Friday, August 3, afternoon session - Chinese American Museum

[Nira Sun]

This museum is definitely a precious place that is convenient for local people or visitors to experience history. I just cannot believe that it's free. I truely hope this place will get to be kept forever so that it can continue benefiting younger generations to gain knowledge of immigrant histories.

[Jacqueline Mercado]

Jane, thank you for posting the picture and providing some background information.  It is remarkable that more than 100 years later the sentiment expressed in this picture is relevant and still exists today within our current political climate, commerce and government policies.  

[Jessica Rodarte]

Donna, the alley no longer exists.  It was located in old Chinatown which is underneath Union Station and possibly the 101.  The docent at the museum told me and Ruth that the alley predated the exitence of the United States.  It dates all the way back to the Spanish period.  In Spanish it was called el Callejon de los Negros.  It was in existence during the Mexican period and when California became a state, the alley remained and the name was translated into "N"word alley.  

I will say that there is a difference between the Spanish and the English.  The word Negro means black, not "N"word.  That said the racism behind its existence is apparently a key aspect of it existing in the first place.  According to the docent, it was the alley were all people of color were expected to live during the colonial period and during the state period, it almost became the dividing line.  East of that extending into Boyle Heights and East LA, the area became incredibly diverse with different "people of color": Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Irish, Russian, etc. and south extending into what was known as the Central Corridor leading toward what was South Central Los Angeles, now, South LA.  As some of those groups were given "white" status, they moved into different areas like, West LA, Glendale, Pasadena, and the Valleys, leaving behind a predominantly Mexican neighborhood to the east and a Black neighborhood to the south.

[Helen Kang]

This was my first visit to the Chinese American Museum, and when I looked around and read the details of the hardships and obstacles that the Chinese immigrants had to endure, I felt like they had it much worse than Korean immigrants did. As a Korean imigrant, I felt a strong connection to the Chinese immigrants and all the injustices and blatant discriminations and exclusions they had to face and overcome, and truly felt like the Chinese people were like big sister to me in that they paved the way for other Asian Americans as they were the ones hit the hardest and fought injustices against Asians. I appreciated the many artifacts from the earlier days of their immigration history as well as some of the earlier families who were able to become successful amidst the woes that faced them and felt a deep appreciation.

[Ruth Hickman]

This was by far one of my favorite experiences too during the institute Jessica. The docent was so intelligent, friendly, wise, such a philosopher! I could have talked to her all day and night. I have to agree Jessica that are docent was simply phenomenal in her knowledge about the Old & New Chinatown. She even knew so much about the history of Los Angeles and East Los Angeles. I love that Jessica and the docent live in the same neighborhood!  

My favorite part of the museum was the Hip Hop influence of Asian culture and the Chinese herbs store display. The emergence of hip-hop culture in East Asia has led to the rise of a new group of entertainers and influencers. With stars such as Chinese social media influencer Jin Jun, best known for his baby dreadlocks, former EXO boybander and Rap of China judge, Kris Wu, whose catchphrase on the show was “You got a freestyle?”, and South Korean K-pop star RM from BTS, underground trap rapper Keith Ape, and Tokyo-based rapper KOHH, hip hop has exploded globally and everyone wants to rap and think that they are a Hip Hop Artist with out knowing the history. Hip hop began as an underground subculture in the late 1970s in the Bronx in New York City. While the genre has since spread to become a global movement, in Asia, it is most notably led by the South Korean K-pop industry, where urban and hip hop-influenced acts like Big Bang, CL, and TV shows like Unpretty Rapstar have proven popular over the past few years.

But while hip hop and African-American culture influence lifestyle trends and brands in East Asia, there is little understanding of identity and culture of my people. In many cases, celebrities and influencers are criticized for borrowing from other cultures without acknowledging the history and heritage behind them and that is what concerns me the most.

Moreover, I learned about the relocation of Chinatown because of Union Station and the discrimination practices that prevented the buying of property and housing in Los Angeles. I also learned about the expansion of Monterrey Park and the existence of a street called "N-word" alley in Chinatown. When Jessica and I, spoke with the docent, we were able to find out that the street was originally called Callejon de los Negros, but when California became an American state, it was translated from the Spanish word into "N-word" alley. Historically it was the "undesirables"--Blacks, Chinese, Mexicans, Jews, Italians, Irish--who were forced to live on that street. There was so much to think about and process about this alley and how it was named. From the Spanish to the English, there was an intentional change in the word used and the connotations of the word. I too would also be interested in learning more about why it was changed in this manner. This really piqued my interest too Jessica and sparked my desire to learn more about the history of Los Angeles.  

[Juana Evink]

       Chinese Americans like most immigrants to the U.S. have faced discrimination. The government passess laws all the time that restrict a certain group of people. Currently, the immigration situation is complex and scary for some peole. It is scary to think that what happen in the past, can happen again.

[Anthony Pollard]

Now, this is an interesting topic, especially with the political discussion about our nation's immigration reform attempting to happen. There are plenty of people being affected by these policies.

[Anthony Pollard]

I did not know this museum was there. I have several friends who are Chinese, and they did not know it was there. I told them they need to visit because their family members may be quite interested. They were a part of the migration because they once lived in this old Chinatown.

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