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County's growing Asian community draws little attention
"It's not that different being Asian," says county third-grader Quan Chau when asked to reflect on his Vietnamese heritage. "We're not treated differently, and that's good, because I really don't like segregation." "My school doesn't do anything to celebrate [Asian Pacific American Month]," continued Quan. "I guess [that's] because there aren't any Asians who are important." Ironically, the man who stood next to Quan - his father, Thanh Chau - made history in 1980, becoming a survivor of the Vietnamese Boat People exodus when he and his 11- year-old brother were frantically put on a boat by their parents to escape the brutal Communist regime. Chau immigrated to America, graduated from the Virginia Military Institute and is now a successful software manager.
A growing community Chesterfield's Asian population continues to increase at a slow but steady rate. According to the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia, the U.S. Census Bureau's annual estimate in 2006 reported 8,830 residents of Asian descent, comprising 3 percent of the county's total population as compared to 2.4 percent in the 2000 census. The Asian Pacific demographic is a rainbow made up of at least 13 nations (see on page 7) representing a myriad of customs, languages and religions. In an effort to unite the region's Asian community, Chesterfield resident and executive vice president of her own company Liu-Jen Chu served as a founding member of the Asian American Society of Central Virginia (AASoCV) in 1997. The AASoCV's mission includes educating the public about Asian culture and its people as a way to help eliminate racial prejudice and discrimination. Chu, born in China and raised in Taiwan, says she's experienced discrimination here "many times, and it's an ongoing thing that depends on who you associate with." However, Chu gives the county's government high marks for doing a good job in engaging her communi- ty. "The county has been a strong supporter of AASoCV for the past eight years. They have opened the door for us to be recognized, and we would not be able to provide many of our various programs without their assistance." Adil Aibara, a native of India and a county resident for the past 11 years, comments on discrimination from a broader view: "We've faced discrimination in India and here. Being discriminatory is human nature, and at least here there is more intermingling amongst the classes economically speaking. In America, there isn't true equality, but there is more social equality than I've seen and experienced in India." Aibara's eighth-grade son, Arius, agrees. "Being Indian doesn't ever make me feel different in school. In fact, the subject rarely ever gets brought up unless we're joking around or asking questions about one's culture." The assimilation process often presents challenges to Asian American newcomers as they navigate the American landscape. "Assimilation is a slow process," says Chu. "You can feel you are included one day, but not the next time due to the occasion and the people involved." "Assimilation and integration require efforts on both sides," explained Rumy Mohta, a native of India and AASoCV's current chairman. "Education and raising awareness are the best antidotes to discrimination." Raising multicultural children presents challenges and enhanced opportunities for Asian families in the county. Aibara preens when talking about his Asian American children. "We are raising them to get the best of both worlds. There are good Indian values and good American values we want to imbibe in them. Our family back in India wishes our kids knew one of our native languages. They're growing up here though, and children here are more open to diversity." Chu agrees that exposure is key in educating young children about other cultures. "I always volunteered in my children's schools to share our culture and heritage so their peers would understand and embrace the differences," she said. Aibara and Chau believe that multicultural tolerance can also be taught on the soccer field, where they both help coach the same Chesterfield United youth soccer team. "Soccer is a popular sport all around the world," offering kids something to share in common with each other regardless of their culture or where they're from, said Chau. There are two common themes for why the Asian community is putting down roots in the county - employment and "wide open spaces," according to Aibara who moved to Chesterfield 11 years ago. Mohta agreed, saying, "When I came to the county almost 20 years ago, I fell in love with the abundance of green space. I also like the quality of life [including] great schools and housing." Chu also noted that her husband's job brought them to the county almost three decades ago. Despite the difference in their native countries and cultures, the Asian community seems to agree on one thing: the reason they came to America was to experience the unparalleled freedom offered in the United States. As he reflected on the perilous six days he spent aimlessly floating on a boat in the ocean praying to be rescued, Chau said it best, "I came to America for freedom - that is what I risked my life for." The Asian American Society of Central Virginia (www.aasocv.org) recognizes these Asian communities within their membership:
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