New NY Crossroads GLOBAL IMMIGRANT STORIES Be: Marr m, aT a, ees LW ine eK A ce el keke ce aA peeseeaaa wnycro, MACS e} ry Secor S Vedat AKAN A Publication of New Crossroads LL.C Printed by Koridor Printing HouseNew NY Crossroads® Global Immigrant StoriesEditor Richard Holley Web Editor Louis Yungling / New York — www.newnycrossroads.com Pictures www.globalimmigrant.org Our International Partmers www.globalimmigrant.org - Ireland www, jcistanbulerossroads.com — Istanbul www, jeistanbul.org ~ Istanbul Book Cover Design Koridor Printhouse - Istanbul-2006 ISBN 9944-5355-0-8 Copyright 2006 by New NY Crossroads LL.C-New York/USA All tights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner ‘whatsoever without writen pennission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. Published 2006, Printed by Koridor Print House in Istanbul - Turkey Abi Evzen Cad, Nazmi Akbact Ticaret Merkezi D Blok No:68 ‘Tel: +90 (212) 285 27 33 - 34 Fax: +90 (212) 285 16 55 For New NY Crossroads LL.C - New York - USANew NY Crossroads® Global Immigrant Stories By Vedat AKMANNew NY Crossroads TABLE OF CONTENTS re A People Organization Teamwork and Volunteers «2.0.6.0... 0.0005 Dee eee tee e teers 13 Global Immigrant.Org: A Sign of the Changing Times ....0.0.0cc. 0020005 M7 Redefining The Boundaries Of “Belonging” .......... bee ent ee teen e es 18 Why Do People Immigrate? ........0.00 000 ccc eccuceee side neneseeeee’ 2 Creating New Languages ........0020 0.0 cccececcececcecs dene eee cece’ 22 Migration As A Common Human Experience ....0.0.0.4000.0.00005 ce 25 Resisting Mainstream Narratives ............ teen eet e ieee eee eeneee 29 When “Away” Becomes “Home” Cultural Consequences Of Migration ..... 30 Life-Writing Of Immigrants ....0.0.0.600 0.0. 0c ec cee beetetee netted 33 Andreea O. Apostol: Romania ..... Bee eee ee eee e ee cee eee eee 37 Aki Kumono: Japan... 0.0.0. fede eee eee cee ecaeestrnenenes beveeeed a2 Elisa Su: Taiwan 2.200.000. 2. cee eee Pe eect eee eee e ened 48 When “Away” Becomes “Home” Again... 0.0.0.0 02-000 cecseued see AD Yesim Altinay:Turkey 6.0.0.0 0 0c cece nn ne 50 A Global Gateway: Turkish Immigrant Experience Do You Know Turkey? oo... ccc eect eccececese vee Regional Ties: “Hemserilik” and “Akrabahik” Global Cities Literature: Alpha, Beta and GammaGlobal Immigrant Stories Contribution of Immigrants To Their Adoptive Cultures’... 2.0.0.0 6.00! 58 In Classical Music... 6.006 eee etter need 60 Turkish Pianists in New York .........5 Steere neeeeneeeereeeeeaed 61 American Medicinal Sector 6.0... 0 0. ccc cena cece ec en ee enncecnn need 62 First in Human History... 0060000002 cece cece e ented 63 Patents, Drugs and Obesity «0.00.01... e eevee eee en ened 64 Rodrik and Acemoglu ~- Globalization ©0012... 0.000. c vec eeen er eene ed 65 NBA TUS o.oo e een ete eee ee ees seve eee 66 Another Turkish Architect in New York ......00 00000 ce cece eeee need 67 Immigrant Songs@; By Richard Holey... 6.006.000 ccee cece ee eene cad 68 Bibliography and Works Cited 0.0.06... s cece ee enecerenener eee nee TS Website Sources 00.2.2... cece eee eee etn een eens 79 APPENDIX... 0.0.00 0c cece cece eect eee ee tet sett reese reeeeneed $1 ZL. Films on Immigrants 0.00.0. 0.00 0c c eect eee ce eee ee ee eee “81 HZ, More on Globalization : Pro’s and Con’s «0.0... sec cece eeenennened 85 Pro-Globalization Website Sources ...... 00.00 e vce e eter eee cere dt 85 Anti-Globalization Website Sources 0... 000.0 cue vere e eee eee 387 Academic Sources 00... 00 cc cece eee cere eee een en nese eee need 89 HL, Directory of US. National and International Refugee And Immigrant Organizations ......6 0.60600 ce eect ee eee eeeeed 92 VI. Turkish-American Organizations and Associations ...... 00. eev eevee 95New NY CrossroadsGlobal Immigrant Stories Foreword Anew chapter in the history of human civilization is dawning. It begins this way: “We have at last come together as One Human Family. Peace is upon us. We have put aside hatred, division, war, greed, pride, and politics. These harmful preoccupations are no more. In their place is just one thing: Love. Love is all. Love is enough.” Isn’t this the chapter that must finally be written upon the face of the earth? Yes it is! Make no mistake about it, Peace is coming. Embrace it. We, who want to live together peacefully in this global community, striv- ing to help each other when we struggle, are claiming the earth! This is our time, and We Declare Peace! “The way of peace is the way of love. Love is the greatest power on earth. It conquers all things.”! We know that there are those who still seek to precipitate war and to conquer the earth, but their days are coming to a close. It is time for them to convert their souls and purposes to goodness, time for them to repent of the harm and havoc that they have sown for so long upon the face of the earth. “The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty, and all forms of human life.” foun Fitzgerald Kennedy? (American 35th US President (1961- 63), 1917-1963) Those who make weapons of war, please stop. We don’t need them. Instead, plant fruits and crops that can feed the world; provide medicines for the world’s poor. This is what the world needs. There is no power in the world greater than goodness. When we unite in goodness, there is nothing that can stop us. : “Peace on earth, or earth in pieces” 1 Peace Pilgrim (American Teacher and Spiritual leader, 1908-1981), wwrs.ThinkExistcom, 2 www. ThinkExist.com 3 IbidNew NY Crossroads Our goals are: peace, food, medicines, schooling, clothing and shelter for the world’s poor; and ultimately a true fellowship within the global community. We have started our small part in the Peace process by wel- coming all peoples of the world into our community of Oneness. We began our journey in New York City by embracing all those who have migrated here to be with us. Our website and first book titled: New NY Crossreads®: A Journey to Oneness, were the manifestations of our desire to work towards world peace. Those of you who have left your homelands to be with us in New York, you are welcomed. It is our hope that while maintaining close ties with your families back home, you will also find a new family here with us. You are loved: you are valued. ‘We continue towards these goals by inviting all cities of the world to embrace their immigrants and welcome them into their communities. Our approach is fundamentally comparative, the main theme being the possibility of peace love and understanding “across cultures.” “Life is the first gift, love is the second, and understanding the third.” Mb-xexe Piercy‘ (American novelist, essayist, and poet, b.1936 ) To inspire global participation in our project, New NY Crossroads.com with Junior Chamber International Istanbul and Globallmmigrant.org are inviting all film-makers from around the world to produce and submit a short film of immigrant stories (approximately 10 minutes in duration) as part of our New NY Crossroads Short Film Competition and Film Festival™ that will take place in November 2006 in Istanbul and in December 2006 in New York City. The best short films will be included on the DVD and made available to a global audience. To participate in the Film Festival, please refer to our website for details: www.newnycrossroads.com or www.jcistanbulcrossroads.com. “The festival is a non-profit organization. It takes approximately 25 to 30 volunteers to put on the festival.” The 20th century has been an ‘Age of Migration,’ an era of mass migrations of unprecedented extent, while much study of human 4 BidGlobo! Immigrant Stories movement has become a substantial part of research conducted by social scientists; it is often limited to statistical evaluations. Through the use of film and video, the festival hopes to offer a visual and emotional display of migration stories. As is our practice, a portion of the proceeds for this book and DVD compilation will go to the non-profit organization Food For Children headquartered in New York City to help those we can with food, medi- cines, education, clean water and shelter. For further information, please visit the Food for Children website: www.foodforchildren.org “Nothing that I can do will change the structure of the universe. But maybe, by raising my voice I can help the greatest of all causes - goodwill among men and peace on earth.”5 We hope that you will join us in our journey towards Peace by embracing those who are new to your lands, cultures and customs. Let us do what we can to make them welcome. When it comes to our human family, the important thing is Love, Borders are temporary and arbitrary. Kindness lasts forever. Peace and Love Richard, Vedat, Louis, Michael, Johanna, Gaelle, Andreea and Niyah 5 Albert Einstein who was also a refugee (German born American Physicist who developed the special and general the- cries of relativity. Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921, 1879-1955), wwew.ThinkExistcont 9New KY CrossroadsGlobal Immigrant Stories A People Organization “Business, labor and civil society organizations have skills and resources that are vital in helping to build a more robust global community.” Kosi Annané (Ghanaian diplomat, seventh secretary-general of the United Nations, 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.) Junior Chamber International (JCI) is a people organization. People resort to violence when communication, understanding, patience, tolerance, reason and love cease to exist. Junior Chamber’s plan is to offer opportunities to the members that will reinforce these pos- itive qualities. (www.jci.cc) “Opportunity is no more than a better way of serving and providing for humanites needs.”? The idea is to bring people together. Many opportunities are created when people with various social, cultural, ethnic, religious, economic, and national backgrounds meet, At national conventions, area conferences and world congresses, members come face-to-face with one another to share experiences and exchange ideas which lead to better understanding and cooperation. “Plant kindness and gather love”’ A bond of brotherhood and genuine friendship is established as Junior Chamber members seek the ways and means to improve themselves and the world in which they live. We would like to thank them for their international support and kindness. Our common purpose is to show the rest of the world: That all human beings can be developed. That all are equal. That the world is interdependent. That the world does not belong to humans, but that humans belong to the world. That every human being is a citizen of the world. 6 ween ThinkExist.com 7 Bid 8 www.ThinkExist.comNew N¥ Crossroads.Globo! Immigrant Stories Teamwork and Volunteers “The work of volunteers impacts on all our lives, even if we are not aware of it.” Anthony Worrall-Thompson? Volunteer work is the basis of forming a good team. Real teamwork arises only from the desire to serve others. The basis for America’s free- dom and productivity has always been volunteer work. If it weren't for the volunteers who offer their precious efforts unselfishly to others, and work without receiving any money and mostly no recognition, the quality of life wouldn’t be this good. So, what is the power behind these people's desire to help others? These individuals develop their self-respect, and personal skills. Most important of all, it shows to us that the most important thing in life is not what we possess but what we give to others. Volunteers believe in making a contribution to society. We can make a great differ- ence, and create miracles by doing volunteer work. “Individual commitment to a group effort — that is what makes a team a company a society and a civilization work.” Ornce Lombardi! (American Football. Coach, national symbol of single-minded determination to win.1913-1970) It is with the help of New NY Crossroads and JCI Istanbul volun- teers that we plan to have the NYCR 2006 International Short Film Competition and Film Festival about immigrant stories in New York and in Istanbul. In our New York team we have some fantastic people who are immigrants themselves. They work to make life better for other immi- grants in New York and else where in the world. “AU that matters is the ending, it’s the most important part of the story, and this one is very good. This one is perfect.” FJornny Depp! (American film Actor, b.1963 Owensboro, Kentucky, USA) 9 Ibid 10 Ibid UT thidNew WY Crossroads We say good deeds and good stories should be shared, so here are the stories of New NY Crossroads® (NYCR) International Short Film Festival team members and volunteers; Johanna grew up in Nicosia, Cyprus. During her sophomore year in high school, she was hired as a feature writer for the Weekly Review, mak- ing her the youngest published journalist on the island. Later, she moved to London where she accepted a scholarship at Richmond University to study Art History and Communications. However, two years into the pro- gram, she discovered her passion for film and decided to move to New York to pursue a Filmmaking degree at NYU. Johanna graduated on the Deans list from TISCH, paving a path in freelance Production Coordinating. She worked at Granada Productions for two years, devel- oping and coordinating shows for Discovery, A&E, Disney and MTV. Currently she is the Instructional Support Coordinator for the Digital Filmmaking Department at Katharine Gibbs School, New York, where she also teaches the freshman Pre-Production class. Johanna’s is currently working on two short narrative projects of her own and a short documen- tary that are in various stages of production; one of them was a Jerome Foundation Grant Finalist. She is also writing her first feature film. Her need to tell a story through images has inspired a photography hobby. Some. of Johanna’s photos have been displayed at various restaurants through out New York City including a permanent exhibit at Cafe Kai in Brooklyn. She is now also the coordinator for NYCR 2006 International Short Film Competition and Festival. She is working with the JCI Istanbul team to make life better for other immigrants around the world. Born into an immigrant family from Mexico and Belize, Niyah has been exposed to diverse cultures and ethnicities since birth. Having lived abroad and traveled to over 26 countries around the world, Niyah has acquired a deep passion for cultural diversity and immigrant stories. With an academic and career background in film and telévision produc- tion, Niyah has had the opportunity to work for television networks such as MTV, WHRO (Public Access Channel) and WODU as well as Splinter Films, a film company based in London, England. Currently the 4Global Immigrant Stories Director of the Academic Learning Center for the Katharine Gibbs School, Niyah has recently started engaging her passion for diversity and the world through the creation of several short documentary and inde- pendent films. Gaelle was raised in Senegal, West Africa, where she developed her interest in the Performing Arts. She started studying Dance in high school and briefly pursued it when she moved to the US. After high school, Gaelle organized a nightclub event that was a success. Since then, she has organ- ized many other nightclub events, marketing events and concerts featur- ing African artists like Meiway, Alpha Blondy, Salif Keita, and many more. She currently co-owns a small production and artist management company, Sawigapi Productions. Her love of Cinema has led her to Katharine Gibbs School in New York City, where she is studying Digital Filmmaking and Multimedia. With the knowledge of filmmak- ing, Gaelle hopes to start her own TV and Film production company in Senegal, where she’l] proudly inspire young African women to be film- makers. Andreea’s father is Romanian, while her mother is a member of the Hungarian minority in Romania. Andreea was born in Transylvania, in the city of Brasoy, she is the great grand-daughter of Alexandru Macedonski”, a well known Romanian writer and literary critic (son of Dimitrie Macedonski — a historic revolutionary leader). Much like her ancestors, Andreea has started writing while in Ist grade and never stopped since: She went to Journalism College in Romania and later Media and Marketing College at Dublin Business School. She worked at different newspapers, magazines, radio stations and had a taste of TV. She is cur- rently working to develop www.globalimmigrant.org into a global por- tal dedicated to people, cultures, differences and overall... humanity. She now lives in Dublin, Ireland (since 2002). 12 hnpsten.wikipedia.orghvikifAlexandru_MacedonsttNow NY CrossroadsGlobal Immigrant Stories Global Immigrant Org A Sign Of The Changing Times Govsttmmigrant.org is a sign of the changing times. Although it is nowhere near being completed, new topics, new pages and new informa- tion is being added to it on a continuous basis. Although adding more valu- able and relevant content is an extremely important element, the main idea, the vision behind the existing online structure is the creation of a global multicultural community that would share it’s values, beliefs, knowl- edge, creativity, experiences and ultimately... lives with each other, all this in hopes of creating understanding and eradicating or, at least diminish- ing, racial hatred and any other types of discrimination. Globallmmigrant.Org is all about sharing, discovering, learning, accepting but also about keeping an open mind and about nevet stop thinking, wondering, questioning and fighting for ourselves, our rights and the rights of our fellow humans rights. The Global Immigrant forums refer to subjects that relate to Immigration (visa issues, racial issues, integration matters, starting life from 0, sharing different cultures) but also to different global issues like pollution, climate change, politics, capitalism, consumerism, corporate world, Africa and more. Future plans relate to building a comprehensive cultural database composed on places to see, things to do, and traditions to follow when visiting or moving to a country or simply learning about it. As well as that, sub-domains will be created for each and every country in the world. The first two projects are: Romania and Ireland. Building an accurate and relevant database of charities and help organizations found around the world is an aim we work towards. Globallmmigrant.org creators are based in Dublin / Ireland: North Circular Road, Dublin 7 (minutes away from the 2nd biggest park in the world located inside a.city: The Phoenix Park). The two owners are Eastern and Western Europeans: Irish and Romanian- Hungarian. “Serving humanity is the best work of life”? 13 wowjelzeNew NY Crossroads: Redefining The Boundaries Of “Belonging” “You live in the age of interdependence. Borders don’t count for much or stop much, good or bad, anymore.” Bu Clinton4 (American 42nd US President (1993-2001), b.1946) At the dawn of the twenty-first century, it is estimated that immigrants, refugess and asylum-seekers comprise more than 2.5 percent of the world’s population. They represent nearly one of every 38 people on earth. These figures do not include illegal immigrants, many of whom are merely seeking out their daily living. In this new era of transformation, ‘immigrant’s demands reflect the basic reality that as 1 ure ThinkExist.comGlobal Immigrant Stories long as millions live on less than a dollar a day, people will continue to move in search of work.’ '5 ‘It is true that countries on every continent have been touched and molded by the movement of people within and across borders due to an insatiable appetite for cheap labor.’ '6 “Tf you’re totally illiterate and living on one dollar a day, the bene- fits of globalization never came to you.” immy Carter!? (American 39th US President (1977-81). Nobel Prize for Peace in 2002. The number of people in the world living in abject poverty is very disturbing. We must together find a way to change this situation. Poverty is the mother of global immigration. Immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers all try to escape from poverty and its evils. Many seek safe haven from their war-torn, politically corrupt, harsh regimes and relatively poor living conditions. The number of people leaving their homes continues to increase as the poverty rate in the world also continues to grow.!8 “Poverty is everyone’s problem. It cuts across any line you can name: age, race, social, geographic or religious. Whether you are black or white; rich, middle-class or poor, we are ALL touched by poverty.” Kearttieen Blanco!? We believe it is progressive thinking that has changed the world and will continue to change the world. We need to see progress in the area of global immigration to solve poverty, pollution and wars. When it is everyone’s problem and everyone’s goal to improve, advance, and develop, then progress will be made. “The power to question is the basis of all human progress.” dira Gandhi29 (Indian Politician and Prime Minister. 1917- 1984) 15. Leif Broitem, Globat Immigration Mother Jones Magazine Feb. 08, 2006, 46 Wesley D. Chapin, Imatgration and Security: A Review of the Global Migration eriste: Challange to States and 10 Humans Rights by Myron Weiner, hip llispesdibrary.wise.edulissuest1999-2000article, 17 now ThinkEstet.com 18. Wesley D. Chapin, Immigration and Security: A Review of the Global Migration erisis: Challange to Stetes and 10 Humau Rights by Myron Weiner, latpsllspestibrary.wise.edulissues/1999-2000article, 19 www ThinkBtse.comNew NY Crossroads,Global lmmgrant Stories Why Do People Immigrate?2! People immigrate for the following reasons: professional, political, economic, persecution, retirement, (i.¢., better weather; lower living costs) Sentimental, (i.¢., the desire to settle in a country due to personal preference; family reunification) Personal. (i.e, opinion-based; extreme dislike of motherland) Today much immigration occurs for economic reasons. Wage rates vary greatly between different countries; individuals of third world countries in particular can have far higher standards of living in developed countries than in their home-lands. The economic pressure to migrate can be so high that when Iegal means are restricted, people may choose to immigrate regardless of their legal status. In general, people are considered as an immigrant if they keep staying in the new country for more than one year.2? Anti-immigration sentiments today are justified typically with one or more of the following arguments; immigrants isolate themselves in their own communities and refuse to learn the language/culture, gainfully acquire jobs which would have otherwise been available to native citizens, damage a sense of community and nationality, increase the consumption of scarce resources, and make heavy use of social welfare systems. Prominent opinion leaders who oppose immigration blame it for such problems as unemployment, crime, harm to the environment, and detoriating public education.?> 21 Source Wikipedia, 22 www.Glabalimmigrant.org; source Wikipedia 23. Ibid aNew NY Crossroads “The loud voices, punchy arguments and simple headlines from governmenis, politicians and anti-immigration groups will often be easier to hear. The other side has a harder job, because theirs is the more sophisticated argument, offering humane, progressive and enlightened policies in the midst of an emotional debate.” (Freank Sharry24 To counter such arguments, others points out that; the isolation argument has anti-ethnic undertones as the majority of members in expatriate communities around the world tend not to learn the language of the societies in which they live, the argument that immigrants “steal jobs” always overlooks the fact that often the jobs being “taken” are menial and/or low paying positions which “natives” generally do not wish to perform and the argument that immigrants make heavy use of social welfare systems is not true, because immigration is correlated with an improvement in economic conditions. In any event countries now tend to have lengthy restrictions or other limitations on the extent to which immigrants can access social welfare, which has the effect of reducing the economic contribution immigrants can make. Commentators also point out that the problems which are purportedly caused by immigrants exist amongst the native-born population as well, and that politicians often use immigration as a convenient scapegoat to distract the public from real social, political and economic problems.?5 “The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.” ther Teresa? of Calcutta (Albanian bom Indian Missionary and Founder of the Order of the Missionaries of Charity. Nobel Prize for Peace in 1979. 1910-1997) Creating New Languages “We need diversity of thought in the world to face the new challenges.” 24 www Thinklristcom 25. www. Globalimmigrant.org: source Wikipedia 26 www ThinkExist.comGlobal Immigrant Stories Laca Tim Berners-Lee?’ (British Physicist of the World Wide Web (WWW). b.1955) We are in the fast track age of globalization with the impact of more information and advanced communication technology bringing people together faster and without borders. Concepts such as multiculturalism, cosmopolitanism and internationalism are becoming more and more part of our daily vocabulary. “The gospel of multiculturalism preaches that all groups and cultures are equally wonderful.’28 The Web became the metaphor for the global village. ‘Globalization has created a world of multiple and shifting identities’ 2° thus creating a ‘Global Consumer’ culture. “Mutual respect is a prerequisite for multilateral cooperation, ... We should respect the diversity in world civilizations and promote democracy in international relations on the basis of respecting and treating each other as equals.” NW. Bangguo*0 “Multiculturalism” is the public policy for managing cultural diversity in a multi-ethnic society, officially stressing mutual respect and tolerance for cultural differences within a country’s borders. Multiculturalism can also be a prescriptive term which describes government policy. In dealing with immigrants groups and their cultures, there are essentially three approaches including multiculturalism. In Monoculturalism countries have policies aiming at the social integration of immigrant groups into the national culture. This is typical of nations that define themselves as one and indivisible. Melting Pot is the traditional view where all the immigrant cultures are mixed and amalgamated without state intervention. In comparison to the above two approaches, multiculturalism is a view, or policy, that immigrants, and others, should preserve their cultures with the different cultures interacting peacefully within one nation. This has also been described as the “salad bowl” model. No country falls completely into one, or another, of these categories.31 27 Ibid 28 David Brooks, All Cultures Are Not Equal, Neve York Times, August 10, 2005, 29° Mahmood Monshipouri, Identity and Human Rights in she Age of Globalization, Zaman Online, May 2, 2003. 30 won ThinkExist.com BI Source Wikipedia.New NY Crossroads. “Three reasons problems are inevitable; first, we live in a world of growing complexity and diversity; second, we interact with people; and third, we cannot control all the situations we face.” Frown C. Maxwell32 (American Entrepreneur, Author and motivational speaker) In our book we will make the journey around the world with more immigrant stories to meet at the crossroads again. We hope to promote inter-religious and inter-cultural acceptance, international peace and respect for diversity. “Peace at Home, Peace in the World” “Diversity may be the hardest thing for a society to live with, and per- haps the most dangerous thing for a society to be without.” W; “Accepting purchasing power as the measure of success distances our society from being an information society. Those pursuing the right ideals are turning into minorities, but do not disappear. Some think the educational system is to blame, some the skewed economy, others the media. The values are so diverse that everything seems intermingled. The society is after ‘hitting the jackpot’ any which way they can.”3+ iam Sloane Coffin, Jr.33 (American Activist and Clergyman, b.1924) Will I be united or fall'a vietim, As I move around, In the new world of ‘Consumer Culture’, Struggling with assimilation, My language and pockets full, Lacking a sense of community and social solidarity, While maintaining my own ethnic tradition, Will a common culture lead the way, To a united homogenous global culture, 32 wow.ThinkBxist.com 33 Bid 34 Vedat Akman, True Success Stories From Turkey, Sistem Publicatton, Istanbul, June 2002, 4Global Immigrant Stories Or shall a shallow consumerism, Threaten the very cultural diversity, That makes us one, Globalization; a threat or an opportunity? There might be a paradox here, Will I be a victim or become united again. “Globalization, as defined by rich people like us, is-a very nice thing... you are talking about the internet, you are talking about cell phones, and you are talking about computers. This doesn’t affect two- thirds of the people of the world.” From Carter35 Migration As A Common Human Experience “It’s an interesting phenomenon. I think a lot of it revolves around immigration laws.” bssatan Iftikhar%6 We are all touched and molded by immigration and globalization. Immigration is an issue that affects every area of the globe. I myself was an immigrant. I travel a lot and know a number of immigrants from around the world. We have a hard time labeling ourselves as immigrants but globally there are more than 150 million immigrants. Immigrants hardly come out and tell their stories because of dramatic personal struggles with animosity and isolation, because people usually have negative feelings or reactions to immigration issues. You can easily observe it in the newspapers. There is a visible hostility and fear. These negative feelings are greatest during economic downturns. But the fact is ‘this is a substantial percentage of the world’s people, one that can hardly be ignored.’37 Global immigration has become a global concern. 35. sway ThinkExist.com 36. Toi 37 Westey D. Chapin, Immigration and Security: A Review of the Global Migration crisis: Challange to States and to Human Rights by Byron Weiner, lispcllispeslibrary.wise.cdulissues!1999-2000article. BbNew NY Crossroads However, immigrants are beginning to find their voices. Immigrants in New York City recently joined a nationwide boycott called “A Day Without Immigrants” in a bid to show the importance of immigrant workets to the U.S. economy and ask for legalization of illegal immigrants. In each of New York City’s five boroughs, hundreds of immigrant workers and their supporters took work breaks shortly after noon to link arms with their supporters along city sidewalks. This symbolizes the interdependence of all of us, not just immigrants, but all of society. “A riot is the language of the unheard.” Mbstin Luther King, Jr.38 (American Baptist Minister and Civil- Rights Leader. 1929-1968) In April of 2006 tens of thousands of immigrants and their supporters marched through the streets of major US cities, including New York, demanding to be treated fairly because of the important roles they play in US society. Immigrants (in their millions in the US alone) are a fact of life. They provide valuable services to their communities and when united, bring both economic and political strength to the table. If they wish to remain within their host countries and to support societal goals through the payment of taxes, why should they not be allowed the opportunity to become integrated into their host societies? This would be only fair and just. Some of my colleagues who were witness to this movement in New York in April 2006 were reminded of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s and stated that it actually felt invigorating and heartening to see that US immigrants feel comfortable enough to gather together and to express their concerns publicly without fear of reprisal. This is a big step forward towards openness and inclusion of immigrants in US society. ‘In the face of all thiy negative press, negative immigrant representations are intimately linked to federal immigrant policy; many Forget that immigrants come to the United States because it lures them here with images of guaranteed wealth, success, and happiness. Many 38 we THUSENinLcom %Global Immigrant Stories Americans, though, ignore this fact and feel that immigrants are invading the nation. Immigration and the issues surrounding it have affected Americans since the inception of this nation. It is the largest single factor in the makeup of the populace.’3? “Either you will go through this door or you will not go through. et The door itself makes no promises. It is only a door.” Aaarienne Rich 39 Sanford J. Ungar, author of Fresh Bloud: The New American Immigrants (Sinton & Schuster, 1995), is Dean of the School af Communication ut Americun University in Washington, DC. A long career in print and broudeast journal. dm has inctuded busting the award-winning program "AN Things Considered” an National Public Radio and posts in Washington as editar of The Atautic, managing editor of Foreign Poticy magazine and a staff writer for The Washington Post. 40 Adrienne Rich (b. 1929). US, poet essayist, and feminist. “Prospective Immigrants Please Nove,” lines 1-3, 19-21 (4962). aNew NY CrossroadsGlobal Immigrant Stories Resisting Mainstream Narratives “The key to change... is to let go of fear.” Rosanne Cash41 To local citizens thorugh out the world, the immigrant issue is seen as a matter of security or may be viewed as an economic burden but that is really a matter of perception about cultural differences and is accompanied by a certain level of fear and distrust. “For instance, one society might value homogeneity more than another; one ethnic group might welcome new immigrants more than another; and business owners might take a radically different view of immigration as compared with labor unions. Labor unions are very involved in the immigration issue and are interested in seeing more unity of the labor workforce throughout the world to ensure comparable wages for workers wherever they may be employed. Moreover, the volume and type of immigration clearly influences local citizen reaction, as do prevailing economic conditions,"42 People increasingly leave their homelands for a better future. ‘More and more ethnic groups are becoming dispersed around the globe. In fact only 10-15 per cent of the world’s geographic countries can be reasonably described as ethnically homogeneous.’43 “A hundred years ago, most people in the west rarely moved even to the next village; now whole vil- lages from Bangladesh are relocating to northern England.” ‘In the last quarter century, immigration has doubled, so that over 3% of people on the planet now live outside the land of their birth. People flow in all direc- tions, but there is now just one dominant flow: South to North. The UN says that 2.3 million people are moving from the developing world to the west every year.’45 AL wun. ThinkExistcom 42. Adrienne Rich (b. 1929), US. poet, essayist, and feminist. “Prospective Immigrants Please Note,” lines 1-3, 19-21 2962) 43. Stan Skrzescewski, A Meta-Model for Global Governance, Global Strategtes Forum, 2006. 44 Anthony Browne, The folly of mass immigration, May, 2003, 45 Ibid 9Hew HY Crossronds When “Away” Becomes “Home”: Cultural Consequences Of Migration The spread of globalization is naturally leading to more free movement of people, goods and know-how, although some goverments are trying hard to control or even prevent it. The ‘immigrant’ problem is becoming more global in scope. We want to hear your story regardless of where you are from. It is important for us to understand the serious challenges ahead and give others insights into the universal aspects of immigration. Your stories will provide a useful document for the next generations. We hope to be diverse in the selection of immigrant stories and present both a cross-cultural and a contemporary view on the topic in a global perspective. We also have a NYCR 2006 International Short Film Competition and Film Festival that will present films from a variety of genres and plots adressing the common theme of “global immigration”. “The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.” MWatnoniei Branden‘® ‘We encourage people to accept others as members of the commu- nity without any loss of their own unique identity. Such mutual accept- ance should integrate all values into a culturally richer community. Where there is respect, there will be willingness and even readiness to integrate some of those values to enrich one’s own social, cultural and religious values. Such respect for others requires a certain knowledge of the others’ history, historical and cultural development, ways of life, and other factors.’47 That’s why we also plan to provide events and activities to accomplish this goal with film festivals, books, music, poetry, movies and theather. The international element of NYCR with the help and support of the Junior Chamber International (JCD) allows us to be part of a truly global community and helps foster greater understanding among people of all races, creeds, cultures and backgrounds. 46 wonw-ThinkExist.com 47 htip:ttwwwyataaorg ; “PEACE INTHE WORLD” PROJECT 0Global Immigrant Stories “It will be good for our souls because global poverty is an affront and confronting the challenge is simply the right thing to do.” Bu Clinton‘ (American 42nd US President (1993-2001), b.1946) If we are serious about ending global poverty and achieving world peace, we need to explore and question global immigration. Your stories will allow us to network with people around the world to bring light to the Global Immigration Crisis in the increasingly inter-dependant global society we now live in. Your stories will inspire people to respect life and to live in harmony with one another. We will leam to accept and acknowledge the cultural values of others, which enrich our own cultures and lead to the development of a single world culture. ‘We are making a commitment to Peace in the World by honoring the earth, honoring its people, and celebrating the unity of the people.’ “Global poverty is a powder keg that could be ignited by our indifference.” Bu Clinton® (American 42nd US President (1993-2001), b.1946) 48° www.Think Exist com 49° hup:tiwww.ataa.org : “PEACE IN THE WORLD” PROJECT 50 veuew ThinkExist.com aNew NY Crossroads, 32Global {migrant Stories Life-Writing Of Immigrants “Why stories? Because charachters in a story help us see where we stand in relation io others, Stories engage us, and help us see the possibility of doing whatever is necessary for our dreams to come true. They motivate our personal vision, and help us realize our goals.” COviat Akman Immigrant stories both mirror and mimic the careers of their immigrant story tellers. For many educated immigrants, their mother tongue is a paradox. On the one hand it is a fortress, defending and maintaining their personal identities even when living within the American cultural mainstream. On the other hand, language can be a barrier standing between the immigrant and his/her life’s potential in a new land. “We inhabit a language rather than a country.” Emite M. CioranS! (French philosopher, b.1911) ‘In 2003, there were 1.4 million immigrant workers in New York City alone and they accounted for 47% of the city’s resident workforce. The overwhelming majority (90%) of minimum wage workers in New York City are adults, and two-thirds work fall-time.’52 “I thought in this country, the best social program was a job. Yet min- imum wage jobs aren’t paying enough to keep families out of poverty.” Bacbara Mikulski53 The Importance of a Proper Minimum Wage Many of them arrive and realize that they were only dreaming of them, What wakes them up is the cold, uncompromising reality that life- away from home that can be really hard...very hard. ‘Of the New York City workers now earning between $5.15 an hour and $7.10 an hour who would be directly affected by an increase in the New York state minimum wage, 62% are immigrants.’34 SI Ibid 52 Immigrant Workers and the Minimum Wage in New York City, Prepared by the Fiseal Policy Institue for the New York Immigration Coalition 53 www.ThinkExdetcomn 54 Immigrant Workers and she Minimum Wage in New York City. Prepared by the Fiscal Policy Insite for the New York Immigration Coalition 33New NY Crossronds “We don’t come here the legal way. But we don’t come here to do anything bad, just support our family because our country is so very poor.” Derrick Trundle, 29 A landscape worker and native of Honduras, at a rally in New Orleans. ‘Countless people who earned Masters’ or Bachelors’ degrees in their homelands lear that their education is of little or no value in the New York job market. When they are the sole support for their families, many immigrants feel they have no choice but to settle for manual labor or service positions. After an entire day of backbreaking work, many of these immigrants come home from an unsatisfying job to a dilapidated, substandard apartment in a ghetto or slum.’55 “Minimum wage earnings are vital to many low-income households in NYC. “No family gets rich from earning the minimum wage. In fact, the current minimum wage does not even lift a family out of poverty.” fon Corzine56 Sixty percent of increased minimum wage earnings would go to the lowest-earning 40% of NYC house holds. The earnings of minimum wage workers represent the sole source of earnings for half of all families with a minimum wage worker.”57 Unhealthy and crowded living conditions are usually all that their pay check can afford. Many immigrant parents must work double shifts in order to pay the bills. This means sacrificing their own health and time with their children. “I handed my passport to the immigration officer, and he looked at it and looked at me and said, “What are you?”” Grace Murray Hopper5® ‘The harsh truth js that immigrant’s lives are often sadly shattered. Parents who invested decades building a life and career for themselves in 55 By Ripudaman Minhas, Young people's Press 58 woe ThinkExist.com 357 Inunigrane Workers and she Minima Wage in New York City. Prepared by the Fiseat Policy tnstitute for the Nevw York Imaigration Cuatition 58 wivw.-ThinkBxistccas 4Globat Immigrant Stories another country willingly sacrifice everything to try to provide a better life for their children in a hostland. When that doesn’t happen, and the search for a better life drags on families eventually can end up broken apart. Perhaps one of the merchants you recently made a purchase from is an immigrant. Maybe your drycleaner is. Or your mechanic, your doctor, your bus driver, your teacher, your accountant, your grandparents...it really gets you thinking. There is a lot going on in immigrants lives that you may not understand.°5? “Cheque enclosed’ are the two most beautiful words in the English language” ‘orothy Parker® (American short-story Writer and Poet, 1893- 1967) Dominicans are the single largest immigrant group receiving low wages in NYC and likely to be the largest among minimum wage workers. Dominicans account for 17.9% of all low-wage immigrants in NYC. They are followed by Mexicans, who account for 13.7% of low- wage immigrant workers, a much higher ratio than their share of NYC’s foreign-born population (4.3%). The next three immigrant groups among low-wage immigrant workers are Chinese, Jamaicans, and Ecuadorians.61 “P'm in favor of liberalizing immigration because of the effect it would have on restaurants. I'd let just about everybody in except the English.” livin Trillin, American writers? (New Yorker magazine) The restaurant industry is the largest employer of low-wage immigrant workers in NYC. Over 125,000 immigrants work in eating and drinking establishments, with a median wage of$8.55 an hour. The next four NYC industries employing large numbers of immigrant workers at median wages under $9 an hour are: health services not elsewhere classifiable (a category that includes nursing homes and home health care workers), apparel manufacturing, grocerystores, and private households. The immigrant share of all workers in these 5 industriesranges from 64% to 89%. 59 By Riputomar Minhas, Young people's Press (60 www.ThinkBxist.com 61 irmigrant Workers and the Minimums Wage in New York City, Prepared by the Fiscal Potcy Institute forthe New York immigration Coalition 82 ww ThinkExist.com 8 bid aNew NY Crossroads: “We are the only country in the world that has taken people from so many different backgrounds, which is a great achievement by itself, but an even greater achievement is that we have turned all of that variety and diversity into unity.” Famar Alexander “Mithat was a doorman of an apartment building on State and Elm, in Chicago from 2002 to 2005. He, along with his family and aged father, came to America as a refugee from Bosnia. He was an immense mountain of a ian and as doorman, he was a sense of security when you would return from a late night out, knowing that as long as you got to your section of the street, you would be fine, since he was always there. He was 43 years old, and until 7 or 8 years age, he was a corporate lawyer, trying to keep his family together in war-torn Bosnia. Since he has come to the United States, he was a doorman now, in order to give his children a chance at a better life. A part of him struggled off with the monotony of his job, for he was an insightful, perceptive and intelligent man. The other part of him shruged off lite’s vagaries and appreciated the opportunity that Chicago gave to him and his family. He didn’t study in English, nor did he study US law; this held him back from practicing his chosen profession. He dreams, of one day, being able to go to night school and gaining an appropriate legal credential,”® “Lydia was a middle school history teacher, well respected in her native Poland. Then, she along with her husband and daughter won the green card lottery and moved to Chicago. Lydia worked for an office maintenance company, one that sends it's employees to clean the corporate offices after hours. She had dreams for her 14 year old daughter, whom she sent to private school, and big worked as a cleaner because it was the only thing she was qualified for besides teaching Polish history. She too shruged her shoulders, it was a decision that she had taken for the future benefit of her tamily.”6 4 www. ThinkExist.com 65 wowanitibhan.comlperspective! 2606i05timmigrant_stori hom! - 28k - 9 May, 2006 6 Ibid %Global Immigrant Stories “We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion.” www. ThinkExist.com Andreea O. Apostol (Romania A true and real will towards open mindedness can only be triggered by experience. It’s a discovery that I have made a few weeks back while visiting my home country, Romania. Strangely enough, although I knew that you can’t understand a tooth ache if you never had one, birth pain - if you are not a woman, disliking liquorish — if you never tasted some or... the vegetarian diet — if you like cows jess than your weekly barbeque, I never actually thought that some of my friends, educated, bright people who consider themselves to be open minded would fail to recognise forms of human triumph. I was born in Brasov, a relatively big city located in the region of Transylvania, Romania. I am only mentioning Transylvania to add a bit of an exotic dimension to a story that is not about a vampire, nor about a superhero, not about an historic character, not even a fictional one, but... about me: a girl who lived in a place and moved to another (note to self: how come the hardships of life lie in the details?). So anyway... there I was: a chubby baby with black hair coming into this world in the month of August, on the same date that Leo Tolstoy and Goethe were born, But once again, getting back to my story, there I was: a girl, half Romanian half Hungarian, another citizen of Brasov. | started writing at avery young age. (...and one day, while working on our family tree, my dad informed me that I was the great grand daughter of a Romanian writer and literary critic, who was the son of another historic character, a revo- lutionary leader. But I'm not sure what that means, if anything). | went on to study Information Technology and later Journalism. I worked in a radio station, did print media and also a bit of TV work. I have written 7Now NY Crossroads about a lot of different subjects and one day, without knowing it, F was sent by my chief editor to write about something that was going to change my life for good: a recruitment agency that was sending people to work in Treland and the UK. A few months after I wrote that piece on Immigration, I quit my job as a senior-editor at an advertising magazine, got an airplane ticket (my very first one!!!) and landed in Dublin, Ireland. I started work a week after I got to Ireland. It was October, contrary to what I have heard the weath- er was nice, I had a place to stay, nice people as room mates and a lot of enthusiasm - the pink pillow of blind insanity that comes when big changes happen. Knowing what I wanted and why I was there created a great buffer zone between my new situation and the one I had before. On the other hand, I had little money and knew no one but overnight I became a security officer. You should have seen me in my uniform, And I looked and looked into the mirror, I took pictures and looked again: there I was, the new me, the picture of a girl with lost identity. But what I didn’t know right then 1 was headed towards self-explanatory highways, self-esteem breaking back roads, self-destruction encounters and trips to mountains of superiority complex. My first day in work was a marathon, running from one place to another, trying to find my “assigned site”, getting into the right buildings and getting there on time. The second door I opened set off an alarm. There I was, the only one in that shop with unusually large women’s clothes, looking around like a lost chicken or hamster, something, going deaf from the sound of the alarm and wishing to be shot dead by someone (but still, laughing at the thoughts I was having and... at the situation I was in). I was a big mess. A few days after setting off that alarm I was sent away on a night shift, somewhere out of Dublin, in a place called Drogheda, Once again, I found myself in a situation that left little room for sanity: I was out in the cold, patrolling in the dark, checking out the many warehouses Coca Cola was occupying in their Drogheda based operation. The sky was clear 3BGlobal immigrant Stores while the wind was cold and frighteningly playful, messing around with my head and my very easily stimulated imagination: there were strange and loud noises, shadows and movements and they were all going to get me. Hooked on caffeine from all the free diet coke I’d been given, I was patrolling around like some sort of an energizer bunny/ Frankenstein/lunatic. Oh ye, those were the days! Speaking of days, I spent the free ones (either weekdays or weekends ~1 was on shifts) walking around and looking at people. I noticed that they didn’t look at each other much but rather read a book on bus or listened to headphones, almost detached from everything or anything. The guys would not whistle after pretty girls, drivers would not honk their horns and people would not turn their heads around for nothing or no one, almost oblivious to the world around them, 1 have never thought that the differ- ences amongst nations could be that great. But they are. The Irish are nothing like the French, although the French resemble the Romanians. Hungarians are nothing like the Americans, although the Americans and the Irish are starting to have more and more in common. Nothing good or bad about these comparisons: they are only what I have called them: com- parisons. Two months have passed since I set foot into Ireland and problems started to surface: people were not paid on time, some were not paid at all, some were being grossly mistreated and some were just being ignored. Although T was one of the very few lucky ones (as J had no money issues caused by the management), | decided to talk to somebody about our rights and to find out what we were (all the Romanians brought to Ireland by this particular recruitment agency) entitled to. I was scared of the fact that I might be sent back home I thought long and hard if I should act or not. I decided to go ahead and talk to our Union. Soon after several peo- ple approached and brought me all their paperwork showing they had been. mistreated, lied to or... not paid. After a few long weeks of battles, my endeavor ended in a positive manner: the Irishbased manager of the recruitment company left the country (apparently he borrowed a good bid of money on his way out) and the Romanians were all paid. More so, I was offered a Union Leader position, representing the Romanian contractors. 39Hew NY Crossroads I didn’t take it: all the problems were gone at that stage (and I could always step back up and fight). There is a Romanian proverb that says that “all the badness works towards something good”, | have to admit, | felt so alive while fighting for our rights: once again I felt that I mattered, I am in con- trol and I am more than what I do. Things have changed since my first hellraising day at work: I have moved on to become a supervisor, later on a coordinator for an Intel department in a logistics company, a translator for Irish governmental institutions, a marketing and media student at Dublin Business School, a marketing freelancer and so on... Today I work at building www.globalimmigrant.org into a place where people can learn, share, discover and understand one another. I dream of changing the world, bringing people and cultures together and helping humanity discover itself. It’s a small dream, isn’t it? But any- way... that is pretty much what I do. Or... what I did. It’s the outcome of my feelings, thoughts, beliefs, experiences, decisions and actions. And that’s another side of the story! The most important one, too! If you ask me what was the most difficult thing about leaving and starting life from zero, I will tell you: the process of losing, finding, redis- covering and sticking to/defending my identity. People say they knew who they were before they left their own environment, I think they just didn’t bother thinking about it before, or, to be more exact, they didn’t really get the chance to and so... the first time they were forced to face questions about their identity they felt it being lost. I don’t think I ever thought about my identity. Not in an authentic manner. Sure, I liked philosophy and wondered often what the meaning of life is, who I am and where am I going but it was in a different context. It was a question that one asks on a rainy afternoon while reading a good. book or perhaps watching an inspiring piece of cinematic work. But it is not the same when you ask that particular existential question while trying to fit in, to live your day to day life and to make sense of it. Who am I? I remember once, along time ago, my mom asked me: “Andreea, what do you consider yourself to be: Romanian or Hungarian?” I replied: “a human. being”. That is really how I felt my entire life. 0Global Immigrant Stories Things have been tough at times but I think I am extremely lucky to go through what I experienced. The path towards self-discovery lies in hardship and misery and triggering self-discovery goes hand in hand with discovering the meaning of life. And at the same time, the meaning of life lies in the little details that lead to self-discovery. I don’t know if it makes sense for others but it does for me. How many people get to learn who they are, who they really are? How many people get to know the core of “me’ and meet up face to face with the essence of their personal being? It’s like getting a sip of the primordial soup. Misery is exciting. Hardship is excit- ing. Pain is exciting. Why? Because they all end and once they do, the beauty of things shines brighter than anything else. Thave visited Romania and ran into a girl who returned from working ona cruise ship (she was gone for about 10 months). When she left she was making more money in Romania than the job she was getting on the cruise ship. She spoke no English and yet she was going to work in the US. She left, worked 14-16 hours a day, struggled with the language barrier, was treated as a mentally challenged person while doing so (at least the first half of her stay) but returned happier and more optimistic than ever. She also learned English incredibly well. Talking to her made me realise the connection that an immigrant feels towards another, I knew how she felt; I understood what she went through, I could feel her emotions running through me at the very same time her words were leaving her lips. I understood. I shared her story to some of my friends. Just in a casual conversation... They told me that she was crazy to leave, that there is nothing to applaud about learning English - she could have done that before she left. I can’t describe what I felt. It was like I'd been hit in the forehead with an axe (well, J guess I described it well enough, eh?), They just didn’t see it. They didn’t get it. They do not under- stand a side of life, of human existence that is more real than anything else they could ever experience. You live and learn. You fight, you lose and you win. Life as an immigrant made me stronger than anything else. I am. scared of nothing and no one now. I feel privileged. I’m one of the people who understand now. alNew NY Crossronds Andreea, P.S.: I am planning on returning to Romania at some stage. I want to help bring change. Aki Kumono apan “Men and women, rushing into cities, are remaking civilization and redefining their identities in terms of religion and tribal ethnicity which do not coincide with the borders of existing states.” Stan Skrzeszewski Global Strategies Forum A Meta-Model for Global Governance I was born in Japan and raised in Kawasaki City, a town much like Brooklyn, NY. There were many neighborhoods flavored by its people and their diverse lives. As a youth I grew up in postwar Japan in the mid- die of a rising economy in a country that would become number one in general product production and a Jeader in the electronics industry. This country would eventually be called The Economic Animal by the rest of the world. In high school I was totally self-absorbed with my personal thoughts and daily experience, this was my life and my world. [ had no interest in the “follow the leader” movement or its narrow confined path to success. I did have a deep caring for art. I had been drawing since the time I could held a crayon, It was only natural for me to apply to art school after grad- uation. My first big disappointment was not getting into the school of my choice. I did enter another school but things did not go well. I could not relate to the school system or its students. I found myself skipping class- es, feeling empty and finally quitting. Refusing to give up my dream, I got a part time job to survive and devoted myself to my art. I submitted my work to several competitions with the hope of being accepted, but this did not happen. 2Globat Immigrant Stories “There is nothing less to our credit than our neglect of the foreigner and his children, unless it be the arrogance most of us betray when we set out to “Americanize’’ him.” @rartes Horton Cooley 1864-1929, American Sociologist www.nonstopenglish.com/reading/quotation Sometime later while reading the newspaper, 1 came across a photo that was taken at Kent University during a youth uprising. It showed one of the many soldiers with his rifle cocked and pointed as a student placed a pink flower in the barrel of the gun. I was shocked to see this because in Japan student power was exhibited in the form of students throwing rocks at the police. I soon found myself painting large stones pink and giv- ing them to the student power movement. This was purely done from the standpoint of fun and imagining those pink stones flying through the air. Somehow I found this very exciting. My very next project was to show the division of the river that separated Kawasaki from Tokyo. I spent three days doing this by painting pink gravel and dirt along the river’s bank. The next idea I put into action immediately. I special ordered a rubber dingy to be made in pink. 1 took the dingy and rowed out to sea to find a small island to plant a pink rose bush. My trouble began when a hurri- cane started blowing onto shore. I almost drowned, never found my island. and never planted my rose bush. My pink era ended two years later. My finale was a female friend and I sitting in the middle of a landfill wrapped in a pink blanket. The media suddenly began to take interest in me. Before I knew it, I was being interviewed; why pink and what was my concept? The great pink farce landed me a TV spot. Feeling on top of the world, I told them, “No more pink!” Instead my request was a steak dinner from one of the most expensive restaurants in Ginza and I asked to have it delivered to Ginza square. When the time approached, there I sat with thousands of people and TV cameras watching me eating my first steak dinner. My fif- teen minutes of fame did not last long. The media was not satisfied with this performance art and became critical and negative. They ate me for their dinner. It was a very dark moment. 43