non-first generation students

by leilani gobaleza

Forgetting the "Asian" in Asian American

First-generation students, defined by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) as “undergraduates whose parents never enrolled in a postsecondary education,” have been projected in a number of ways. A more common projection, for first-generation Asian American students in particular, centers upon their uncontested determination. These first-generation students are a hybrid of their parents’ culture and that of mainstream America; they strive to provide a more fruitful upbringing for their children; and overall, they are committed to making it in life without any help or cheap shortcuts. Essentially, they look to become self-made individuals. While these assumptions are both criticized and praised in endless debates, I must bring to light an emerging group that is not spoken of enough: non-first-generation Asian Americans.

Second-generation Asian Americans are the children of first-generation Asian Americans. They are not the first in their family to reach higher education--a fact that translates into their different upbringings. A popular opinion of the non-first-generation Asian American community is that they are indifferent to societal issues and simply revel in the fruits of their parents' labor. This description stands in direct contradiction with that of their stereotypically hardworking parents. In addition, non-first-generation Asian Americans are specifically associated with the slang term “bougie.” Derived from “bourgeoisie,” “bougie” refers to persons who are closely attached to high-maintenance, mainstream culture and act upon it by actively seeking a class of higher status. If we assume this to be true, we must then ask: is this group of people deep enough in the mainstream to claim ‘I am not Asian, I am American’? I argue that this is not the case. However, it is always helpful to review shortcomings.

Those of us that are non-first-generation Asian American have much to confess. Some of us know more English than the language our ancestors spoke. And as bizarre as it may seem to the rest of the Asian American population, some of us may even prefer a Big Mac over kimchi or pancit. In truth, the hand-feeding of American pride at the expense of various Asian cultures began even earlier. Let us recall our elementary school days in which young age correlated well with high vulnerability to mainstream society.

We easily conformed to our American classmates and sung to tunes such as “America the Beautiful” and “Grand Ole Flag.” In middle school, we were all part of some social studies class that tricked us into thinking that history was something that made the clock tick slower–something that extended the number of pages in our textbooks without our knowledge. High school was not much different for most of us. What was not boring was simply irrelevant. The irony of it all is that very few people challenged or even thought to challenge the irrelevance of textbook history. I have recently been drawn to a little something called reflection, and cannot help but reflect on why no one ever asked, “Where are all the Asian Americans in history?” The omission of generations and generations of Asian Americans throughout history is something many of us have just realized. Such a realization has had a profound effect on how non-first-generation Asian Americans situate themselves in modern society.

Jeffrey Chao, a first year here at the University of California, Berkeley, described, “My parents sent me to Chinese school for ten years and I go back to Taiwan every four or five years.” As a second-generation Chinese American from the East Coast, Chao expresses an impressive curiosity for his family’s culture and history. Similarly, students have enrolled in both language classes and Asian American studies courses to cultivate what they do know. What is more is that I can easily step into an apartment, slip my shoes off without having to be asked, and find a second generation Korean American putting together kimbap.

These things, little as they may seem, reveal that there is genuine intentionality in making the “Asian” in Asian American count. Non-first-generation Asian Americans continue to subtly reveal a more humble and a more culturally curious side of themselves. Sure, it took years, even decades, to realize the significance of what was at first deemed irrelevant. But I can safely say that many non-first-generation Asian Americans have invalidated the term “bougie” as much too cookie-cutter for their diverse community. Let’s take another look at Chao. Instead of prodding across upper Sproul in Gucci loafers (yes, Gucci makes loafers) and a pair of aviator sunglasses, Chao works toward earning a degree in Chemical Engineering. “All my friends that are second-generation are just as hardworking, and I still feel culturally connected to China,” Chao explained. “I don’t know where those assumptions came from.” Perhaps the rest of us should reflect upon the nature of such assumptions as well. Maybe then we will be able to discontinue using them as mere tools of convenience.