California Farm Workers Day

It Is Not About Cesar Chavez

Even though he became the "face" of the United Farm Workers he isn't the movement.

So let's start celebrating it right.

Let us celebrate all ethnic backgrounds.

Early 1800s: Native Americans

1800–1848: Missions/Ranchos relied almost exclusively on indigenous labor.

There were also a small numbers of Spanish and Russian settlers.

Chinese & the Early Asian Wave

1860s–1882: Chinese Workers. 

They were the first major migrant group to dominate farm labor in California.

After the transcontinental railroad, Chinese workers became the largest farm labor group (roughly 80% by 1886).

1882–1900: Japanese & South Asian Workers

After the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, other Asian groups took over.

In the late 1800s many Japanese laborers moved from Japan and Hawaii to the West Coast.

By the 1900s, Punjabi Sikhs and Filipino workers also arrived and worked the fields of California.


1900–1950: Mexican & Filipino Dominance

1910s–1930s: Mexicans

Mexican workers became the primary laborers in the 1910s (boosted by the revolution in Mexico), while Filipinos were crucial, especially in the 1920s.


1920s–1930s: Filipino Workers

Recruited in large numbers during the 1920s, often arriving via Hawaii, Filipinos became a critical part of the workforce.

1930s: "Dust Bowl" Migrants

During the Great Depression, thousands of White "Okie" and "Arkie" refugees from the Midwest briefly became the majority of the seasonal workforce.

1942–1947: Bracero Program

The first phase of this guest-worker program solidified the reliance on Mexican labor during WWII. 

1950–2000: The Latino Majority

1951–1964: Peak Bracero Era

Millions of Mexican men were brought in on short-term contracts.

1960s–1980s: Filipino & Mexican Activism

The workforce remained multi-ethnic, but predominantly Mexican and Filipino.

The UFW was formed (1966) by the merger of Cesar Chavez’s National Farm Workers Association and the Filipino Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC), led by Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz.

Filipinos were eased out of the UFW and like all the other ethnic groups left work in the farms.

1990s–2000: Over 90% Latino 

Today it is predominantly of Mexican heritage.

History tells us it is not about Cesar Chavez at all. While Cesar Chavez became the face, it was a multi-ethnic, multi-generational movement of totally forgotten Asian and other people groups.

Another Assault on An Elderly Asian

 

No one is saying it but this appears to be another Asian Hate Crime not being reported.

Victim is 74 year old Asian lady.

She is someone's wife, mom, sister, aunt, grandma, friend. 

From New York to San Francisco, assaults on Asian senior citizens are still a sad reality that everyone is sweeping under the rug and no one is concerned about. Yes even the news or especially the news.

#InvisibleAsians

Survey Finds that 42% of Americans Cannot Name a Famous Asian American

In the News

So I don't know what the new agenda is now. But this new survey result being peddled by the news media is now sending mixed signals or at least mixing up the Asian hate agenda.

I think the media also reported recently that on another survey, that a third of Americans do not believe that there is a rise in Asian hate crimes. (Ok, a third is 1 out of every 3 people, in case you don't know math). 

Now I think these two surveys together support each other.

And the issue is and always was the lack of knowledge, learning, education or awareness, or to say it bluntly, ignorance, stupidity or idiocity of a lot of people who are living in the United States (regardless of race). 

Many Americans still think Asians mean Chinese or at least Chinese looking.

Most probably they cannot even point where Asia is on the globe.

Facts

1. Asia? It is the biggest continent in the world. If you would look at the world map it is a third (here it is again) of the page. And no, it is not just China. China is a big place with lots of people but Asia is bigger and has more people. 

2. Famous Asian Americans? Granted there are no "famous" Asian Americans, but well-known or widely known there are a ton, those who are always in the news, always on TV, movies, online and in many different fields. The apps that you use and the websites that you click on were mostly founded and run by, you guessed it, Asians.

3. Chinese eyes? I know this is racist but countless non-Asians make that slanting eye gesture when referring to Asians. 

Americans know who are Asians.

Yuli Gurriel caught on camera making this racist gesture towards Yu Darvish

4. We need to say this again. Asians are not just Chinese. Asian Americans come from over 50 countries. They are diverse and they aren't just recognizable by their eyes. And yes Covid 19 came from China. But most Asian Americans now, were born in California, New York, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Washington, Hawaii and major cities across America and almost all of them haven't even been to China yet, and don't intend to.

5. Asian hate? There has been Asian hate in America ever since they first started coming here hundreds of years ago. There has been hate directed towards every kind of Asian and different kinds of Asians in every generation.

6. Rise in hate? Yes there was a slight rise on Asian hate crimes because of Covid 19. But this has been going on up and down, ebbing and flowing for generations.

Invisible

Asians are largely invisible in America but have always been the whipping boys and the safest targets of jokes, crimes and violence. 

Immigrants

Asian Americans are the fastest growing ethnic group in America and expected to be the largest immigrant group in 20 to 30 years.

The largest groups that are here now are the Chinese, the Indians, Filipinos, Vietnamese, Koreans, Japanese, Pakistanis, Cambodians, Hmongs, Thais, Laotians, Bangladeshis, Burmese and Iranians.

Asian Americans or Half Asians?

Of course aside fom the founders and CEOs of big businesses, technology and internet whose names or faces many will not be familiar with. But for sure their companies and services will be, there are a lot more who are well known but only within their circles. It is hard to go to hospitals, universities, technology companies and not see Asian Americans everywhere.

But here are over 50 Asian Americans who most people would have heard of or seen at least once in their life: Kamala the Vice President Harris, Bruce Lee, Bruno Mars, Darren Criss, Tiger Woods, Hines Ward, Apolo Anton Ohno, Michelle Kwan, Kristi Yamaguchi, Jeremy Lin, Jordan Clarkson, Erik Spoelstra, Chloe Kim, Michelle Wie, Vijay Singh, Michael Chang, David Batista, Cung Le, Brandon Vera, Connie Chung, Ann Curry, Sanjay Gupta, Julie Chen, Christine Chen, Lisa Ling, Sharon Tay, Leyna Nguyen, Cher Calvin, David Ono, Rob Fukuzaki, Steven Yuen, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong, Mindy Kaling, Margaret Cho, Ali Wong, Jimmy Yang, BD Wong, Lucy Liu, Carrie Ann Inaba, Nicole Sclerzinger, Randall Park, Constance Wu, John Cho, Kai Penn, Aziz Ansari, Kumail Nanjiani, Brian Tee, Mark Dacascos, Ernie Reyes Jr., Dan Inosanto, Pat Morita, George Takei, Victor Wong, Lou Diamond Phillips, Jamie Chung, Brenda Song, Kenny Ridwan, Maggie Q, Ming-na Wen, Kelly Hu...

This list can go on, here's several hundred more. 

Asians Are Not Expressive

Six Asian Actresses Among Thousands

One of the never dying issues of Asian Americans as well as Pacific Islands is the Whitewashing in Hollywood -- meaning the casting of Whites for roles that are meant for non-Whites.

This week this topic has again been re-ignited with news outlets picking up the supposed  "reason" why Hollywood insiders have not been casting Asians, and to think that almost 2 out of every 3 people in the world are Asian.

Read it here, on CNN.

#ExpressiveAsians

And the reason given is that Asians are not "expressive". Thus the hashtag #ExpressiveAsians quickly flooded social media. Now some people will argue that many Asians are just too reserved and they show no emotions. And that is true, but they are expressive among their own circles, like any other race or ethnicity. They just not openly show it to people they do not know.

Now, of course we all know that Asians being not expressive enough is NOT the real reason why Asians are not being casted, much less being casted in lead roles. It's bad enough that Asian lead roles only come once in a blue moon but when it does come, it is not even given to Asian actors/actresses. Right Scarlett Johansson?

Asians and Asian-Americans have long been invisible in America. And they have long been silent, non-confrontational and do not vent out. But please, do not treat Asians like five year olds. Asians aren't dumb, many are highly intelligent and educated and yes they are expressive, especially when they are pushed to their limits, and believe me many Asians are long suffering and are very patient, but watch out that you do not see the "expressive side of them.

Nepalese Woman and a British Woman

Not expressive enough for you?

This is a GoPro video of a British woman who complained to the little Asian lady who serves tourists like her, hot tea high up in the middle of no where, where she sets up shop to help out tired trekkers. Now, we do not know what happened before all this, but just a tip to "tourists" out there, please use common sense and common courtesy especially if you are visiting a foreign country.

And yes many Asians have long been patient and courteous to Americans here in America, but please do not push Asians to the brink of them pushing back. ANTS UP!

#ExpressiveAsians
#InvisibleAsians
#AsiansAreNotExpressive