Chinese American Voices of the San Gabriel Valley

The Chinese Historical Society of Southern California (CHSSC) just released their 37th issue of Gum Saan Journal, featuring “Voices of the San Gabriel Valley.” “San Gabriel Valley seems always changing, always on the move,” said CHSSC President Don Loo. Through a series of seven articles featuring community-minded political and educational leaders, Gum Saan Journal documents some of these recent changes.

Dr. Loo continues, “It was in the 1980s that the cities of the San Gabriel Valley were first identified as Chinese American ethnoburbs – or ethnic suburbs. Monterey Park was nicknamed ‘the first suburban Chinatown’ and ‘Mandarin Park.’ But there are many nuances to the San Gabriel Valley experience. The 626 region (area code of the San Gabriel Valley) is more than just boba and ethnic restaurants.” Professor Susie Ling of Pasadena City College adds, “San Gabriel Valley’s Chinese American population is very diverse. There are people like the Lowe family that has lived in Pasadena for five generations and there are new illegal immigrants; there are multi-million McMansions and there are overcrowded apartment neighborhoods; there are students headed for Harvard and there are parachute kids who work hard to get straight F grades.”

One of the featured articles is by Robert S. Joe, mayor of South Pasadena. Robert Joe’s father immigrated from Canton in 1930 through Angel Island. Joe said, “Each community [in the San Gabriel Valley] is unique. That the cities are unique and different is not a bad thing; it makes life more interesting. There are always new technological trends and new social concerns. The ethnic composition of the San Gabriel Valley is not the only change.”

An illustration of this changing ethnic dynamics is at one of the most important social service agencies, the Asian Youth Center (AYC), in the City of San Gabriel. Ken Tcheng, born in Laos, is Board President of this 25-year old Center and on the San Gabriel School Board. He said, “AYC serves youth and their families in Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Spanish, and English. Approximately 43 percent of our clients are of Asian Pacific descent, and about 35 percent are of Latino descent.” Dr. Cathy Wei of PCC shows another example of multi-ethnic dynamics, “Our Global Club on campus recently showcased Chinese opera singers juxtaposed to Italian opera singers. We had a student show with Chinese folk dancing and Latin salsa dancing; everybody had fun.”

Another article in Gum Saan Journal features David Yuen, president of the Greater San Gabriel Valley Lodge of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, and a resident of Rowland Heights. C.A.C.A. was established in 1895 to protect civil rights of Chinese Americans. Yuen said, “It is an interesting time for Chinese Americans. Our lodge has members of Caucasian and Mexican descent. We are allies with other Asian Americans.”

“The Chinese Historical Society’s mission is to promote interest and understanding of Chinese Americans,” said the Society’s president, Dr. Don Loo. “This is not easy as the contemporary dynamics of Chinese American communities metamorphosize with new global realities. There are economic and sociopolitical variables to be studied. We cannot live with old stereotypes.”

For more information about the Chinese Historical Society or its Gum Saan Journal, go to chssc.org.