1. Trace the evolution of SFSU strike as outlined by Umemoto: What motivated the strike? Who was involved?

In
what ways did the strike transform the consciousness of its participants? What other struggles evolved out of the
Strike? What were the significant effects of the strike and what legacy did it leave behind for Asian Americans?
Four Stages of Strike:
-1964-66: end of Civil Rights Movement racial harmony and participatory democracy
-1966-67: implementation of programs under banner of serve the people and self determination
-Fall of 1968/Winter of 1969: by any means necessary
-Spring/Summer 1969: protest continued
What motivated the strike?
(1) Demand for an Ethnic Studies Department
(2) Civil Rights Movement proved that protest was a good tactic
(3) Public despises the Master Plan tracking system: professionals = UC; administrators= Cal-states; workers =
community college
(4) Education relevancy - there was a view that colleges were training people for money; nothing about communityrelevant issues like violence, etc.
(5) Black Power movement / Black antiracist movements inspired Asian Americans
(6) Asians wondered about their role in the society
(7) Vietnam War was escalating, organizations to stop it; everyone organizing at that time
Who was involved?
- TWLF (Third World Liberation Front)
- AAPA (Asian American Political Alliance) founded by Japanese women at SFSU during protest; vehicle for students to
share political concerns
- PACE (Philippine-American Collegiate Endeavor) organized to fight for rights of Pilipino youth; counseling programs
- ICSA (Intercollegiate Chinese for Social Action) found by Chinese students who were mainly interested in social,
cultural, and community activities
- BSU
- AASU
- NASU
- Revolutionary nationalism
- Multiracial student community
Transform the consciousness of its participants?
- Revealed nature of clashes between students and administrators
- Reminds us that only through hard-fought struggle do we have ethnic studies and special programs for oppressed groups
- Asian American student activists continued tradition of resistance of earlier generations of Filipino farm workers,
Chinese immigrant workers, and Japanese American concentration camp resisters
Other struggles evolved out of the Strike:
- I-Hotel
- Uprisings
- Police brutality
Significant effects of the strike and what legacy did it leave behind for Asian Americans?
- First School of Ethnic studies in the nation
- Emergence of a new generation of fighters (either remained on campus or entered their communities)
- Many took concept of self-determination to establish self-help programs
- Legacy of strike also set terrain for another generation of Asian students: there are many student organizations form
based on the foundations set by an earlier generation

2. How has the political landscape changed for Asian Americans in the 1980s? Why were the 1980s an ambiguous
period for Asian American empowerment? How does this period compare with the 1960s and 1990s? Are the
concepts developed during the Asian American Movement self determination, liberation, militant struggle
meaningful and relevant to Asian Americans today? Are the ideas of the movement alive today, or have they
atrophied into relics the curiosities of a bygone era of youthful and excessive idealism?
Changing political landscape in 80s:
- During winter of civil rights, Asian American activists launched political campaigns in grassroots level
(Japanese won redress and reparations; Pilipino rallied in solidarity with Peoples Power movement to topple Marcos
dictatorship; Chinese organized support for pro-democracy in China
- Model Minority
Ambiguous period for Asian American empowerment:
-Both suffering and advances characterized this period
-Suffering: there was growing poverty for many Asian Americans, especially refugees from Southeast Asia, rising
hate crimes directed toward Asian Americans of all ethnicities and income levels, sharpening class polarization
between the rich and the poor
-Advances: As. Am. population grew dramatically with 1965 reform of US immigration laws; growth of suburban
settlements and revitalization of established communities like Chinatowns; As. Am. youth enrolled in colleges and
universities throughout the US
-WHY?:
-Factor #1: legacy of grassroots organization
- Grassroots organizations:
- Helped cushion wars impact against the poor in Asian American communities
- Provided the foundation for many of the successful empowerment campaigns during the 1980s
- Movement activists learned from their confrontations with systems of power and applied these lessons to the
more difficult political fights of the 1980s
-Factor #2: rise of young professionals as a significant force in the community
- Young professionals created countless new groups in almost every profession, including law, medicine, social work,
psychology, education
- Started new political advocacy groups, leadership training projects, different national coalitions and consortiums
- Organized political caucuses for Demo. and Rep. parties
- Joined governing boards of many community agencies
- Young professionals defined the AsAm community of the 1980s through their massive numbers, inclination for selforganization, and high level of activity
- Emergence of young professionals as community leaders helped mass political mobilizations
- Strategic combination of grassroots forces and young professionals against racism and discrimination
Compare with the 1960s and with the 1990s:
-1960s: keywords are consciousness, theory, ideology, participatory democracy, community, liberation
-Civil Rights Movement, Free Speech Movement, Black Power, Anti-War
-1990s: advocacy, access, legitimacy, empowerment, assertiveness
Meaning and Relevance:
- YES!
- More relevant education

3. How did the 1965 Immigration Act remedy litany of anti-Asian immigration legislation passed in the years
leading up to WW2? How did the 1965 Act alter the preference system? Why have so many well-educated Asians
immigrated into the US after passage of this act? What impact does Asian immigration have upon the ethnic
composition of the US labor force? To what extent will Asian immigrants continue to enter the US in the 21 st
century? Will Asian immigrants continue to come in a steady pace to the US, slow down significantly, or halt
altogether? What factors might promote immigration among this group and what factors might stem its tide?
1965 Immigration Act:
- It broke the trend of exclusions of Asian migration! It repealed the quota system.
- Pre 1965- There was labor immigration and exclusion from 1850-1943
- Push factors: colonization, decay, feudal economy
- Pull: labor shortage, infrastructure needs
- Also, there was incomplete family settlement (only men)
Altering the preference system:
There was pressure to eliminate the NOQ (National Origins Quota System) because the civil right movement was also going on,
as well as the Cold War. (The Cold War played a role in this because the NOQ system was an embarrassment to American
Democracy. The preference system changed to allowing a vast number to come to the US
Well-educated Asian immigrants:
- Internal pressure in Asian Newly industrialized countries
- They couldnt absorb middle class professionals/ oversupply of professionals
- Restriction on social spending
- Limited opportunities for the well trained
- Individualism over loyalty
- Homelands were still developing
- US
- Under supply of professionals in US
- Higher ed was unaffordable in the US
- Deindustrialization in US
- US recruited outside
- Category 3 (Professionals, scientists, and artists of exceptional ability)
- Consequence was the Brain Drain in their homelands
Impact upon ethnic composition of US LF:
- Since the 1980s 1/3 of medical personnel and engineers have come from abroad
- Mostly from the Philippines, India, China, and Taiwan
- The fiscal year of 1995> 45% of Chinese immigrants were admitted under employment based preferences and almost all
had higher ed or training in the US
To what extent will Asian immigrants continue to enter the US in the 21st Century? Will they continue at a steady pace, slow
down significantly or halt altogether?
- Since the 70s > great increase (because of immigration)
- Indians, Koreans, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Laotians and the Hmong grew at large rates
- If immigration, ethnic affliation, and intermarriage holds up at same rate, Asian population is expected to grow from 4%8% (12 mil in 2000 34 million to 2050)
What will promote immigration in this group, and what will stem its tide?
- After 9/11, due to security reasons, immigration from Islamic countries slowed
- Largely depends on US economy (recession discourages foreigners to immigrate)
- Also depends where you start when you arrive in the US i.e. enclaves vs. suburbs
- If you start off in an enclave, you may not be able to move up the ladder
- Poorly paying jobs
- Stuck in poverty
- Isolated from mainstream American society
- If you start off in suburbs, you are more well off and able to climb ladder
- Jump directly into mainstream labor markets ($$$)
- Comfortable homes, safe neighborhoods, quality schools

4. What role has American Foreign policy played in the migration of histories of South East Asians? How have
armed struggles shaped internal migration?
Background (not necessary, but for your convenience)
- A lot of US involvement in the 1st and 2nd IndoChina wars and China vs. Cambodia & Vietname.
- US supported non- communist regime of President Ngo Dinh Diem
- 2nd Indochina war US military personnel > 500,000
- US bombed Cambodia and Laos
- US realized the damage we did, so we allowed a lot of refugees in (as well as to embarrass the other country.)
3 waves of immigration/refugees
- 1st: Vietnamese Elites, Cambodian leadership, and US supporters
- sponsored for 3 years during 1975
- 2nd: 1978-80> Boat/land peoples
- Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian, and Hmong
- Internal migration: Vietnamese and Chinese leave to Thailand by land
- 3rd : 1980: Orderly Departure Program
- Family reunification and education
- Humanitarian Outreach Program in 1989
- Amerasian program that came out of the AmerAsian Act of 1982
- Vina said:
- Asians are here because the US is there
- Disruption because of war (French and US intervention)
- Political reason for Vietnamese to come so we can embarrass other country
- Bridge between Vietnam and US
- Responsibility to allow you to come to the US
How does the legacy of war continue to shape the fortunes of S.E. Asians once settled in the US? How do S.E. Asian
refugees differ from other refugees from Cuba and the former Soviet and from other Asian immigrants?
- S.E. Asian refugees got much less in comparison to Asian immigration, they also tend to be less affluent in the US - ----- Refugees had much less than immigrants
- Immigrants had:
- A planned departure
- Family housing
- Capital
- Education
- Lived in urban areas
- Focused more on opportunities
- Refugees:
- Unplanned departures
- Had to live in camps
- Minimal capital
- The majority were unskilled and could not speak English
- Not entire families
- Lower socio-economic status
- Change in immigration laws helped the S.E. Asian pop by formalizing refugees.
- 7th preference visa category
- refugee policy worked for Hungarian and Cubans when they fled from communism
- its diff from Cubans because SE Asia fell into communism (we pulled out of Vietnam)
- US passed Refugee Act of 1980
- Annual # of admissions for refugees
- Vina said:
- Psychological trauma from the war/ Cambodian female headed household

5. How has economic necessity changed the structure of the traditional patriarchy? How have expanded
opportunities for women in these families changed the transmission of traditional values within these families?
What unique economic, social, and cultural challenges do these women face from the communities in which they
live and from their own families? How do these challenges differ by generation (mother vs. daughters)? How have
women empowered themselves in the face of these challenges? What kinds of coping mechanism so these women
employ?
Economic Necessity:
- War claimed many Cambodian and Vietnam mens lives, leaving women as heads of family
- Reports indicated that even if both the spouses are present, it is preferred that both of them work
- Industrial demands make women as the ideal workforce Service, healthcare, and small manufacturing
Changed transmission of traditional values:
- Reduced patriarchal role of men: (1) women held stable jobs while men held secondary labor mkt. jobs; (2) Dependent
on children because of language barriers, (3) dependence upon governmental assistance (can reference Little Sister the
father relied on that too)
- Long work hours lead to conflict over the 3Cs (children, chores, and cooking)
- Women are now regarded as the breadwinner of the family
Economic, Social, and Cultural challenges:
*Economic:
- Wages are kept low
*Social:
- Women are still expected to do household chores (Double oppression women have to work inside and outside home)
- Domestic violence
- Teen Pregnancies (girls want to get out of that environment ASAP) can use "Little Sister" as example
*Cultural:
- Core Confucian teachings that women are suppose to stay home, etc
How Do These Challenges Differ By Generation:
- Both mothers and daughters faces inequality (sons are always preferred over daughters, etc)
Empowerment:
- Many SE Asian women equated economic self-sufficiency with self empowerment (earned more income or education
able to make more decisions that affect their home life more control and power
Coping Mechanisms:
- Avoidance mechanism (keep it to yourself)
- Daughters often attempt friendly discussions

6. At what point did Asian immigrants begin to settle in ethnoburbs? How do the authors define this term? How
do ethnoburbs differ from ethnic enclaves? What are some of the cultural, economic, and political implications
of living in the suburbs?
Period:
- After WW2
- Country is suburbanized
- Housing discriminatory laws
- After 1965 when higher classes of Asians emerged
Definition of ethnoburbs
- Multi-ethnic suburbs
Differences:
- Enclaves are perceived as older and poorer (ex. Chinatown and Japantown)
Implications:
*Cultural
- Emergence of ethnoburbs mark the influence of Asian art and culture in the new setting
- American born natives blend both contemporary and traditional elements of culture
- Widening social gap (ethnoburbs - more education; enclaves - less educated)
- Introduction of Asian festivals (like Chinese New Year)
* Economic
- Asian American Businesses flourished (Ex. Helen Zia chains of Korean grocery shops in black neighborhood of NY
lead to violent demonstrations as Koreans successes as seen as a result of governmental support)
- Many Asian individuals are gradually moving up towards the middle class
* Political
- More resources for grassroots to pursue solutions through political means
- Residents use their participation in community organizations (ex. educational systems) as a way to become involved in
local politics