of any
celebrations when the railroad was complete.
Anti-Chinese sentiments came to a head in 1882 with the Chinese Exclusion Act, which stopped all
immigration from China and denied citizenship to any Chinese already in the U.S.
Such were the beginnings of Asian immigration to America – not always positive, but
definitive of the Asian American community today.
“When I read about how Asians used to be persecuted by Americans in
history, I feel a sense of happiness that we have moved so far from that now that
Americans can embrace being Asian,” said Jenny Liu, a USC freshman from
Fremont, Calif.
Though the Asian American community has had its fair share
of obstacles in immigrating to this country, its tremendous
efforts to build and foster an Asian American identity
from the ground up has forever impacted the millions
of people living in America today. •
Chinese railroad workers line the Transcontinental
Railroad, buried in snow. Roughly 3,000 Chinese were
recruited to work on the railroad project,
which started in 1865.
 MIDWEST
From cornfields to opportunity:
A new generation of
Midwestern Asian Americans
The Midwest historically represented everything Asian immigrants
left behind: farming, lack of opportunity, and empty open spaces.
But that’s all changing. by MAITHREYI SHANKAR

M
idwestern Asian culture – just In the Minnesota counties of Ramsey and
digest those three words for Hennepin, the Asian population growth stood at an
a second. 81 percent increase from previous years in 2001,
Historically, Asians came to the according to Minnesota Public Radio.
United States predominantly on the “Due to having a lesser presence of
West and East Coasts through the ports of minorities, students do not segregate as often,” said
Angel Island in San Francisco Bay and Ellis Island Ayane Nishi, a freshman neuroscience and
in New York for those who came through Europe or psychology student from Hennepin County, Minn.
around Africa. The coasts According to Nishi, there are
allowed easier access to the The Midwest is certain Asian ethnicities that are larger
homeland, a wealth of opportunity in number and do have a tendency
through port cities, and a way to now booming to congregate, but for the most part
break in and assimilate to a new economically, Asians assimilate into groups.
culture. fostering more “Asian parents will have get-
Middle America, quite togethers, and then their children will
appropriately, became abandoned migration of Asians. also become friends that way,” said
by Asians in their early years Nishi, herself an immigrant from
because it represented all they left Japan.
behind at home: farming, little opportunity, and Immigrant parents, having come to a new
wide open spaces. Especially during the explosions country, desire that cultural identity of the food,
of the Asian population in the late 1800s and the language, and values from their homelands, but
early 1900s, America meant a new day and a new they also seek to integrate into the American
life – neither of which the Midwest represents. culture and value system.
However, the Midwest is now booming “However, I don’t know how it is for people in
economically, boasting a strong economy and other parts of the Midwest,” Nishi said, drawing
balanced by growing cityscapes and open attention to the fact that the Midwest is a very large
cornfields. This growth has fostered more region with a lot of diversity to offer in terms of
migration of Asians to this region. According to ways of life and culture.
Asian-Nation.org, a site about the growth and The Asian American community will have
demographics of Asian Americans in the U.S., the to keep a close watch on the Midwest to see how
city of Chicago, for example, is now 4.3 percent diversity and Asian culture grow there in the years
Asian American. to come. •

FALL 2010 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | 17

MIDWEST
Story & photography
by CHLOE WANG
with NIMISHA THAKORE
Growing up in Ohio,
senior Beibei Bai
didn’t consider herself
Asian American. That
was an identity she
discovered only after
leaving the Midwest.
18 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | FALL 2010
B
eibei Bai never
considered herself
“Asian American” until
she came to USC.
“I appreciate my
culture more because when I was
growing up, I wasn’t always
surrounded by it,” said Bai, a
senior majoring in business
administration, who until a few
years ago thought of herself as an
American born in China.
After living seven years in
China, Bai moved to Beavercreek,
Ohio, and started life as a
Midwestern girl. Her years in
China defined her move to the
Midwest, and her years in the
Midwest in turn defined her
learning experiences as an Asian
American at USC.
In China, Bai attended a private
primary school in Tianjin for two
years. The school was so rigorous
that she didn’t have to relearn the
things she was taught up to second
grade until middle school in Ohio.
Because of that, a lot of Bai’s
friends in the United States thought
she was good at math – a common
Asian stereotype.
“Everyone thought I was great
at math, but it was just… I’ve done it
already,” she said with a laugh.
 A “whitewashed”
Midwesterner
finds her color
As it turns out, being from
Ohio made for an interesting
experience for a young Chinese
immigrant.
“I think it was a great place
to grow up because it has an
all-American feel, but at the same
time, it wasn’t the most exciting
place,” Bai said. “It made the
transition from a different culture
easier and harder at the same
time. It was a complete culture
shock for me but at the same
time, everyone was so nice.”
According to Bai, she had a
typical American childhood – one
that included not considering
herself Asian American.
“I think where I’m from,
there was not a strong and solid
Asian American identity,” she
said. “There wasn’t that many
Asian Americans and I think I
purposely made myself not be
friends with a lot of Asian
Americans that were at school
because I didn’t want to fit the
stereotype. I wanted to do what I
wanted to do.”
Bai was a self-proclaimed
“whitewashed” kid but still
culturally aware. Her parents
taught her to keep speaking
Mandarin and encouraged her
understanding of Chinese
culture.
She did not realize how much
of an advantage she had until she
came to USC. Here, she met plenty
of Chinese Americans who didn’t
fit her assumption that they knew
Chinese because they were
surrounded by it in Los Angeles.
“Their Chinese is terrible
because maybe their parents told
them that ‘You want to reform,
you want to be more American,’”
she said. “But my parents were
like, ‘You will learn English, don’t
worry. The entire world around
you speaks English but you will
pick that up, especially when you
are young. But the Chinese identity
is what you should worry about
because that’s the one thing you
might lose.’”
Bai was at first “freaked out”
by the Asian American culture at
USC, but she delved right into
exploring it. As a freshman, she
joined a six-week program called
CIRCLE (Critical Issues in Race,
Class, and Leadership
Education), hosted by Asian Pacific
American Student Services to en-
courage students’ education about
Asian American history and issues.
“I think for me it was very
eye-opening because I had no idea
about Asian American culture,” Bai
said. “It really taught me a lot of
things about the Asian
communities that I didn’t know
and made me more aware in
everything I do.”
She feels that there are many
things that can be done to make
the Asian American community
stronger. Bai thinks much of
Asian America is more
preoccupied with the small things
while missing out on the bigger
picture – within the Asian
American community, there often
tends to be a lot of competition
between ethnic groups.
That being said, Bai
believes that if there are more
people helping each other and
really bringing the community
together, it could have a brighter
future.
“That’s a detriment to the
entire community because there’s
not enough solidarity to help one
another out,” she said.
Now that Bai has found her
place in the Asian American
community at USC, she has some
well-learned advice to give to
others.
“Don’t let your race or your
ethnicity hold you back, but at
the same time don’t ever forget
it, because that’s what makes you
special,” she said. “Whether you
think it or not, it will
eventually help you.” •
FALL 2010 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | 19
NORTHEAST
Japanes e f a r m i n g
o p hy t ra n s p l a nte d
phi l o s
to t h e U S
ote Ca t s k il
In the rem
p a n e s e f amily con
aJ a
u lt u r e f a rming.
ric
natural ag
“I
t’s a very local, small
operation,” said Akemi
Imai, a USC alum, of her
workplace this summer:
a farm run by a Japanese
family in upstate New York.
In the summer of 2010, after
graduating from USC in May with
a bachelor’s degree in international
relations, Imai interned at the Natural
Agriculture Farm at Maplecrest and
Hunter Village in the Catskill
Mountains of New York. Out of
curiosity and an inclination to try new
things, Imai left the bustling city to
help tend a natural agriculture farm.
“The farmers have a very
personal relationship with the people
who buy the produce. They [the
products] taste wonderful, and I wish
they could be expanded to more
people… They tend to have a richer
taste, more flavorful,” she said.
The Natural Agriculture Farm is
part of the Catskill Mountain
Foundation, which promotes the arts,
20 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | FALL 2010
lf - a c re f a r m run by
ls o f N e w York, a ha
t h e p
t in u e s p racticing
by ANNE SU / Art by RITA YEUNG
education, and sustainable living in
the region. Founded in 1999, the
half-acre farm grows a variety of
crops: tomatoes, lettuces, radishes,
carrots, potatoes, green beans, and
even the Japanese greens shungiku
and komatsuna.
Farm director Kenji Ban was
originally a farmer with Shumei
Natural Agriculture in Japan.
Shumei’s emphasis on the
integrity of nature to produce pure
and wholesome foods for the people
is deeply connected with spirituality
and physical relationships between
people and the earth.
Ban was born and raised in
Japan, where he obtained a
bachelor’s degree in agricultural
science from Kochi University. He
practiced natural agriculture in
Japan for four years before moving
to Pomona, Calif., in 1997.
The director of the John Lyle
Center for Regenerative Studies at
Pomona’s California Polytechnic
h il o s ophy of
University was interested in the
Shumei method of farming.
“She actually wrote some
articles about natural agriculture,
and she was interested in natural
agriculture,” said Ban. “She told
Shumei America Center and then
she asked someone to start natural
agriculture here [New York].
Shumei decided to send me there.”
Ban moved to the Catskills
village in 2000 to carry out the
Shumei philosophy.
In natural agriculture,
nothing else is needed besides seeds,
good soil and clean water. Natural
fertilizers such as manure or
compost can still be used in organic
farming. At NAF, compost is applied
only when the soil needs to be kept
warm. Conventional farming uses
genetically modified seeds much of
the time due to its intention to mass
produce.
Principles and practices of
natural agriculture employed at NAF
originated from Shinji Shumeikai,
also known as Shumei. Shumei is
now known as a spiritual
organization that endeavors to
create universal harmony and
well-being.
People who first purchased
the natural products of NAF were
acquaintances of Ban. Among the
customers are Asian American
families as well as American
families who enjoy the more
flavorful taste – unarguably richer,
according to Imai.
To order produce, families
subscribe to a one-year plan. During
each season (summer and fall), the
vegetables of that particular season
are home-delivered.
Ban began as an organic farm
intern but later asked the
chairman of CMF in the winter of
2001 whether it was possible for
him to practice natural
agriculture, and the chairman
agreed. So they converted from
organic farming to natural
agriculture and Shumei decided to
send more staff to the farm.
The beginning of natural
agriculture was not as easy one may
think, especially in New York.
According to Ban, the rocky soil and
cold weather on the northeast region
posed certain challenges.
There are two other natural
agriculture sites in the United States:
one in Santa Cruz and another in
Hollywood.
For Imai, her work everyday
from 8 a.m. to noon allowed her to
enjoy a meal made with the
vegetables of the farm. She
finished her internship with much
more appreciation for simple food
and the people who put their
efforts wholeheartedly into what
goes into our mouths.
“[Natural agriculture]
compared to conventional
farming, [which] you can just
literally make limitless... I feel it
does sacrifice some of that quality
and attention you might give to
vegetables,” Imai said.
In addition to the richer
produce, Ban appreciates the
change of pace on a farm.
“Here is very countryside... not
like Manhattan,” Ban said. “The
president of Catskills Mountain
Foundation understand[s] natural
agriculture, so they support me to
practice natural agriculture. I am
very happy to work with them. So I
want to stay as much as I can.” •
FALL 2010 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | 21
NORTHEAST

USC sophomore M
aithreyi
Shankar was part
of an almost
overbearingly Ind
ian community
in Burlington, Mass
., but she’s
realized now that
being Asian
American is not a
bout being
Asian or American
– it’s about
being both.

M
aithreyi Shankar had
an interesting problem
growing up: she was
an Indian American
who felt left out of the
Indian American crowd.
“I always felt like they were
talking about me! I know it’s
irrational, but it’s a feeling I always
get. I wanted to be included in the
community,” she said.
She’s talking about the
community in Burlington, Mass.,
where she lived from the age of
5 until venturing cross-country
to USC to study neuroscience (or
maybe biomedical engineering, it’s
still up in the air).
Burlington is a small town
22 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | FALL 2010
northwest of Boston that
measures just less than 12 square
miles and is home to 24,521
people, according to the city’s web-
site. It is 80.6 percent white and
10.6 percent Asian/Pacific Islander.
Shankar guesses of that Asian
demographic, 10 to 20 percent is
Indian.
Despite the largely Caucasian
population, Shankar, an excitable
18-year-old sophomore, speaks of
multicultural clubs, fairs and Asian
American leadership programs at
her high school. She even recalls
the sometimes stuffy nature of an
extremely close-knit Indian
community. All things considered,
Burlington is a lovely and diverse
place to live.
“I liked living in the suburbs,”
said Shankar of the safe area. “In
April and May, we would walk
around places… It made us feel
independent.”
Shankar was born in
Mumbai, India, and spent four
years in Singapore before
moving to the East Coast. Her
South Indian family hails from the
state of Tamil Nadu and speaks
both Marathi and Hindi.
Many of the Indians in
Burlington are Gujarati (originally
from the state of Gujarat in North
India), leading to language and
interethnic barriers that Shankar
felt kept her slightly outside their
 Finding her place
on the spectrum
“very, very cohesive” commu-
nity. A lot of immigrants weren’t
interested in exploring American
culture, while Shankar’s family
enjoyed such “non-Indian”
activities as hiking.
She is small, but her frame
walls in a kind of energy that
seems on the verge of exploding.
Yet when Shankar talks about
her experiences finding cultural
connections in a cliquey high
school environment, she waxes
philosophical. She pushes back a
drape of jet-black hair in a brief
moment of silence when she’s
searching for the right words.
“The way I really did culture
was through dance and family,
not the school. I didn’t like [all]
the people. You don’t really want
to be around that when you know
you’re Indian enough,” she said.
Bharatnatyam, a classical
Indian dance form based on
Hinduism, helped shape
Shankar’s Indian American
identity. Because dance wasn’t
something that came easily to her,
she sweated over it for 13 years.
“It’s very physical, mental
and spiritual… It was very core to
developing as an Indian for me,”
she said.
At USC, she has continued
her passion for dance. Shankar
is the founder of USC Drishti
Classical Indian Dance and is in
the process of getting the team
recognized as a student
Story & photography by NIMISHA THAKORE
organization. She is also involved
with Undergraduate Residential
Student Community, the Hindu
Student Organization, and is
coordinator of the DESI (Discov-
ering and Enriching South Asian
Issues) Project.
It wasn’t until she left the
suburbia of Burlington that she
realized being Indian American is
not just about being a gung-ho desi
or completely whitewashed.
“I realized there’s a spectrum
of Indianness… I’ve come to terms
with it. I have a better understand-
ing of where I fall,” she said.
Shankar gestures animatedly
with her hands as she speaks,
especially when she delves into
her freshman year wake-up call.
She skipped her senior year of high
school to come straight to USC
with the Resident Honors Program.
Shankar doubted USC’s ability to
challenge her – but she was wrong.
“Things didn’t pan out
completely according to plan. I
think I was overconfident,” she
said. “I thought I would ace
everything and transfer.”
Instead, she had to work hard
for good grades in her science
classes. But as a reward, she found
her place.
“Something connected when
I got here,” she said, noting she
didn’t have that in high school. “I
like what I’m trying to accomplish,
so there’s no reason to leave.”
In the next three years,
Shankar wants to continue her
involvement in various corners of
campus to connect communities
and build conversations. She then
hopes to earn a Ph.D. and become
a professor and entertains the idea
of one day returning to
Burlington.
“I love the Northeast for a
lot of reasons,” she said. “It feels
intellectual, the seasons [are]
more in tune with reality… And
I associate with the East Coast
culture,” said Shankar.
And, after all, it has played at
least some small part in making
her who she is.
Shankar is nothing if not a
free spirit. She’s carved out her
own unconventional path from a
northeast town known for Amy
Poehler and a “ginormous mall”
to an urban heavyweight like Los
Angeles.
Her strikingly young age
belies her introspection and self-
confidence. She never wanted
to be whiter, but she also never
wanted to be more Indian.
Shankar has what many children
of immigrants struggle to find:
peace of mind with her place on
the spectrum.
“It’s how removed you want
to be and how connected you
want to be with your culture,” she
said about finding one’s roots.
“I’m Indian enough for me
now.” •
FALL 2010 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | 23
GENERAL

USC at a glance
A snapshot of the diversity of Asian American and
Asian international students at USC.
by CHLOE WANG

Of the 2010 incoming class (freshmen and Top 5 Places of Origin of

transfer students)…* International Students**

25% identify as Asian Pacific American 1 . India: 1,623 students

2 . China (PRC): 1,428 students
Of the incoming APAs...* 3 . South Korea: 735 students
4 . Taiwan: 518 students
21% are first-generation college students 5 . Canada: 289 students
Total international students: 6,585
19% are multiracial/multiethnic

73%
*According to preliminary data
are from California collected by USC’s Asian Pacific
American Student Services prior to
Most of them identify as... the 2010-2011 school year

Chinese (505 students) **Enrolled for the fall 2009 semester,

according data from USC’s Office of
Korean (222) International Services
Indian (168)
Persian/Armenian/Southwest-Central Asian (143)
Other ethnicities include:
Other Asian (99)
Japanese (98)
Filipino (98)
Vietnamese (69)
Arab (40)
Pacific Islander (27)

24 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | FALL 2010

 Bamboozler
CHERISE OSAKI

VOICES
asked immigrants and
children of immigrants
about life in America...

“Just my family and friends, but

Why did you/your family How has your perception of
not other things because we can
decide to come to the U.S.? the U.S. changed since you obtain anything here.”
“My family is similar to many moved here? Makiko Osaka
families post-1965 who are “I was a 14-year-old child when I Hokkaido, Japan
beneficiaries of the Hart-Cellar came here. My first impression was U.S. hometown: Torrance, CA
immigration act, which removed how big it was and how important
the rigid quotas for Asian individual rights were.” What do you like most
immigration… My dad immigrated Tina Tyner about the U.S.?
in 1969 to Vancouver to pursue his South Korea “I find many share the same
education.” U.S. hometown: San Diego, CA values, and I am free to worship
Sumun Pendakur
my God as our founding fathers
Family from Karnataka, India “[I believed that] the U.S. was meant for this country to enjoy,
U.S. hometown: Evanston, IL strong in economy & military and because this is my home
force, advanced in science now.”
“Originally I came to the states as & technology, upholding Christian W.T. Lin
a student, and after one year of banner and healthy moral and
studying at that university I got a family values, and was respected “In Japan, you always have to
scholarship to study at graduate because of such status. Though worry about what other people
school, so I came to USC... And most aspects are still true, think about you... But I guess
after that I met my husband, her economy has weakened... here, people don’t care. They
who is Japanese American from The Christian heritage has also don’t try to interfere here, so I feel
California, and I moved here to be become an eyesore for many more free.”
with him.” liberals and [is] consistently under Masako Tamanaha
Masako Tamanaha, attack by the media, thus, has
Okinawa, Japan corrupted the moral value of the
“When I came to America it was
U.S. hometown: Torrance, CA society and weakened the family
so much more free, so much
structures.” more well-rounded in
What did you think of the W.T. Lin terms of education. And I’m at
U.S. before you moved here? Taipei, Taiwan USC and it’s one of the most
“I just imagined blonde people U.S. hometown: Simi Valley, CA well-rounded schools, socially,
everywhere, like ‘Am I going to be academically, and everything,
the only Asian’?” What do you miss most and I don’t think I would have
Jungwon Park, about your home country? gotten that in Korea at all.”
Seoul, South Korea “[My parents] really miss the Jungwon Park
U.S. hometown: Arcadia, CA family aspect. But I also think they
miss the India that they knew. My
“I thought most Americans were parents have an imagined idea of
kind, patient, and honest.” what India was.”
Wen Fang Pan Sumun Pendakur
People’s Republic of China (PRC)
U.S. Hometown: Sunnyvale, CA
FALL 2010 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | 25
GENERAL OPINION:
We’re all Asian American,
but there’s more to us than that
The diversity within the Asian American community begs to avoid
homogenization with an umbrella label like “Asian American.”
by REBECCA GAO

A
sian American – what a broad, In fact, a single catch-all name distorts the
encompassing term for us. What does view of Asians by non-Asians. While we within
it even mean to be “Asian American” the Asian American community might clearly
anymore in a hyper-localizing, understand the disparity between Thai and
globalizing world? Taiwanese, others might not. With one overarching
In 1968, UC Berkeley student activists began term, we fail to communicate our unique cultures,
referring to themselves as “Asian American” almost encouraging one-size-fits-all stereotypes
as a backlash against the more degrading term on people who trace from the largest, most heavily
“oriental.” Three on-campus anti-war leagues – populated, and arguably the most varied of all
the Chinese American Citizens continents.
Alliance, the Japanese American Just the sheer land range of what
Citizens League, and the Philippine Asian Americans constitutes Asia is mind-boggling.
American Collegiate Endeavor – Imagine if we called everyone in North
joined forces into a conglomerate are too widely and South America “Americans,” be
christened the Asian American distributed for one they Canadians or Columbians, and the
Political Alliance. label to stick. rest of the world assumed that every
A few months later, UCLA American was identical with a few
professor and historian Yuji minor differences – some
Ichioka officially coined the just paler or browner than others.
term “Asian American” to promote solidarity After all, Americans kind of look the same, you
among the various dislocated minority groups, from know?
Korean to Chinese to Indian. Granted, distributing ourselves into
While the consolidation of Asian American smaller, more distinct groups might foster mini-
interest groups may allow for greater lobbying communities less tolerant of the qualities we
power, it fails to appreciate the incredible diversity have in common that a term “Asian American”
within the community. The label may be able might allow. However, they help us recognize the
to unify us, but it also homogenizes us. A Sri individual histories, traditions, and distinctions
Lankan citizen has a vastly different culture and which lend each group its own flair.
heritage than a Vietnamese American but would be For example, at USC, we have the Chinese
encapsulated under the umbrella moniker of “Asian Student Association, the Vietnamese Student
American.” Association, Nikkei, and many more cultural
Just as the French and the Germans are groups under the broad sweep of the Asian Pacific
distinctive peoples not to be clumped together American Student Assembly. Traverse Japan Town
strictly as Europeans, Asian Americans are too on a sushi tasting tour with Nikkei, attend a luau
widely distributed for any one label to stick. with the Hawaii Club, or a beach retreat with
26 | BAMBOO OFFSHOOT | FALL 2010
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“Late night food fix”

Bryan Says:
September 17th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
This article is superb. I’m already hungry!

“A conversation with Lisa See”

“Asian or South Asian?” Jasmine Says:
Ruth Ward Says:
August 10th, 2010 at 4:30 am August 2nd, 2010 at 7:12 pm
A very insightful article with interesting input from a couple of USC’s I love Lisa See! Great feature.
students. Regarding media saturation, as shallow as it sounds, its
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good at math.

continued from page 26

HapaSC if you identify with many ethnicities.
We represent an astonishingly diverse
community and should embrace both the
similarities and differences within the various Asian TWITTER.com/BambooOffshoot
American ethnicities. With an ever-growing
population of Asian Americans, it is simply against
our interests to be dusted neatly together into a pile
under a single label and to be left there without a
deeper understanding of ourselves. •
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