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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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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:56:42 PM)
"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."
Well, why live in Seattle if Vancouver, BC is close by as well? It rains less than Seattle, and there are a lot more Asians there. It's also a lot cleaner. And no, Seattle is not affordable at all! The traffic is horrendous too, even worse than the Bay's.
TSJ
Eric@KristinKreuk.net
Friday, March 29, 2002 at 00:11:46 (PST)
JJK-
sorry, you're right, he does play for Texas
bf
Thursday, March 28, 2002 at 11:15:56 (PST)
Baseball fan,
You're not a baseball fan, because you're wrong about John Rocker. He doesn't play for Cleveland Indians. He plays for Texas Rangers.
JJK
Wednesday, March 27, 2002 at 20:35:41 (PST)
Actually, John RoKKKer is playing for the Texas Rangers in DFW, which is a good reason for Chan Ho Park to demand a trade to the Houston Astros!!! RoKKKEr is on the same team with several other malignancies such as Carl Everett. Hell, they're giving Rueben "the thief" Rivera a chance too!!!
It just goes to show you that all sports teams in Dallas will only be satisfied with a bunch of felons on their squad.
AA Baseball Fan
Wednesday, March 27, 2002 at 11:12:34 (PST)
Just on Atlanta, John Rocker now plays for the Indians
Baseball fan
Tuesday, March 26, 2002 at 15:00:06 (PST)
"There will be racist and unenlightened people everywhere,"
Especially when the whites are a majority here in the South.
"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."
I agree. The only town in this country where whites are the absolute majority, but would elect a black mayor...very little racism in Seattle or for that matter in Olympia or Bellingham. Guess, racists mostly moved to Spokane, Yakima, Wenatchee and Tri-Cities.
Asian Female
Tuesday, March 26, 2002 at 08:49:25 (PST)
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