Together is my Favorite Place to be–2024 Chinatown Reunion-4/1-5/2024, Las Vegas NV
NYC’s Chinatown’s 40’s-60’s Era’s Proactive Response to America’s Racial Challenges
Chinatown’s 40’s, 50’s, 60’s generation met the challenges of discrimination with cerebral activism via education, street smarts & hard work to begin leveling the professional, financial, & social playing field.
To quote my cool astute engineering colleague of the 1960’s at Grumman Aerospace Corp., Ted Ho, who passionately stated: ‘We did it in one generation and we established ourselves”. Even when the Chinese Americans were struggling with a history of job denials to our college graduates and denied decent housing and apartments–no sales/no rentals, we did not dwell or whine in the quagmire of victimhood but responded by intelligently embracing our culture of excellence to secure a quality education coupled with a determination and hard work to develop the necessary skill sets required to successfully enter the professional, vocational, and business fields. Victimology is not part of the Chinese cultural psychic mindset. Remember the Chinese word for “Crisis” is “Opportunity”. And “Competition is Reality”.
The Chinese experience & endurance in America to overcome racial barriers has taken multiple positive steps and sacrifices with our many contributions to American society in our long continuous and difficult journey to level the competitive playing field against Chinese Americans since 1882 here in America.
We must still be aware of other competitive forces, political powers, and ethnic groups who may have contempt for the Chinese Americans when you are successful, as many of our generation are today in the United States. There is also the undertone that China is emerging as an economic and military power. Discrimination has surfaced its ugly forces & racial animus against the Chinese again in Southeast Asia where the Chinese are dominant in business and wealth. It should be noted that these countries’ regional view of the Chinese is: “Market-Minority Dominance influence through the Bamboo Network”.
Still today in 2023 & 2024 Chinese Americans face reverse discrimination in entrance requirements to Ivy League and top universities across America in spite of the Chinese American student’s high academic achievements & extracurricular activities at the high school level and exceptional high SAT scores.
Even the competitive specialized high schools in New York City are being lobbied by other ethnic groups to NYC’s government to drop the highly credible merit–based entrance examination in favor of a more holistic approach to try and get an equal distribution of students representing the city’s ethnic population. The Asian and Chinese American students’ representation at the top three New York City specialized high schools are 70–75%; whereas, the city population for Asian Americans is 11.8% of which 5.4% are Chinese Americans. Clearly, this will be and is overt raw discrimination against Chinese Americans and Asians for the sake of political correctness and diversity with other minorities–which is reprehensible!
Interestingly, at one time, we were viewed as “Inscrutable Orientals“…then…“Model Minority”…then we disappeared from the statistics for minorities where they are now at times only categorizing Hispanics and African Americans as minorities for reporting and contrast & comparison purposes and lumping Asians with Whites, where & when it was convenient for statistical purposes… or to advocate a political position…or objective…or desired result…Are we now the “Invisible Minority”?…
My thoughts are that we simply say: an “American”…”Asian American”, or…”Chinese American”
Despite the prejudices exhibited against Chinese Americans, we have been successful and prosperous as a group having assimilated into American society as productive, law abiding, and respectful citizens through determination and hard work to be the best we can be under the challenging circumstances.
Our next important step, of many steps to come is to become politically active and involved so our voices can play a major role in both political parties and become an influential force in local & national elections.
Perhaps in the future, we may come to be known as the “Dominant Minority” or just an “American” here in the United States even with our small numbers in population size when compared to other minority groups and the overall United States’ population
A note of “Thanks” again, to Richard Chu & his planning committee for planning & executing the 2024 NYC Chinatown Reunion. Do enjoy with friends old & new at “America’s Adult Playground”.
Daniel (Danny) Lee, PE, 2/10/2024…Happy Chinese Year of the Dragon, 4722
A compendium of names and success stories from our NYC Chinatown’s 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, extraordinary generation is presented for your information as an example of the uniqueness of our small community in pursuit of a better life in America. My apologies to anyone who I may have missed for the listing since it was compiled from my memory and personal data base. I am fortunate to be part of NYC’s Chinatown and proud of our Chinese and Chinatown heritage.
(NYC Chinatown- Chinese American Achievements, 40’s, 50’s, & 60’s Exceptional Generation)
A short list of friends and acquaintances from that era is presented for historic notation and to serve as role models for succeeding generations to follow and appreciate the hard work of earlier generations in breaking down the educational, discriminatory, and competitive challenges to achieve their successes in various professions and businesses. These children of Southern Chinese immigrants were blessed with a solid foundation of church teachings and guidance, good school teachers, and a rich Chinese competitive heritage and family values to make a positive contribution to America. Our exceptional Chinese American 40’s, 50’s, 60’s generation is a testament to the fact that the USA is truly the land of opportunity, in spite of its many prejudices and “barriers to entry” in many professions, vocations, and businesses during that period of time of the 40’s and 50’s..
Names of professionals and success stories from our generation……
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Newton Chin, Tom Moshang, Chester Chin, Ted Ning Jr, Jeanette Moy, Roy Chu, Kenneth Eng, James Ling, Lucille Len, Jonathan Ligh, Ming Wong, Ed Chin, Poy Lim, Rose Chen- physicians–surgeons.
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Henry Woo, Paul Chu, James Quan, Naitan Chu… etc…dentists.
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Ray Chin, Bruce Chin, Mabel Moy, Arthur Chu, Bob Chin, Ben Tuan, Ken Chow, Vincent Lee, James Moy, Calvin Lee, Joann Lee, Jean Lau Chin, Harry Woo, Archer Dong, Soon H. Leong, Hung H.Wu, Ava Chin PhD’s. in their fields of expertise. Audrey Lee Mar, MD-research & development
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Stanley Chin, Richard Wong, David Moy, Arthur Soong, Therese Liu, Ben Gim, Ed Hong, Gene Chu, Calvin Lee, Irving Chin, etc…attorneys.
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James Wu, David Leung, Nancy Ng, George Lai, Donald Seetoo, Robert Yan, Patty Chow etc- certified public accountants.
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John Chin, Albert Leong, Marshall Lee, Richard Lee, Kai Wong, Edward Lee, Sing Chu, Al Ko, Daniel Lee, Charles Eng, Allen Chin.. etc.–licensed professional engineers.
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Roland Dick, David Eng, James Wong, Douglas Tuan, Eric Leung, Ben Tomm etc.- licensed architects.
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Joe Wong, Soy Chu, Ronald Lee, Ernie Mar, Phillip Chin, Milton Gee, Richard Mah, Kenneth Lee, Danny Moy, Jean Lee, Ted Ng, Howard Louie, Gladys Yan, Tom Low, George Cheu, Sang Chin, Robert Gong, Dean Chu, Robert Chiu, Frank Gong, Allen Lee, Lonnie Lee (Lonnie’s) etc.– successful entrepreneurs.
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Ronald Tung, Alfred Lee, Peter Leung, Henry Kee, Bill Won etc.–successful bankers.
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Allen Chin, Simon Chu, Henry Kee, Peter Chin, Richard Lee, Daniel Lee…etc.- corporate executives
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Clement Lee, David Fletcher, James Moy, Douglas Ong, Joseph Wong, etc—ThD’s/PhD’s. in the ministry.
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Corky Lee, Tim Chin, James Ong, Henry Wong, Fred Ng, Eugene Eng, Joe Wong, Donald Chu, James Chin, Henry Hom, Carol Wong, etc,–advertising, commercial, graphic arts, fine arts, beauty, and related media professions.
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Henry Chin, Willie Wing, John Lee, Seymour Lee, Willie Ng, Ted Jung, Harry Chin, Alfonse Wong, Peter Chin…etc.–Wall Street brokerage firms.
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Richard Chu, Ronald Leung, Guy Chu, Phillip Chin, John Chang etc–licensed pharmacists.
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Calvin Lee was Chancellor, University of Maryland; Academic Dean, Boston University; James Moy was VP of Student Affairs, Wartburg College; Jean Lau Chin was Academic Dean at Alliant & Adelphi Universities; President-Society for Psychological Study of Ethnic Minorities, APA; and President-International Council of Psychologists, Fulbright Scholar-Distinguished Chair in Cultural Competence, Chair OCA-Long Island, etc.
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Helen Chin, Gingee Moy, Lila Chu. Jean Marie Chin, Elsie Chin, Tim Pon, John K. Lee, Archer Dong, David Fong, Jeanette Eng, Betty Leong, Mary Sham, Suigene Aukim, Patricia Sham Lee, Virginia Eng, etc teachers, principals, administrators, and superintendents in education.
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Allen Chin, Mechanical Engineer by profession was elected Mayor of Westfield, NJ. Gene Woo, Electrical Engineer by profession was elected Mayor of Plandome Heights, NY.
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Johnny Kai, Joe Wing, Eugene Lee, Robert Chung, Tom Chan, David Chong, Dewey Fong, Gene Lee, Paul Chu, Barry Eng, Tommy Ong etc. police officers/detectives-NYPD
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Baayork Lee, Jadin Wong, Wallace Wong, Joe Wong, Mabel Wing, Henry Kee–BW Plays, Movies, Radio
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The list can go on and on…especially, the large number of Chinatown boys & girls that went onto science, engineering, mathematics, computer & information technology, software, medicine, law, finance, business, and education where we would fill many more pages. And this is just the beginning of more to come…Wow! When we consider our children, who went on to their own respective professional & business careers, the compendium will expand to indicate the many successes & accomplishments that the Chinese Americans have achieved in “America, the land of opportunity” and how we are truly blessed to be here in the USA.
February 10, 2024, Happy Chinese New Year of the Dragon, 4722…Daniel (Danny) Lee, BSEE, MEE, MBA, PE.
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