Through diverse educational programs and cross-cultural dialogues, the CCC empowers Chinese immigrants and their descendants to appreciate and retain their heritage, develop bicultural fluency, and enrich others with a deeper understanding of China’s language and culture.
During the 1849 California Gold Rush, tens of thousands of Chinese individuals immigrated to America seeking opportunity. They settled in cities and towns, forming the first Chinatowns.
Chinatowns
Chinatowns have been places of commerce, community and cultural expression. Often, the past lives side by side with the present in these neighborhoods of Chinese culture that are recognizable to Americans and visitors alike.
In the face of legal exclusion and economic hardship, Chinese immigrants built self-sufficient communities that became known to non-Chinese as Chinatowns. These neighborhoods were home to a variety of businesses, from laundries and herbalists to restaurants and noodle shops. They were also dotted with social organizations and family and district associations, which helped provide for the residents’ daily needs.
Despite the official quotas on Chinese immigration in place after 1882 and the anti-Asian violence that accompanied it, Chinatowns continued to serve as an enclave of security for immigrants and their descendants. However, these unique neighborhoods are at risk of disappearing as a result of gentrification and the changing demographics of American society. Fortunately, many smart minds are working to ensure that these historic neighborhoods can thrive for generations to come.
Ethnic Media
Ethnic media is an important part of the community’s information infrastructure. It provides trusted, culturally relevant news and stories that connect communities with each other and with local resources, services, and institutions.
They often cover issues before mainstream media, such as Punjabi Radio’s reporting on Foster Farms’ lack of safety practices prior to the pandemic, and they are an important advocacy partner alongside community organizations, for example in their coverage of police reform since the death of Tyisha Miller. They provide a vital connection to civic information for those with limited English proficiency, with 26% of the state’s Asian American and 19% of Latino households having such limited proficiency.
The sector’s history is long, with 22% of the outlets surveyed being over 40 years old. But new outlets are constantly emerging. Government investment in ethnic media is essential and should be elevated beyond the current status quo of one-dimensional audience metrics. The report offers a roadmap for doing so, with specific recommendations to support ethnic media as vital and growing community institutions.
Immigration
China’s economic reforms and rising wealth have spurred greater mobility for its citizens. While global migration was limited in previous decades by the state’s control of passports, family-sponsored visas have become increasingly available as China has established itself as one of the world’s largest economies.
Chinese immigrants in the United States are most often found in California, New York and other large cities with high concentrations of Chinese residents. Many of them have thriving businesses and live in intergenerational households. Their children typically attend local schools and immerse themselves in American culture, but they retain Chinese traditions.
In Latin America, the nineteenth century saw significant waves of Chinese migration, initially to bolster African workforces on plantations and then to establish themselves as merchants and entrepreneurs in the region. Their hard work ethic, family ties and business acumen enabled them to create self-reliant communities known as “Chinatowns.” They remain well integrated into the societies in which they reside and have made substantial contributions to those nations’ economic development.
Culture
Chinese culture is based on Confucian teachings that emphasize kinship and close relationships. This type of collectivist culture favours virtues such as courtesy, selflessness, respect for older persons and social harmony over the personal fulfilment of an individual (Polsa, So & Speece, 2006).
In Latin America this strong work ethic has seen the Chinese community build successful businesses in every country where they have settled. They have become a valued contribution to the economies of their host nations.
China has a complex culture spanning 56 different ethnic groups, each with their own customs and traditions. In Mainland China the Han people are 92 per cent of the population and it is their version of China that the world interprets as ‘Chinese culture’. However, outside of Mainland China many regions still maintain their own unique cultural identities as well. This has created a unique blend that can be found in the Chinese communities around the world.