Oregon daily emerald., April 28, 1987, Page 7, Image 7

Council helps Asians maintain home culture in America
By Fau/.iah Varusay
Of Ihr Kmcr<il(l
Vern Ho is 42 years old and in
the prime of his life. A second
generation American Chinese,
he is a successful business con
sultant in Eugene. Yet he
believes something missing in
his 1 ift*.
"I am a Chinese vet I can’t
even speak the language nor
know much about my culture."
he said.
Misa Joo is a 41-year-old
teacher at a middle school in
Eugene. To her. being .1 third
generation American-Japanese
is more than just demographics.
"I am an American-)apanese.
not American-white. There is .1
difference, and I just cannot
forget my heritage.” she said.
Ada bee left Hong Kong more
than 35 years ago. She and her
husband came to the United
States and decided to make it
their home.
Since then they have raised
six children, all American born,
own a couple of restaurants in
Eugene and have a business
consulting firm.
But the bees did not leave
h e h i n d their Chi n e s e
background they made sure it
was passed on to their children
and their children's children.
"It was a golden opportunity
for my husband and me to conn;
here and to start a future. But
that did not mean I had to forget
my family and my homeland."
said bee, 5t>.
Ho, Joo and Lee are only three
of the growing number of the
more than 2.500 Asians and
Pacific Islanders in the
Eugene/Springfield area who
feel strongly about preserving
and learning about their culture
not only for themselves, but
for future generations as well
Together with individuals
from the Korean. Indonesian.
Vietnamese. Filipino. Thai and
Pacific Islander communities,
the three make up the Asian
Council tor Eugene Springfield.
Each member represents his or
her own ethnic community.
The council was set up with
goals to create a positive image
for the Asian community, to
promote Asian heritage of each
ethnic group, to promote Asian
services and businesses, to pro
vide a conduit for Asian infor
mation and resources and to act
as a coordinating body for Asian
groups
“We also hope to share with
the Kugene .Springfield non
Asian community our culture
<uul way of life,'' said Ho. who
is also the council coordinator.
Ihe council was formed two
vears ago after a couple of
Asians met during the summer
of lUHTi to discuss the feasibility
of such an organization. Ho
said.
“A number of established
business people like Ada I.ee
<uid myself are often visited bv
new incoming Asians to
Kugene. Unexplained. “Thev
wanted counsel on setting up
businesses, legal advice and so
on We then thought of forming
<i proper organization to help
these people “
besides. Ho added, the
Asians already living here
wanted their children to know
about their culture and to share
it with the rest of the
community.
Although the council was
formed in lHHfi, it became of
ficial only last September.
1 In* council sponsors the*
Asian Celebration every year
and also holds politicks, kite
festivals and sends members to
educational institutions to t.dk
about their culture, professions
and life as American Asians.
Not all is smooth sailing for
the council, however Ho and
his team of 12 (representing
eight ethnic groups) did not
foresee the problems they
would face in attracting
members.
“believe it or not. the pro
blems are ideological, l or in
stance, there are two different
Korean groups here, and they
do not get along very well," Ho
explained.
“The Indonesians are divided
between those of Dutch desc ent
and those who aren’t. The
Chinese from mainland China
and those from Taiwan aren’t
friendly with each other.
“Then then* .ire the pro- and
anti-Marcos groups from the
Philippines. We have a tough
time crossing the political
borders and concentrating only
on cultural.” he said.
And on top of that, the newly
arrived immigrants keep away
from too mm h involvement in
the council
“Many ol them left behind
sad and hitter memories ol their
home countries doming to the
l nited States was a clean break
for them. They tell that by being
too t lose to other Asians, their
past would be rekindled.” Ilo
said
These families wanted to be
' re a I A merit ans," w b it It
means learning no other
language e\t ept Knglish and
prat lit mg no other t ullure but
the American
“We also do not have
representatives from all the
various ethnic groups yet
Asian Indians, tor example, are
not tm the i mint il We have yet
to approat It them. The problem
is. not all of them have .in
ethnii group to belong to first.“
I lo salt!
Despite these teething pro
blems. the young count il has
managed to survive
“We cannot give up.” Lee
said “livery group had its pro
blems. and ours is no
exception.”
I lie count il also promotes
itsell in other parts of Oregon
Unite recently, an agency in
Portland that helps American
families adopt Asian children
contacted the council for help.
I hey wanted to learn as
much as they could about the
t ulture of the child they were
going to adopt,” I lo said
Also, the retent increase in
business ventures between
Oregon and Japan. China and
Southeast Asia have added to
the importance of the council.
Many business concerns < all
on the count il to provide infor
mation on the i ountries
The council is not the only
organization that represents
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American Asian interests here,
however. )oo was one of the
pioneering members of the
Asian Culture Center, which
later became known as Asians
Together.
The group, formed several
vears ago. is composed of pro
fessionals mainl\ in the field of
edu< at ion
'We were more concerned
with the (ju.ditv ot i!(luc.ition
and life ot Asians here. We were
also issue oriented.” |oo said.
The group has be< ome dor
m.ml, however, due to member
ship decline and others becom
ing more involved in other
activities.
|oo said the group is in a tran
sition period.
I am pleased with how the
i ouin il is going The council is
ditleren! in the sense that it is
more i oinmunity based, i ulture
oriented and has American
Asians ol different generations
Asians Together is mainlv com
posed ot teat hers between 20
Turn to Asia. Page 12
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