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GOLDSEA |
ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
Is Seattle a Haven for Asian Americans?
he Seattle-Bellevue-Everett area is only 11th largest in the size of its Asian American population (285,000, or about 11.4% of the area's 2.5 million), but it claims one of the oldest and richest slices of Asian American history. Its Chinatown was home to America's first Asian-owned manufacturing business, the Wa Chong Co. The company produced, among other things, a very fine grade of opium, some of which was probably exported to China with the U.S. government's blessings.
Best city for AA?
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Since its birth in 1910 Seattle's atmospheric International District was settled by generations of Chinese, Japanese, Filipino and Vietnamese immigrants. In the late 70s the aging District began enjoying a rebirth into its modern incarnation thanks to Asian American activism in seeking to preserve it as a historical and cultural site. More recently an influx of trendy young AA professionals, entrepreneurs and artists has helped transform it into a vibrant part of downtown Seattle's cultural and night life. The District hosts the Northwest Asian American Theater Company and the Wing Luke Asian American Museum, named after a Chinese American elected to the Seattle City Council in 1965.
On the far end of the Seattle area's cultural spectrum is lush, ultra-modern Bellevue, one of the nation's most affluent communities. Asians make up 20.3% of the students of the Bellevue School District, thrice the 7.3% concentration in the general population of Washington state. This points up the fact that Seattle hosts one of the nation's best established Asian populations. Unlike some urban areas dominated by one or two Asian nationalities, Seattle's AA population is highly diversified, comprising the nations 7th largest Japanese (31,000), the 8th largest Vietnamese (44,000), 9th largest Corean (38,000), and the 11th largest Chinese (58,000) and Filipino (53,000) communities.
The area's Asian Americans take pride in their high degree of acceptance and integration. The fact that the state's governor is a Chinese American named Gary Locke doesn't hurt, of course. Or that the city's major league baseball team is owned by Nintendo chairman Hiroshi Yamauchi and sparked by Ichiro. Even on the grassroots level, one sees signs of acceptance. The ratio of AM/WF couples is noticeably higher than in most other metro areas. A cop who was rude in issuing a jaywalking ticket to a group of Asian Americans last year was reprimanded by the police department. And the ticket was dismissed by the judge.
Is the Seattle area really a haven for Asian Americans? What are the best and worst aspects of AA life there?
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Discussions posted during the past year remain available for browsing.
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:56:42 PM)
I moved to Seattle from Honolulu in 1989. It took me a while to get acclimated, but now I love living in the Northwest. Here are some of my reasons:
* I live in a suburb about 40 minutes north of Seattle. I can look down the street and count at least three other Asian families within peeking distance. When I go to my nearly supermarket, I see people of every ethnic background in there.
* No one at my workplace automatically turns to me for "expert" information when they discuss something Asian. On the other hand, they are not shy about asking about my inter-racial kids and showing interest in Asian culture.
* Other than the "stink eye" from little old Chinese ladies, my white husband and I hardly turn any heads when we go out, unless they are admiring my really cute kids.
* A Pearl Tea shop just opened 5 minutes from my house. Within a 30 minute drive, I can get eat at countless great Japanese sushi places, an excellent Chinese seafood restaurant, a Hawaiian plate-lunch hang-out, and a ton of good Thai eateries and pho shops. All without going to Chinatown.
There will be racist and unenlightened people everywhere, but, for my money, Seattle and its surrounding suburbs can't be beat. Of course, it really helps when you are a confident, whole person and don't see yourself and others as simply Asian or white or any other race -- Something I would recommend to other visitors to this Web site.
Jenny
Tuesday, March 26, 2002 at 00:39:03 (PST)
This is an interesting subject,
By ur standards, should all Asians from other cities defect to Seattle? I think not. But it's an interesting topic anyway! Haha...LOL
Seattle is a nice city, but it's not for the energetic Asian New Yorker, the funky Asian San Franciscan nor the Hollywood Asian in la la land. But I guess with the exception of the overcast weather, Seattle is a paradise for Asians (forget Hawaii which is too laid back and humid).
Here are my opinions of the "lesser"
cities around the nation that Asians might want to live.
1)East Coast
Boston - Bean town is a place for losers and a breeding ground for New England Bigots, don't bother. Any Harvard Asian will tell you that! The Red Sox team is symbolic of Boston.
Philadelphia - Yep, why mention this hellhole?
Baltimore - another hellhole just like the city of brotherly love but worse! No decent Asian will make this place their home!
Atlanta - ok, a growing population of Asians, but what's there to do besides seeing strip joints and "John RoKKKer"...
Miami - unless you are an Asian who hail from the Carribean and/or speak Spanish, this place has neither rhyme nor reason!
Central USA
Chicago - 2nd largest city in the east. U of Chicago? If not, don't bother, NYC is better!
Motor Town - if car factories is ur thing, ok, then be my guest...watch out, remember what happened to Vincent?
Houston - too many Asian underdogs cranking out their ACs in the killer summer months.
Austin - only cool place in TX for Asians, that's only if ur an aspiring rock musician of some sort..Not!
Dallas - why bother if you can live in Houston or Austin????
West Coast
Portland - total hellhole for Asians who want to live in the Northwest. I can't imagine any Asian living here, since Seattle is nearby and affordable. This place is a "wannabe Seattle" but far from being one.
Honolulu - humid, ppl are lazy, slow like a tortoise!
Yep, this is an interesting topic!
Monday, March 25, 2002 at 15:27:46 (PST)
Not to mention Apolo Ohno, now world famous Olympian from Seattle.
We are indeed proud of our Asian Americans here in Washington State.
Seattleite of Asian descent
Monday, March 25, 2002 at 10:16:25 (PST)
Interesting Subject Indeed:
Washington DC...Marion Barry has a better chance of getting elected than any Asian American.
Indianapolis: Asians are mostly at Purdue and IU...and Oh! now they employ majority of the state's autoworkers!
New Orleans: The only Asian they have heard of is the Japanese kid who was blown away by a white home owner in 1992 during Halloween Celebrations!
Portland, Oregon: The only famous Asian American I know of is a basketball phenom by the name of Lindsay Yamasaki..Otherwise I hear that all minorities are looked down upon. Is this true?
Denver, CO. The only Asians they have heard of are from a gang in Boulder who raped women as a part of a ceremony back in 1999.
St. Louis: Asians? What is that?
Well, I think Honolulu is the best followed by Seattle.
Poltics
Sunday, March 24, 2002 at 12:13:45 (PST)
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