Chinese-American study first in series

Days after becoming a minority-serving institution for Asian Americans, the university released a study on Chinese Americans that deflates the "model minority" myth and calls for the establishment of a "pipeline" to help young Chinese American professionals reach their potential, according to a university news release.

The report, "A Portrait of Chinese Americans," is the first in a series of portraits to be written on various Asian American ethnicities. The series will be partially funded by the grant received for becoming a minority-serving institution, according to Larry Shinagawa, the director of the university's Asian American studies program. The report is a joint effort by the university's Asian American studies program and Organization of Chinese-Americans, an organization that aims to increase the welfare of Asian Pacific Americans.

"When you say 'Asian American,' it's so broad," said Lynne Chiao, program director in the Asian American studies program. "While it's good to have aggregated expertise, for us here at Asian American studies, we think it's very important to dive into the ethnic-specific experiences."

The report, which uses data from the 2000 census, the 2006 American Community Survey and independent interviews, took more than a year to complete, Chiao said.

Among its key findings, Chiao said the study reveals a sharp contrast in wealth and educational backgrounds. Twice as many Chinese American adults have college degrees as the general population, but Chinese Americans who recently immigrated represent the largest number of U.S. adults without a high school education, the report said.

"It's a pattern you expect to see after a wave of immigration, but in this case, the long-term settled population has yet to achieve full equal treatment," Shinagawa said in the news release.

Though the report offers a wealth of information on the Chinese American demographic, officials say they're not yet ready to provide any recommendations based on their findings.

"As OCA and our coalition partners think about how we're going to engage with the new administration [and] the new congress, the data's going to come into play," George Wu, deputy director of OCA said. "So in early next year, I think as we look at what are the various legislative agendas and vehicles of the next congress, I think this information is going to come in handy."

Chiao and Wu said they hope the publication will help motivate people to participate in the 2010 census in order to provide a more accurate portrait of the Asian American population.

jeanettedbk@gmail.com