The Unseen and Tacit, but Numerical Difference between Asians

Vicky Hatakeyama

Section A02

Reflection 1: Response to Asian American and Pacific Islanders Census 2010

Looking at the statistical data from the Census 2010 for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, one can see the dramatic difference of income, poverty, health insurance, education, business, jobs, and many aspects that influence one’s life based upon his or her ethnicity.  Most of the data collected were similar when compared, but such categories like population, income, those who received at least a bachelor’s degree, employment rate, and those owning a business were significantly different.  For population, the number of immigrants that were Asian was about 16 times as much as that of Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander.  The census data also shows how the average income for Asians is approximately 15,000 dollars higher than that of the Pacific Islander’s, which also relates to how there is a low rate in those who receive at least a bachelor’s degree for the Native Hawaiians.  Because Asian Americans have a higher education completed and do relatively well academically shown through their degree, they get a better job at the end.  This leads to how the data shows a greater percentage in Asian Americans owning their own business compared to that of Native Hawaiian’s.  It is almost like a domino effect in how one’s education level determines his or her highest degree that he or she achieves, the employment rate, the income earned, and whether or not he or she will own their own company or business.

Question: Why do Asian Americans have more positive results in terms of education, business, jobs, and other aspects compared to that of Pacific Islanders?  Could it be because of the cultural aspect?