By: Jeanette C. Takamura, MSW, PhD, Dean, Columbia University School of Social Work (May 2006)

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, no longer does one racial or ethnic group comprise a clear majority in New York City. Among all of its residents, nine and one-half percent of all New Yorkers identified themselves as Asian - a 59.5% increase in this population since the 1990 Census. (http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/census/demonyc.pdf)

In the New York Metropolitan area - encompassing New York City, Northern New Jersey, and Long Island - the Asian population increased by 83% over the same time period (Asian American Federation of New York, 2005).

The abbreviated discussion that follows describes the community, identifies three persistent problems faced by Asians in this city, and suggests how social work professionals might better serve the members of this small, but rapidly growing group.

The NYC Asian Community

The Asian community includes persons of Asian Indian, Bangladeshi, Cambodian, Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Malaysian, Mongolian, Pakistani, Filipino, Sri Lankan, Thai, and Vietnamese descent. Recent immigrants make up a significant proportion of nearly all these subpopulations.

The Asian community is among the most diverse in the United States. Primary language spoken, religious affiliation, generation within the U.S., median family income and household composition, poverty levels, educational attainment, country of nativity, and occupation are all important factors that distinguish persons of Asian ancestry.

An individual, who is ethnically Chinese, for example, may speak Mandarin, Cantonese, and/or one of 2,548 Chinese dialects; but may have been born in almost any other Asian nation including the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Burma, Vietnam, Taiwan, and China.

Filipinos in the U.S. may speak Visaya, Tagalog, Ilocano, and/or other dialects and may be of the Catholic, Protestant, or Muslim faith. Distinctions can also be drawn by per capital income and education.

In NYC in 2005, the Vietnamese had lower per capita incomes ($16,590) than other city residents as a whole ($22,402) and than other Asian Americans ($18,416) (AAFNY, 2005).

Although some Asian American ethnic groups are highly educated, more than 50% of Cambodian, Laotian and Hmong students do not graduate from high school (Partners for Liveable Communities, 2006). 

Persistent Issues

Asians in New York City face many challenges that are similar to those that most persons of color must regularly confront. Fully assimilated persons of color, among them Asian Americans whose grandparents and great grandparents migrated to the United States, are not exempt from being overtly discriminated against. Nor are they exempt from being the targets of the nuanced manifestations of racism that Sue has called “microaggressions” and “microinsults” (Sue, 2005).

However, the likelihood of being victimized by discriminatory treatment appears to be heightened when Asians have no or limited English proficiency, when they are poor or old, and when they are presumed to be foreigners.

As a group, Asian Americans have experienced fluctuating degrees of acceptance and discrimination with xenophobia and hatred waxing and waning depending upon the texture of our nation’s trade, defense, and diplomatic relations and policies. This is clearly the case as China’s emergence as an economic giant and as a political power in the global community preoccupies both political and corporate leaders in the U.S.

Need for Language Access Assistance

Nearly 30% of Asians in NYC do not speak English or have limited English proficiency. Without language access assistance, these individuals are at risk of language isolation.

Under Local Law 73, enacted by the city in 2003, the Human Resources Administration is directed to provide language access for clients with limited English proficiency. However, legal mandates do not necessarily translate into concrete assistance.

Although the NYC Department of Education has a Translation and Interpretation Unit, the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families reported this year that 60% of Asian parents in need of interpretation services at their children’s schools did not receive such assistance (Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, 2006). Presumably, this was because the Unit is inadequately funded and is understaffed.

The Coalition has pointed out that other departments, for example, that provide critically important help to persons in need - the NYC Administration for Children’s Services, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Department of Homeless Services are not required to have language access services.

Inadequate Supply of Health and Welfare Services

The 39 member agencies that belong to the Asian American Federation of New York are among the organizations that offer a range of services to individuals and families in the Asian community (http://www.aafny.org/general/members.asp).

These agencies provide leadership in advocacy, community planning, research, and in the delivery of health and mental health, counseling, educational, legal, and preventive and intervention services to address a full range of social welfare and health needs. Bilingual/ bicultural social workers are employed by many of these agencies.

Unfortunately, most of the agencies do not have durable sources of funding. Like many other social welfare and health organizations, they are severely impacted by federal, state, city, and other budget cutbacks; by whether foundation investments are robust; and, by the contributions of supporters.

However, unlike most large agencies that serve the general population, even the loss of one staff member can devastate an Asian service organization and result in programs being discontinued.

Dearth of Bilingual/Bicultural Helping Professionals

In addition to the inadequate supply of services and programs to address the needs of Asians in New York City, there has been a persistent shortage of bilingual/bicultural academically trained helping professionals.

Several points made earlier are germane. For example, the hope of graduating masters level social work professionals to serve Asian groups most at risk is not easily realized as the level of educational attainment is oftentimes lower among these groups.

Even when individuals have the promise and capacity for success within bachelors and masters level social work programs, the cost of higher education presents an enormous barrier when compared to the need to contribute to the family’s household income and to assure their economic survival.

Social Work Leadership

From the coming of the first wave of Chinese to work on the transcontinental railroad, to the resettlement of the Hmongs in U.S. communities, the Asian experience in America has far too many examples of human rights and social justice violations.

Within communities of color, whether Asian, Hispanic, or African American, the question that persists is: Will non-White Americans who have yearned to be regarded as Americans in the fullest terms ever enjoy equal footing in White America as a matter of course?

There is growing evidence that greater numbers of those who came to the U.S. looking for a better life as a citizen of worth are choosing now to return to the countries of their ancestors. This is occurring at a time when many segments of our society are just beginning to awaken to the need for workers that cannot be satisfied by White America alone.

As a profession, social work has always declared itself committed to the worth of all individuals, irrespective of their race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and more.

Leadership by the profession will require that together, we continue efforts to eliminate racism and chauvinism based on language and culture. At a minimum, we must also advocate for and ensure that language access is available to Asians in New York City, that services and programs for Asians do not suffer further cutbacks, and that we find ways to financially and otherwise support those who come from communities most at risk to graduate from high school and then college.

References

The Asian American Federation of New York, Economic Characteristics of Asian Americans in the New York Metropolitan Area. NY: The Asian American Federation of New York, November 10, 2005.

The Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, Building Bridges: Increasing Language Access for the Asian Pacific American Community of New York City. NY: The Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, February 24, 2006.

Sue, D., Sue, D.W., and Sue, S. (2005) Essentials of Understanding Abnormal Behavior. Boston: Houghton Mifflin College Division.