nuAsian spring 2009 volume 5 issue 1 an APAC publication Funded by SAFB
Rachael Yamagata The NU alumna and singer-songwriter on being Asian American
A look at the
‘Model Minority’ Myth Exploring its origins Does it exist at Northwestern?
INSIDE: A trip to Chicago’s Asian American neighborhoods
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editor’s note “What are you?” “Where are you from?” “What’s your background? These are all really simple questions, but somehow they always evoke really complex answers. My immediate reaction is usually to start talking about what my major is, and then to continue on with how I was born in Boston but now live near Washington, D.C. — but those are usually not the answers people want to hear. “But what are you?”
nuAs i a n
& apac
Northwestern University’s APA Magazine
NU’s Asian Pacific American Coalition
Volume 5 - Issue 1 - Spring 2009
http://groups.northwestern.edu/apac/
“I’m Asian American; ethnically, I’m Chinese.” Ah, that’s the ticket. But surprisingly, that’s rarely the first answer that comes to mind when I’m asked that question. Even when I do give people the answer they’re looking for — that I’m of Chinese descent — it’s often followed by, “Well, my dad was born in Hong Kong, but my mom was born in Wyoming, and I was born in Boston...” Before I realize it, my answer becomes even more muddled. In many ways, that’s the beauty of individuality. The way we define ourselves is a product of so many varying factors. To limit our answer to one or two words does little justice, especially in the 21st century when the term “Asian American” means many different things to many different people. Whether we’re of mixed ethnicities or of full Asian descent, whether we were born in the States or born overseas, or whether we’re first-generation or third-generation Americans, we, as Asian Americans, compose a diverse group of individuals. The term “Asian American” does not fit squarely into a box, and we can’t use it to reflect one type of person or one stereotype. This magazine issue explores the idea of redefining what it means to be Asian American in the 21st century and celebrates the diverse Asian American population. From actors to athletes, pediatricians to politicians, and bakers to bankers, Asian Americans today are breaking boundaries. Check out our “Soapbox” spread (p. 23) to see how students at Northwestern view the term “Asian American,” and read about NU alumna Rachael Yamagata (p. 6) and her views on being an Asian American. As always, thanks for reading. Enjoy!
Ashley Lau Ashley Lau Editor-in-Chief
An extra note: Next fall, I’ll be studying abroad in France — and so this will be my last issue with magazine. While I’m sad to be leaving the publication, I’m happy to introduce next year’s editor, the very capable Nathalie Tadena, who has a lot of great ideas planned for NuAsian. Please feel free to get in touch with her (ntadena@u. northwestern.edu) to find out how you can get involved with the magazine!
Funded by the Student Activities Finance Board
Magazine Staff 2008-2009
Editorial Ashley Lau, Editor Iris Kim Nancy Lee Kaixi Ouyang Nathalie Tadena Samuel Wheeler
Design Pong Chakthranont Emily Chow John Gray Ashley Lau Michelle Liu Melissa Lu Katie Park
APAC Executive Board 2008-2009 David Ma, Co-President Kaixi Ouyang, Co-President Joe Lee, Vice President Catherine Wu, Treasurer Amy Chen, Secretary Amy Zhu, Programming Chair Diana Yu, Communication Chair Joe Spiro, Education Chair Ashley Lau, Publication Chair Advisor: Tedd Vanadilok On the cover: Singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata (Communication ‘97). Photograph by Hilary Walsh.
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THE AMERICANIZATION OF ASIAN FOOD What many consider to be “Chinese food,” or Asian food in general, is usually an Americanized form of an original dish. One writer traces the history of Asian food in America from its traditional roots to what we now see in restaurants today.
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ALUMNA PROFILE: RACHAEL YAMAGATA
Americanization of Asian Food, 4
NU alumna Rachael Yamagata (Communication ‘97) talks about her journey from being a Northwestern student to a successful singer-songwriter, also reflecting on what it means to be Asian American.
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SPOTLIGHT CHICAGO: BUDDHIST TEMPLE The Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom (BSCW) on the North Side is one of only five BSCW temples in the western hemisphere. Besides its grand presence, it serves as an important symbol of Asian American culture in Chicago.
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FINDING THE ASIAN AMERICAN VOTE
Among voters identifying themselves as individuals of color, African Americans saw a voter turnout increase of 22 percent and Latinos an increase of 16 percent. Asian Americans, however, saw an increase of only 3 percent.
A WALK THROUGH CHICAGO’S CHINATOWN Freshman Samuel Wheeler, new to Chicago, takes a notepad and pen down to Chicago’s Chinatown to chronicle his first visit in one of the city’s largest Asian-American neighborhoods.
A Walk Through Chicago’s Chinatown, 12
THE FACES OF CAFÉ JK SWEET
At the heart of J.K. Sweet are the Shims: a husband-and-wife duo that recently took over the multi-purpose café after the longtime owner retired. The two share their experiences serving the Northwestern community.
THE MODEL MINORITY MYTH
The commonly-held belief that Asian Americans are better off academically, financially and professionally compared to other groups traces its origins to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Where does this “myth” stand today?
Rachael Yamagata, 6
COLUMN: ASIAN AMERICANS IN THE WORKPLACE
One writer reflects on the barriers of Asian Americans in the workplace, drawing on her experience as an Asian American interning at Lehman Brothers this past summer.
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SOAPBOX
What does it mean to be Asian American in the 21st century? Find out what Northwestern students think about the term “Asian American” and how the term is being redefined.
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by Nathalie Tadena In 1847, the first Chinese immigrants settled in San Francisco, later followed by thousands of Chinese railroad workers. In the mid-1800s, Europeans first begin trading with China, opening up the seaport of Canton. The Cantonese were the first to emigrate to Europe and America, and also the first to establish Chinese restaurants outside of China. In California, where many Cantonese settled, Chinese food was initially only consumed by the Chinese community. Chinese communities clustered in Chinatown neighborhoods in major cities, opening their own “chow chow eateries” catering to Asian customers. Chinese eateries gained popularity among Americans who ventured into Chinatown.
By the 1920s, Asian cuisine was considered exotic by many young cosmopolitans. Authentic Cantonese restaurants began offering two menus. One menu was available for Asian customers who were used to the Cantonese tradition of stir-fry, rice based dishes that utilized every part of the animal, such as duck feet. A second menu modified traditional dishes to accommodate an American palate, often relying on basic meat and vegetable dishes served in standard sauces , such as sweet and sour or soy, with fried rice. Many Chinese restaurants concocted dishes like won ton soup, egg rolls, barbecued spareribs and beef with lobster sauce to appease American customers. After WWII, Asian cuisines became more mainstream for American diners. Political interactions with different regions of China influenced many Americans to attend classes to learn Chinese cooking styles other than Cantonese. New restaurants started to specialize in Mandarin, Hunan, Fukien, and Szechwan dishes.
In the 1900s, “chop suey” houses were built in New York, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia and Chicago after Li Hongzhang, a top Chinese official visited the U.S.
In the 1950s and 1960s, as Americans began moving to suburban communities, Chinese restaurants began opening in shopping malls, offering cheap delivery service known as “take out.” In the 1960s, Polynesian themed restaurants and tiki bars also became popular.
In the 1970s, other Asian cuisine like Vietnamese and Thai food gained popularity in the US, leading to the birth of fusion cuisine—a contemporary mixture of traditional Asian culinary styles with European dishes. Many chefs turned to fusion cuisine as a way to modernize traditional menus and compete with other restaurants. Early fusion dishes pulled Indian, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese and French inspirations.
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Her songs have been featured featured on popular TV shows like One Tree Hill, The O.C., and How I Met Your Mother. But before singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata, 31, achieved musical success, she said she too was once your typical Northwestern University student who “hung out at Norris every day.” Yamagata, who graduated in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in theatre, said she “barely skirted by” when she was in school. She described college as a generally overwhelming experience and spoke honestly about her years at Northwestern. “I can’t say that I had the best experience of my life,” she said. “But, I think that however it happened, it led me to the best career I could’ve chosen. So there was something about how everything came together that was really very ‘meant to be’ for me.” During her junior year, Yamagata joined Bumpus, a Chicago-based band. While working with the band, a record company scouted her and her solo career followed suit. Her first fulllength album, Happenstance, was released in June 2004 and it garnered hits like “Be Be Your Love” and “Reason Why.” Four years later, on October 7, 2008, Rachael Yamagata returned with her second studio album Elephants…Teeth Sinking Into Heart. The two disc release showcases an edgier, rock-influenced sound in addition to her signature ballads. “My writing had progressed to this more poetic lyric, and I wanted the music to be cinematic and lush, and reflect that. So I think that, in itself, started redefining what I had done before because I was taking it to the next level,” she said. Born to a Japanese father and German-Italian mother, Rachael Yamagata is one of the few mixed Asian American entertainers who have ‘made it’ in the music industry. Although she couldn’t recall any instances in which she was discriminated against as a mixed Asian American figure, early on in her career, she said that there was some
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discussion on how to market her ‘Asian’ image. “I think there was a time in the beginning where people were wondering, ‘I wonder if they’ll make her change her name or highlight her exotic looks or whatever’ and draw tremendous attention to it either way,” she said. However, she said the issue never came up thereafter. She also said that while her mixed race is something she embraces, she is hesitant to be portrayed as a representative for any specific race. “I love my cultural background and being an Asian American, but I don’t want to misrepresent anybody. I haven’t aligned myself with any particular group. I’m really one of the wanderers that kind of weave in and out all over the place.” She added, “It’s just that I also don’t want to be a fraud. There are so many people that do have hard experiences from being in a minority group, which I have just not had or I have not registered. So, I’m very careful about talking about it in any way that comes off as too much of a calling card. I want to appreciate it without exploiting it.” Instead, she said she feels more comfortable representing other apsects of herself. “For me, it’s more maybe as a woman, or maybe as a half-Asian, or maybe as just a reckless weirdo in general.” Her adaptability and resistance to being pigeonholed can be attributed to the family dynamics she was exposed to growing up. Although Yamagata described her childhood and upbringing in the Maryland, Washington D.C. area as “pretty run-of-the-mill,” she was essentially raised by four parents. Her parents divorced when she was two and they both remarried. Yamagata said the influence of four parents enabled her to relate to all different kinds of people. “Growing up with four parents who were from such different backgrounds, four archetypes, in a way, it immediately made me feel very comfortable with anyone in any situation,” she said. “In some ways, I think I’ve had an advantage of being surrounded by a lot of strong cultures, and I have been all my life. I identify with all of them. In my experience growing up, I think I was lucky in that I never felt pinpointed as any one of those things.” Rather than identify herself in terms of race, Yamagata preferred to characterize herself in other ways. “I’d say romantic before anything else, logical romantic,” Yamagata said. “I don’t think in those terms. I guess you could say I’m an Asian American, you could say I’m a German Italian. I don’t think of myself in that way. Not in a way I don’t think I’m a part of that. I would describe myself in other ways.”
Rachael Yamagata
alumna profile
by Nancy Lee
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spotlight chicago by Samuel Wheeler
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riginally founded as the Zen Lotus Society in 1967, the Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom (BSCW) has now become the North American Buddhist Order. The North Side Chicago temple is one of only five BSCW temples in the western hemisphere. The founder, Venerable Samu Sunim, has expanded the BSCW to the countries of the United States, Canada and Mexico. According to the temple’s web site, zenbuddhisttemplechicago.org, BSCW follows a modern-day renewal and reapplication of the five major pronouncements of Mahayana teachings: 1. All sentient beings are Buddhas. 2. Samsara is Nirvana. 3. One’s passions are enlightenment. 4. We are an interrelated whole. 5. Everyday life is the Way. The Chicago Temple was first opened in 1992 after a two-year volunteer led renovation process. The member services are held on Wednesdays at 4 p.m. and the free public services are held on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. The 4 p.m. service is generally for the less experienced mediator. If you have children, fear not, because there is a children’s service held each Sunday morning at 10 a.m. The Chicago BSCW Temple is dedicated to provide services such as meditation practices, retreats, Buddhist education, and other community involved functions throughout the year.
Photo courtesy of Nat Krause
BUDDHIST SOCIETY for COMPASSIONATE WISDOM Location: 1710 W. Cornelia Avenue Chicago, IL 60657, USA Phone: (773)528-8685 On the Web: www. zenbuddhisttemplechicago.org
Map courtesy of Google Maps
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Finding the Asian American Vote by Nathalie Tadena
The success story of Barack Obama, the first AfricanAmerican to be elected president of the U.S., has helped shed light on the growing presence of minorities in the American political process. While Obama’s popularity among students may have contributed to a nine-percent increase in voter turnout among 18 to 29-year-olds, the minority community saw the greatest gains in voter turnout rate overall in this year’s election. According to a study released by Project Vote, the 2008 minority voter turnout increased 21 percent from the 2004 election.
But among voters identifying themselves as individuals of color, African Americans saw a voter turnout increase of 22 percent and Latinos an increase of 16 percent. Asian Americans however, saw an increase of only 3 percent. So, where are the Asian voters?
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Voters by race in 2006 White Black Asian/PI Latino Other
Percent of eligible voter population Asian Americans have had steady rates of political participation for years, but they are often misconceived as a politically apathetic group, said professor Ji-Yeon Yuh, director of Northwestern’s Asian American studies program. “American stereotypes about Asians being passive have no bearing in reality,” she said. “If Asians were so culturally passive and so culturally undemocratic then it’s impossible to explain democratic movements in South Korea, the Philippines, Burma and India.” Political Leadership Asian Americans have been involved in U.S. government for decades—the first Asian U.S. congressmen and senators were elected in the 1950s. Today, there are more than 2,000 Asian and Pacific Islanders serving in elected and appointed positions on local, state and
Percent of registrations federal government levels, as reported by UCLA’s AsiaAmerican Studies Center. Among the more commonly recognized politicians are Louisiana
Percent of voters Information courtesy of projectvote.org
governor Bobby Jindal, the first IndianAmerican governor, and California congressman Mike Honda, now chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. President Obama has also appointed three Asian Americans to his cabinet—Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, Secretary of Veteran Affairs Eric Shinseki and cabinet secretary Chris Lu. But in spite of these individuals, Asian Americans still hold a smaller proportion of elected political positions in relation to their population size. Although all of the Asian-American incumbents won re-election to their respective congressional seats in the 2008 election cycle, none of the Asian American political newcomers were victorious in their congressional races. The general absence of highprofile Asian American politicians may deter the community from
Asian Americans have been involved in U.S. government for decades, but they still hold a smaller proportion of elected political positions in relation to their population size.
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getting more involved, some say. “You don’t see many Asians in politics,” Lai said. “There’s no real person that really can be representative of Asians.” However, voter turnout rates indicate that political involvement among Asians is on the rise. This may be partially attributed to the number of immigrants becoming citizens, an increase in political coverage by ethnic media outlets, and a growth in voter education programs. “It’s a big problem when candidates address African-American issues or Hispanic/Latino issues but AsianAmerican issues are often overlooked,” said Weinberg junior Allie Morales. “It’s a reason people may choose not to vote if candidates do not address ways to solve their concerns.” As part of an internship project with Northwestern’s Asian/Asian American Student Affairs office, Morales researched the polling patterns of Asian Americans nationwide. In an effort to raise the general voter turnout rates of Asian Americans, Morales decided to first reach out to college students and helped organize a campus-wide voter registration drive last fall called NU Decides. Morales said that the candidacy and eventual victory of a candidate with Obama’s background made this past election “historic.” But, there is still more that can be done to address issues of particular concern to the Asian American community, such as immigration laws and economic policies. “It’s been one step forward because both candidates addressed all different minority groups, but there still wasn’t equal attention,” she said.
have made them empathetic to some of the Democratic party’s stances, but Asian Americans should not be viewed as an overwhelmingly democratic group, Yuh said. “Politicians don’t really pay a lot of attention to us as a voting block, they don’t really know what to make of us,” she said. “They’re not sure if we’re Republican or Democrat, they think of us as being a tiny minority.” The failure to capitalize on the Asian American vote “has a lot to do with Asian Americans conceptualized as not just as different race, as not even Americans, as foreign,” Yuh added. Asian Americans constitute approximately 4 percent of the U.S. population, though the U.S. Census predicts the population will rise to 8 percent by 2050. Yuh said that
supported Republican John McCain over Obama in the election for reasons unrelated to Lai’s background. “Obama seems questionable because of his inexperience, which means we don’t know anything about what his policies will be like and because of the personality cult that developed around him,” Lai said. Medill sophomore Sisi Tang emigrated from China but grew up in Pittsburgh. She said she considers herself an independent. “My parents weren’t involved in the political scene since they’re not from here. They didn’t know enough about American culture to be involved with it,” Tang said. “But I haven’t been affected by their points of view and I was able to develop my own point of view.” Like Tang, first generation children of immigrants and individuals who grew up in the U.S. are likelier to be more knowledgeable about politics. Weinberg sophomore Cindy Wu said that among her friends with Asian backgrounds, those who are first generation children of immigrants were more interested in going into the political field. “I don’t think race necessarily has anything to do with it, they’re either really in to politics or not,” Wu said. “But growing up in American culture, you’re more American and it’s easier to fit in.” But some say that continuing to encourage political participation may help dispel misconceptions about Asian Americans. “Stereotypes arise out of our particular minority status,” Yuh said. “Until we can change our minority status, we’re not going to be able to change stereotypes. But we shouldn’t really be focusing on combating stereotypes, but on trying to increase our own empowerment.” A
“Politicians don’t really pay a lot of attention to us as a voting block, they don’t really know what to make of us.... They think of us as being a tiny minority.” - Ji-Yeon Yuh
Political Leanings A 2008 poll conducted by The Institute of Politics at Harvard University found that among Asian-Americans aged 1824, 47 percent identified themselves as a Democrat, 15 percent as Republican and 39 percent as Independent. Asian Americans’ concern with labor immigration rights
political campaigns often focus more on other demographic groups with more predictable voting patterns, citing the Jewish electorate—who also make up approximately 4 percent of the U.S. vote— as heavily targeted by the Democratic party. “Asians are leaning democratic but still have a significant Republican constituency,” she said. “They should be seen as a significant swing vote, courted by both parties.” In the 2008 election, while an overwhelming 62 percent of Asian Americans voted in favor of Obama, AsianAmericans also had the highest rates of voting Republican among minority groups. Obama’s Republican rival John McCain received 35% of the Asian vote, compared to 31% of the Latino vote and 4% of the African-American vote. Music freshman Danny Lai said he
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A walk through Chicago’s Chinatown by Samuel Wheeler
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efore stepping foot on the Chinatown square in Chicago, I had virtually no cultural knowledge of the area. On one hand, I was excited to immerge myself into this seemingly foreign city. But on the other, I had no idea where to begin. I was about to embark on a journey to understand how a person unfamiliar with the city’s subcultures, could understand enough to write a piece about the rich environment Chinatown has to offer. I spent a couple days researching, and on a brisk Chicago winter night, I stepped off the Cermak El stop and walked into an unknown world.
Photo courtesy of Daniel Schwen
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When I first stepped off the El and laid eyes on Chinatown I was amazed. According to the 2000 U.S. census, there are currently 68,000 Chinese in the Chicagoland area and Chinatown Chicago is the second largest in the nation. The eight blocks of Chinatown are nestled between the northern border of 18th street, 26th street to the south, the el to the east, and the Dan Ryan expressway to the west. Of course these are not official boundaries, but the culture of Chinatown is very well preserved within this location. One interesting fact however, is that the current Chinatown has not always been the spot for Chinese immigrants to assimilate into American culture. According to a Chinatown Photos by Jen T. Web site, the first Chinese immigrants arrived in Chicago The windows of Yin Wall City, Inc. are lined with posters and products to attract people walking around Chinatown. in the 1870s, after completing When I first stepped off the El and laid innocent occupations such as restaurant the first transcontinental railroad. Among eyes on Chinatown I was amazed. I had owners and small businesses. By 1900, 167 them was Chinese pioneer T.C. Moy, who no idea that such a rich culture was still Chinese-operated restaurants existed in settled in Chicago in 1878. Facing strict preserved in the modern age. I decided to the city. laws that kept Chinese immigrants to a walk around and take in as much of the Chicago’s first Chinese community, minimum, T.C. Moy encouraged family culture as I could. The Chinatown Gate, established in 1905, was built near Van members and friends to come to the city with its breathtaking hand-painted tiles, Buren and Clark Street. At the time, the and start new lives. At that time, Immiwas the first structure to catch my eye. new influx of Chinese residents caused grant workers in Chicago were the cause Although I couldn’t read the four giant alarm and discrimination from the current of much discrimination. The Chinese Chinese characters on the gate, I knew that non-Asian residents. Landlords raised immigrants started what were considered the red gate must have symbolized a new rent prices for imbeginning for the Chinese people. It turns migrants, forcing out that the characters read, “The world them to move to the belongs to the commonwealth.” Accordcurrent Chinatown location at Cermak and ing to ChicagoChinatown.org, the idea of a gate was conceived by George Cheung, a Wentworth. Through civic promoter, and designed by architect a series of available Peter Fung in 1975. The saying on the gate leases, this relocation reflects the ideas of Chinese people that was contracted and are based around community drive for the made possible by the common good. As far as I could tell, the H.O. Stone Company gate fits in perfectly with the surrounding and members of the architecture. On Leong BusinessMost of Chinatown’s attractions are men’s Association. The area grew over the next the result of the creation of the Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce in 1983. century and the largAccording to the website, the mission is to est influx of Chinese “improve and expand business opportuniimmigrants arrived ties and to educate others on the history, shortly after in the 50s An assortment of Asian goods, from imported Chinese tea to packaged dried fish, line the store walls in Yin Wall City, Inc. culture, and customs of the Chinese Ameriand 60s.
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can community.” from a mere $15 I continued to walk down Wentworth all the way up to Chinatown's Nine Dragon Wall and within minutes I felt as if I had entered $1000 per ounce. another country. English had almost Luckily, one disappeared and replaced by a mixture of woman working traditional and simplified Chinese characat the store spoke ters on the storefronts. The stores ranged very good English. from restaurants and teashops to banks She explained and acupuncture clinics. that normally, the I had heard of a great teashop on older the ginseng, Wentworth called Ten Ren Tea Company. the more expenAs an avid tea drinker, I figured this would sive. “Most of the be a good place to start. Unfortunately, it time, the products was closed by the time I found it. But the for sale in the Web site, tentea.com, offers a wide variety store are used for of Chinese teas. One can find Oolong tea, food purposes,” Pu-Erh tea, White tea, and much more. she said. These teas, however, are not the typical Among the Lipton teabags; they each have specific flaproducts were vor, texture and shapes. With money still deer antlers, deer Photo by Peter Ng in my pocket and no tea in my hands, my tails, shark fins, photographer, freshman John Gray, and sea cucumbers, ragons are sacred and are believed to have magical I continued the walk. We entered a small dried fish, giant powers just like the number nine. Walk across the grocery store in the heart of Chinatown mushrooms and street from the Chinatown Gate to experience the Square. even tea! In the power of The Nine Dragon Wall. Modeled after the most Completed in 1993, Chinatown Square corner of the sophisticated wall in BeiHai (North Sea) Park in Beijing, the is a two-level commercial center filled with store, a man and Chinatown mural replicates the large dragons and over 500 shops and restaurants. On my first visit, a woman sat at a smaller dragons painted in red, gold and blue signifying the there was not much activity, probably small table talking Chinese focus on good fortune. The Nine Dragon Wall is one because most of the shops were closed. But and laughing over of the only three such replicas outside of China. on my second visit, the square was bustling a teapot and a cup with life. People were walking around of tea. It was nice -- From www.chicagochinatown.org admiring the stores, talking in both Canto see such an tonese and Mandarin dialects and enjoying inviting atmothe brisk autumn night. sphere located While we were walking around the within a local grocery store. After buying 19, and a college student from Chicago. She square, I noticed some sliced ginseng we said goodbye has lived in Chinatown for two years and a small store and carried on with our lives about a ten-minute drive from Chinamed “Yin cultural quest. natown Square. Her favorite place to hang Wall City One aspect out in china town is Saint Alp’s Teahouse. Inc.” Inside of Chinatown Located on Archer Ave, this teahouse is a there were 30-plus that surprised place where students come to hang out and barrels filled with differme was the work on homework. ent kinds influence of After saying goodbye, we headed to a of ginseng. other types local movie shop. After chatting in ChiGinseng of cultures. nese, Mr. Zhao, the owner, was extremely is usuFor example, friendly, and I’m sure that he enjoyed my ally sliced into in a candy story attempt at Chinese. Originally from the thin pieces we saw mostly Japanese northeast region of China, Mr. Zhao has and used candies. We bought lived in the states for 14 years. His video in tea or some dried fish, store has Chinese, Japanese, Korean and other overall health Pocky Sticks and Taiwanese movies. Zhao stated that he sees products. As I looked some gummy a difference in the movies residents and The famous “Pocky” snack: Biscuit sticks coated with strawberry. treats. At the around, I spotted an non-residents rent. “Most Asian residents array of foods not found in many store, I talked like the family movies, while non residents American grocery stores. The prices ranged with a student named Ashley Huang. She is come here for the Kung Fu.”
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I had no idea that such a rich culture was still preserved in the modern age.
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Photo by Ashley Lau
Where to find the places Sam visited: Ten Ren Tea Company 2247 South Wentworth Ave Chicago, IL 60616 (312) 842-1171 Yin Wall City, Inc. 2347 South Wentworth Ave Chicago, IL 60616 (312) 808-1122 Saint’s ALP Teahouse 2131 S Archer Ave Chicago, IL 60616 (312) 842-1886 Ken Kee Restaurant 2129 S China Place Chicago, IL 60616 (312) 326-2088
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Alas, it was finally time to eat. After browsing the restaurants in the square, we headed to Ken Kee Restaurant. Chinatown is home to all different restaurants. A hungry traveler can find almost any type of southeastern or far eastern restaurants. According to Chicagochinatown.com, there are around 40 restaurants along Wentworth and Cermak, though, after visiting, the number seems to be much higher than 40. Fortunately for me, I didn’t take the time to count them all. I was hungry and all of my attention was focused on ordering some traditional Chinese food. Ken Kee offers over 100 different entrees. Again, I did not take the time to count them all, but rest assured, there were more than 100. It was strangely difficult to pick just one dish from the large selection. Some of the highlights from the menu are water crest in garlic sauce, stir fried egg with yellow chives, Vermicelli with pickled veggies, and my personal favorite, sesame beef
chow mien. As our second trip came to an end, we finally arrived at the Chinatown mural. The mural is an astonishing sight, made of 100,000 individually cut pieces of mosaic glass. It was created in the Tang Shan Art and Industry factory in 1993 and was cut into pieces before being sent to Chinatown for reassembly during completion of the square that year. The mural beautifully depicts the history of Chinese immigrants in America. On the left, one can see ancient Chinese people working in the fields; in the middle there are people of different race holding hands in triumph; and on the right, Chinese people are working various modern day occupations. The mural was a great spot to end my visit because it gave me an important incite as to how many challenges Chinese Americans have had to overcome. As I walked away from the Chinatown Gate, I held my bag of goodies and admired the thick Chinese microcosm of culture that hides in the heart of a thriving American city. A
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The faces of
Café J.K. Sweet by Iris Kim
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n any given day you visit Café JK Sweet, the first thing you are sure to notice are the checkered tablecloths and a showcase of delectable desserts reminiscent of a ‘50s style American diner. You can expect a lively woman behind the counter to greet you with a warm “hello”. She is Heera Lee Shim, onehalf of the duo that runs and maintains the café. The other half is a bespectacled and bearded fellow who is most likely bustling around in the kitchen – her husband, Jae-myung “Jae” Shim. Shim and Lee took over the business last January, becoming the third group of owners in the lineage after John Klein, the eponymous owner who founded the café more than 20 years ago. Located at 720 ½ Clark Street just steps away from the Northwestern campus, JK Sweet is a casual dining restaurant that specializes in Korean and Japanese dishes prepared with premium ingredients handpicked by Shim himself, who travels to a local market every couple of days to ensure the freshness of the food items. The most popular dish is, without a doubt, bibimbap – a savory combination of rice, sautéed
Photo by Ashley Lau
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vegetables, a choice of meat or tofu, and gochujang (a spicy, red pepper paste). Shims says the chicken teriyaki, donkatsu (fried pork cutlet), and galbi (barbecued beef ribs) are a big hit as well. Although most of his customers order the bibimbap, Shim recommends seol-leong tang, a traditional Korean beef soup that he says is especially tasty during the winter months. The café is open daily from 9:30 am to 12:30 am, or sometimes even an hour or two later. On top of that, the Shims are on the road for at least two hours every day, commuting back and forth between the café and their home in Buffalo Grove, a northwest suburb of Chicago. Shim says he and his wife run on only about three to four hours of sleep every night. However, it is evident that in end, the reason they work so diligently is for the wellbeing of their children – Jane, a junior at Shim’s alma mater, the Univer-
sity of Michigan; Matthew, a high school sophomore; and Paul, a 3rd grader. Shim says the major reason why he and his wife moved to the states to run the café was to provide a better education for their kids. As much as the couple enjoys serving the customers, they regret not being able to spend more time with the kids. “For that, I am especially sorry,” Shim says. At JK Sweet, Shim and his wife are accompanied by just three other employees: one manager, a cashier, and an assistant cook. Shim appreciates the fact that between the five of them, the tasks, such as manning the cash register and preparing and serving the dishes, may be carried out efficiently. Additionally, this allows for a customer-oriented atmosphere in which Shim and Lee can not only serve the customers themselves but also concentrate on establishing close-knit relationships with their regular customers.
Photos by Ashley Lau Husband-and-wife duo Heera Lee, left, and Jae-myung Shim are both proud café owners and proud parents.
“The service is great, and the food is yummy,” says Deanna Mei, a Weinberg sophomore. “I’d never tried bibimbap before coming to college, but I was hooked after trying it for the first time at JK. I’m glad that there’s a place like JK so close to campus - it’s really convenient to just stop by and grab a quick and satisfying meal.” Shim says that the best part about his job is being able to meet and interact with customers in a college-town setting. “I really like that I can meet young people on a daily basis. I forget my age sometimes,” he reveals. On the whole, Shim says he is quite fond of Evanston as a gentle and wellmannered community. Lee, in particular, encountered somewhat of a language barrier when she came to the states for the first time in 2007 with her husband to help him manage the café. “My wife is very brave,” Shim says, with a chuckle. “Most of the time, she doesn’t care what she is saying as long as she can get the general point across. I am thankful because the customers are understanding and treat her well.” Shim and his wife have always led a nomadic lifestyle. Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, Shim graduated from college in Korea, earning a degree in biology. The Shims then came to the states and settled in Ann Arbor, Michigan for graduate and postgraduate study. The two then went back to Korea for a short time period before spending around 10 years in Southeast Asia, living in places such as Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia. The Shims have lived in the Chicago area for just under two years, but they already envision themselves relocating to another place in the future. “My wife and I love to travel, especially to places with beautiful nature. After the kids graduate from college, we will probably leave Evanston. Maybe somewhere tropical? Or Africa? Who knows?” says Shim. A
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n high school, Derrick Wu said teachers expected a lot from him, not because of his academic potential, but because of his race. “Teachers used to come up to me and say they had other Asian students who did well,” the Northwestern freshman said. “It’s hard for any Asian to live up to those expectations.” As the only Asian at his school in Indiana, Wu said he was often pegged as smart, high-achieving and quiet—stereotypes that many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders often face, but hardly question. “The stereotype could be much worse,” Wu said, who admits he has some nerdy qualities. The commonly held belief that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are better off academically, financially and professionally compared to other groups can trace its origins to a decade defined by another minority’s struggle for equality—the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. In response to the protests and turmoil among the African American community in the 1960s, many white Americans turned to the Asian community as a solution. And so the “model minority myth” was born.
The Model Minority Myth by Nathalie Tadena Photo courtesy of www.fiddlemaestro.
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Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders were elevated as a “model minority,” a term first used in 1966, to illustrate the capability of one racial minority to achieve the American Dream and to fault the African American community for their failure to do the same. “It was a contrast to what they were saying about blacks at the time, a way to show that welfare is not the solution to solving the problems for African Americans,” said Robert Teranishi, an associate professor higher education at New York University. “Asians were used to demonstrate that with hard work and diligence, minority groups can be successful.” Teranishi co-led a study conducted by the College Board and the National Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islander Research in Education titled, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders—Facts, Not Fiction: Setting the Record Straight.” The report, published in June, challenged popular stereotypes and examined the detrimental effects on Asian American students. “There are a lot of Asians who aspire to the American dream, but that’s true of all immigrants,” Teranishi said. “Somehow it becomes more of an Asian story as opposed to an immigrant story.” Many of these misconceptions are a result of misleading data that overlooks differences among ethnic groups, Teranishi said. According to the 2005 American community survey, more than 4 percent of respondents identified themselves as Asian or Pacific Islander. However the term “Asian-American” encompasses at least 20 different ethnicities and nationalities, ranging from Indian to Chinese to Vietnamese. Teranishi’s study found significant economic and educational differences among Asian and Pacific Islander ethnic groups. Although more than 44 percent of Asian Americans earned a bachelor’s degree of higher, compared to only 24.4 percent of the U.S. population, southeast Asian groups were the least likely to graduate. Less than 20 percent of Vietnamese and less than 10 percent of Cambodians, Laotians and Hmong received a degree. Of the Pacific Islander groups surveyed, Native Hawaiians had the highest likelihood of graduating with a degree, with only 15.8 percent. Asian and Pacific Islanders also showed comparable poverty levels to the national average, with 12.6 % of Asian Americans and 17.7% of Pacific Islanders falling below the poverty line. About 12.4% of the overall U.S. population lives below the poverty line.
“It’s hard to challenge a positive stereotype, who doesn’t want to be successful?” Teranishi said. However these “positive stereotypes” continue to hurt Asians, said Jinah Kim, a professor of Asian American studies at Northwestern. “The model minority myth doesn’t really describe who Asian Americans are,” Kim said. “It describes how people in power want Asian Americans to be.” Asian American groups represent a diverse range of socioeconomic classes, however, under the model minority myth, all Asians are lumped together as the “good people of color,” she said. While Asian Americans may not have been the ones to create the concept of the model minority, many young Asians feel pressured to internalized the model minority’s stereotypes. The Asian Population at Northwestern Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make up the largest racial minority group in NU’s undergraduate student body. Approximately 17.2% of the students entering NU in 2006 identified themselves as Asian. Sophomore Lydia Hsu said stereotypes differ from place to place depending on the prominence or presence of Asians in the area, noting that there were few Asians where she grew up in upstate New York. “People expect you to get straight As and be the smartest one in class, and when you’re not they’re shocked because as an Asian American, you’re held to a higher standard,” Hsu said. “It’s really annoying because the culture pressures us to be better, we’re not inherently better.” Coming to NU, the sophomore English major said she found that many students are trapped in an “Asian bubble.” “If people associate you with a certain group of Asians or Indians or racial group, they’re less intimidated to friend you because they’re intimidated by your group.” Diana Chen, also a sophomore, said many people are surprised when she tells them her major of study. “There are a lot of stereotypes like you’re supposed to be hard working, play an instrument, be someone’s who’s really good at math and science,” she said. “A lot of people don’t guess that I’m studying music and political science, they always assume I’m premed or an econ major.” The Model Minority Myth is something many Asian-American college students grapple with, however, the most difficult stereotypes to dispel are the positive ones, Kim said.
Photo courtesy of www.flickr.com
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“This places a burden on the Asian American individual and family,” she said. “It makes achievement seem natural so if you don’t achieve that must be because you’re not a good Asian.” Because the model minority myth tends to emphasize achievement in the areas of science and math, some college students may be discouraged to pursue studies in the arts. “The model minority just cannot recognize the plurality of Asian American desires and experiences, it might even limit the students’ ideas of what they become,” she said. There are two ways that young Asian Americans in college tend to respond to the pressure placed on them to do well, said Shuji Otsuka, a PhD candidate at Northwestern and a graduate instructor in the Asian American Studies department. “One way that they would respond is to place very high expectations on themselves, work hard in high school, get into the best college, in college get very good grades and when they do not meet those high goals and high expectations, they beat themselves on the head,” he said. The failure to meet expectations can even have psychological repercussions. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Asian American women between the ages of 15 and 24, marking the highest suicide rate among women of any race in this age group. In contrast, some youth attempt to reject the model minority myth all together. “There is a counter-tendency to not work hard and not get good grades,” Otsuka said. “Some tend to reject the image that model minorities are rather nerdy and out of touch, they want to be cool in college and high school.” Can the Myth be Debunked? As long as Asians are distinguished as foreigners rather than Americans, experts say the model minority myth will continue to persist. Northwestern, like many of its peer institutions, offers classes in Asian American studies, however, Kim said there is not enough interest or resources to educate the entire campus about the Asian American experience. Greater appreciation and understanding of what it means to be Asian American can be fostered through increased support for teaching Asian American literature and history at high school and elementary school, Kim said. Because Asian Americans are expected to be educationally successful, many schools do not reach out to Asian students for extra support, often leading to higher degrees of stress and anxiety as well as lower satisfaction in college, Teranishi said. One major issue is the lack of visibility of Asian American leaders in educational and political institutions. Asian Americans make up approximately 1.5% of teachers nationally and only .5% of principals in K-12 schools. “Asian Americans just don’t see themselves in schools, they don’t see themselves or their experiences reflected in the curriculum or part of American history,” Teranishi said. Because many Asian Americans do not actively seek out educational support, Teranishi recommends that student services at educational institutions should be better educated about the unique issues the Asian community and different subgroups within that community may face. “People need to understand that Asians are not a homogenous groups,” Teranishi said. “There are a lot of different communities of Asians in America and a wide range of experiences and challenges that exist within the population. A college in Minnesota might be dealing with a large Mong population, in Louisiana there is a large Vietnamese population, in New Jersey there are a lot of Filipinos. Institutions need to think about who it is they’re working with when it comes to the Asian population.” A
Photo courtesy of www.flickr.com
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Asian Americans in the workplace
had heard of the glass ceiling against women before my internship this past summer, but little did I realize there existed a ceiling just as tough against Asian Americans in the workplace. This barrier is not necessarily intentional, but rather a result of the clash between cultural differences. The 2002 U.S. Census reported that 44 percent of Asian AmeriFDQV RYHU WKH DJH RI WZHQW\ ¿YH KDYH JUDGXDWHG IURP FROOHJH ZHOO above the 27 percent average of the total population, yet Asian Americans comprise a mere 1 percent of corporate board membership. Why the discrepancy? Americans have built a capitalist society that prides individualism and freedom. As a result, many corporations have cultures that emphasize competition, aggressiveness, and initiative. Asian culture, on the other hand, tends to be more communalistic in naWXUH ZLWK &RQIXFLDQ YDOXHV RI ¿OLDO SLHW\ UHVSHFW IRU DXWKRULW\ DQG priority of duty and harmonic peace over personal rights. As a result, many Asian Americans forgo personal gain in order to avoid FRQÀLFW DQG DOVR WHQG WR EH KLJKO\ ULVN DYHUVH I noticed this in my internship at Lehman Brothers this past summer. I worked closely with a Korean American analyst who was extremely traditional in Asian values and behavior. Her boss was frequently condescending and demanding, and despite being very frustrated with the degrading treatment, she never spoke up or talked back. Ironically, her manager’s favorite analyst was instead someone who often made sarcastic comebacks. The Korean American created better spreadsheets and presentations than many of her coworkers yet she was handed the most menial projects because she failed to speak up about her own strengths and was too timid to ask for the best projects. She was not popular among her coworkers and was not promoted as she stuck her nose constantly in her work and failed to network and socialize enough with those
by Kaixi Ouyang around her. Many Asian Americans are taught by their parent that success is dictated by hard work and academic success, a reason why Asian Americans have been labeled a “model minorityâ€? group. Unfortunately, advancing in the workplace is completely different from doing well in school. People are not promoted on the basis of grades or test scores. Simply producing quality products and results is not enough. Many other factors come into play: how well you network, how well you get along with your manager and coworkers, how assertive you are, how well you can demonstrate your performance to those who decide your promotion, etc. In fact, often times these subjectively evaluated “softâ€? characteristics are more important than the technical work you produce. So how does an Asian American expect to succeed in the corporate rat race? You do not need to deny your Asian heritage and act “whiteâ€?. You should not let your performance slip. However, you do need to be able to communicate and build camaraderie with \RXU FRZRUNHUV /HDUQ WR EH DEOH UHODWH WR DQG WR ÂżW LQ ZLWK WKH dominant culture at your company. Good relationships with your FRZRUNHUV ZKR DUH ZLOOLQJ WR EDFN \RX XS LV LQÂżQLWHO\ PRUH HIIHFWLYH than some technical skill or knowledge you possess that can be easily replaced by another employee or a machine. You are promoted by people, not books or computers. You can also use Asian American traits like humility, modesty, and respect for the community to your advantage. These characteristics put people at ease and create collaboration. Just don’t be so humble and modest that you never voice your best qualities and let others take advantage of you. Don’t allow yourself to get stuck with all the grunt work like Harold from Harold and Kumar go to :KLWH &DVWOH %H SURXG DQG FRQÂżGHQW RI \RXU DELOLWLHV DQG PDNH sure other people know it too. A
Artwork by Pongkarn Chakthranont Photo courtesy of www.businessweek.com
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What does it mean to be Asian American in the 21st Century? File photos courtesy of www.imdb.com and the AP
More than ever, Asian Americans compose a diverse group of individuals. Whether of mixed ethnicities or full Asian descent, whether born overseas or born in America, whether a third-generation or first-generation American, Asian Americans in the 21st century are redefining what it means to be “Asian American.” The term “Asian American” no longer reflects just one type of person or one stereotype, but rather a number of diverse people living in America.
Being an Asian-American is selfdeclared. If you believe yourself to be influenced by both, why not be AsianAmerican instead of one or the other? Self-categorization of this term is its unique and characterizing factor.
To be Asian-American is to be an Asian born in America who is proud of not only his/her American heritage but his/her inner Asian roots as well. —Harry Li (WCAS ‘11)
—Devon Weiss (WCAS ‘11)
Someone who is racially Asian but culturally American (with sprinkles of an Asian heritage on top). I am not an Asian American, but I believe that the common struggles and differences between the heritage and culture has created a united bond that brings the Asian American community closer as a whole. —Jon Cook (McCormick ‘12)
—Irene Liang (WCAS ‘11)
What does it mean to be an Asian American? As someone who grew up in both Taiwan and the US, being an Asian American means that my values are influenced by both Asian and American mindsets. Also, I get to call two places home which is double the excitement! —Sharon Kuo (WCAS ‘11)