By CLTA-WA
In honor of the inaugural Chinese American History Month in Washington State, the Chinese Language Teachers Association – Washington State (CLTA-WA) hosted a special online panel event on January 28, 2024, to celebrate and commemorate this significant occasion.
The special panel’s title was “Engage Local Communities in Understanding and Appreciating Chinese American History”. It featured three renowned experts in Chinese American history. First, we had Betty Lau, an esteemed educator and community leader. Formerly a resident of Seattle’s 2nd Chinatown, Betty serves as the director of CityU of Seattle Startalk and is the co-founder of Transit Equity For All. Next, we welcomed Min Zhou, an award-winning journalist and filmmaker based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Min’s work centers on telling the stories of Chinese American immigrants and shedding light on long-forgotten history. Our third panelist was Jinqiang Tai, a Chinese Teacher at Huaxia Greater New York Chinese School and the author of the “Chinese Americans” textbook series. With a focus on Chinese American history in class since 2018, Jinqiang advocates for a Chinese education philosophy that prioritizes students’ identity, cultural confidence, mental health, and community leadership. The two-hour online panel was moderated by Xiaoling Mo, the Vice President of CLTA-WA. The panel organizing team also comprises Yingying Gao and Cheryl Wang, both board members of CLTA-WA.
Before the panel discussion, the panelists provided participants who signed up with valuable resources on Chinese American history. For instance, Betty Lau curated these materials highlighting the rich history of Chinese Americans in the greater Seattle area. The decision was made to open this panel to all community members, rather than limiting it to Chinese teachers. Posters were distributed through various community partners up to 3 months prior to the event, attracting approximately 45 participants from different states across the U.S. They represented a diverse range of professions beyond Chinese teaching.
The panel commenced with a discussion on “Why understanding and appreciating Chinese American history is crucial for both Chinese Americans and non-Chinese Americans.” Mr. Jinqiang Tai emphasized understanding Chinese American history could prevent repeating past mistakes and combat harmful stereotypes. He highlighted recognizing and appreciating the contributions of Chinese Americans is crucial for the mental health and identity development of Chinese American children, as well as for fostering civic leadership among the younger generation. Ms. Betty Lau informed the participants about the status of Seattle’s Chinatown-International District being listed among the 11 most endangered historic places for 2023. She described her own family story and warned that ignorance of history leads to its erasure, resulting in the erasure of Chinese Americans’ contributions, sense of belonging, and their interactions with other groups and participation in society. Director Min Zhou referenced a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King: “We are not makers of history; we are made by history,” emphasizing the profound influence of historical understanding on individual and collective identity.
As the discussion unfolded, it became evident that understanding and appreciating Chinese American history is essential for individuals and groups from all cultural backgrounds. This encompasses not only Chinese Americans but also non-Chinese Americans, as well as both first-generation and younger Chinese Americans. Then the question arises: How can we creatively promote the understanding of Chinese American history in our local communities?
Director Min Zhou has produced several documentaries focusing on Chinese American history. During the panel, she presented a trailer for her documentary “One-Mile Walk” and recounted the story of an early Chinese fishing village at Monterey Bay, which reflects the typical experience of Chinese Americans in the late 19th century. Jinqiang emphasized the need for more productions like “One-Mile Walk” and encouraged younger generations to create creative and impactful media showcasing our history. As a classroom teacher, he not only developed textbooks and lesson plans to teach students about Chinese American history but also facilitated community-based projects, field trips, and summer camps to further explore this history. Betty reminded us that long ago discrimination towards Chinese Americans was violent, as our ancestors experienced over a century ago. She stressed that exclusion and expulsion continue in modern forms of discrimination, which are often more subtle, such as failure to get a promotion, a bank loan, or a pay raise. Drawing from her own experiences, Betty Laoshi urged us to actively engage and speak out against such discrimination. Specifically, Betty urged everyone to fight for the preservation of Seattle Chinatown, Japantown, and Little Saigon. Furthermore, she advocated for the development of an inclusive curriculum that includes the history and contributions of different ethnic groups to the building of America, from ancient civilizations to the present day. As an example, Betty highlighted how Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s founding fathers, found profound inspiration in Confucius’ ideas of government, especially the notion of promotion by merit, not birth–which led to the creation of the U.S. civil service exam.
Finally, the panelists delved into the challenges of promoting Chinese American history within local communities, acknowledging its rich tapestry and the diverse range of approaches available. Jinqiang underscored the diverse backgrounds of recent first-generation Chinese Americans, noting that newly immigrated parents may be hesitant to confront a suppressed past or lack knowledge and experience in engaging with American democracy and society. However, he emphasized that learning Chinese American history provides an opportunity for individuals of different generations and backgrounds to come together. Quoting Grace Lee Boggs, “You cannot change any society unless you take responsibility for it, unless you see yourself as belonging to it and responsible for changing it.”, Jinqiang highlighted the responsibility of taking ownership and effecting change within society, especially for Chinese Americans, as the largest group of Asian Americans. Betty stressed the pivotal role of teachers in fostering inclusivity, reminding us that students look to us as role models. She urged each of us to take small actions, recognizing their cumulative impact on the greater whole. As a storyteller, Min emphasized history can breathe and she strives to bring history back to life through telling the stories. She urged educators to share Chinese American stories of struggle and resilience, acknowledging both discrimination against Chinese Americans and the efforts to preserve their full history.
Participants were deeply inspired by the presenter’s profound knowledge, unwavering commitment, and innovative approaches to promoting the history of Chinese Americans, both within the curriculum and the community. Several attendees expressed interest in additional workshops or even a series in the future. The recording of this panel is accessible exclusively for members. For any questions or suggestions on promoting Chinese American history in your local communities, please feel free to reach out via email to president@clta-wa.org.
