The Future of Ethnic Enclaves

Zenni Duong
ASA 2 A03
Blog 1

Asian Pacific Americans' Social Movements and Interest Groups

In the general history of ethnic enclaves, they are definitely a source of support and community in the unfamiliar and often unwelcome terrain of the United States for many Asian immigrants. There is a lot of strife nowadays, especially concerning gentrification. Many communities on the West and East coast that have served as a smaller "version" of their hometown (evident in their monikers: Little Tokyo, Chinatown, etc.) now find themselves encroached by young, wealthy Americans seeking "trendy" cities to live in. As evidenced by this article, these communities rally, mobilize, and protest against urban/community planners to take back the land and homes that have nourished them for so long.

I grew up in Monterey Park, one of the ethnic enclaves in the article. Monterey Park is a predominantly middle-class Taiwanese suburb, and is nicknamed the "Chinese Beverly Hills". Presently, the local government is pushing for big box businesses such as Olive Garden or even Trader Joe's. The goal is to reap more revenue from taxing these bigger businesses than they would receive from smaller, locally owned businesses. This pushes out these small businesses. In Los Angeles' Chinatown, the Chinese business owners have found it successful to sell rather mainstream, Orientalist products to tourists in order to support themselves.

My question is: although ethnic enclaves strive to preserve their community, how can they strive to survive against outside economic demands and forces?