Culture Shock | LRME Common Interest Cohorts 2016

Objective: To explore interactions between and in different cultures and the benefits from that.

Slogan: The Human Experience through the lens of culture

Members: Ioannis Economou, Catherine Kirby, Mai Pham, Naoki Shiba

Third Post:

Culture Shock Reflection 3: Multiculturalism

Group Reflection:

For this reflection, we, Culture Shock, explored the third and final theme “Multiculturalism”. Because our previous two reflections were based on personal observation and micro-level studies, for this reflection, we have taken a more scientific approach by looking at US Census data, research papers and news articles on the topic of Multiculturalism. Ultimately, each one of us tried to reflect upon the following question: “Is the city that I am living in truly multicultural?”. Our definition of multiculturalism is the intermixing of cultures, in this case, within a city. Catherine investigated Austin, Naoki and Yanni investigated Houston, and Mai investigated New York City.

The first struggle that our group faced was in unpacking the question. What does it mean for a city to be multicultural? Can a city be diverse (by the census numbers) yet not multicultural at the same time? These were just a few of the questions that challenged our group. Although our group may have proceeded to primarily explore this question in the lens of ethnic/racial groups, we realized that our analysis only scraped the surface of American multiculturalism, and left us with many more questions on the study.

From each of our investigations, we found some common themes in the cities we have been working in. While many cities appear very multicultural, many of these ethnicities and racial groups tend to live in segregated communities. These separations could be based on race, ethnicity, or economic status, and many times, can last for generations. Naoki and Yanni became aware of how Houston has one of the highest degrees of racial segregation in the nation despite being seemingly paradoxically known to be one of the most diverse. Catherine realized that one single highway essentially splits majority white neighborhoods from majority Latino, Asian and Black neighborhoods. Mai found that even though New York City is known as a cultural hub, calling it a “melting pot” is inaccurate. There may be many “ethnic neighborhoods,” but many of them remained isolated rather than being multiculturally mixed. On the other hand, even though each respective city isn’t as inter culturally mixed as we initially hoped, living around those of the same culture or ethnicity can help preserve a sense of identity and make those new to America feel more comfortable. While it is important for each person to preserve a cultural identity, we hope that eventually many of these historically segregated communities can intermix, creating true multiculturalism .

Limitations of Our Study

Our investigation has only scraped the surface of the issue of Multiculturalism. Culture is an abstract concept that is becoming increasingly difficult to define in the age of globalization. Hence, although our studies were primarily focussed on ethnicity/race and economy, we realize that that is not a holistic view of what culture truly is. To improve upon what we investigated, we could have done our own surveys or changed our focus to aspects of culture like religion, art, language. However, for this reflection, we tried narrowing our scope in lieu of keeping “attainable” goals and obtaining data to see a larger picture of multiculturalism.

Catherine–Austin:

Map 1: Map of Ethnic Groups in Austin

Austin is a city of about 926,426 people. Of those 926,426 people, 47.1% are white, 7% are African American, 36.5% are latinx, 6.8% are Asian, 0.3% are Native America, and 2.3% are mixed or other. During my time in Austin I have had the chance to observe a large diverse group of Austinites. Through the other cohort activities, I learned a lot about the cultural dynamics of Austin, but without getting a look at the city as a whole, it has been hard to understand Austin’s cultural layout. At face value, Austin may seem to be a liberal and inclusive city, but maps from U.S. Census data suggest a restrictive reality. Multiculturalism in Austin may be available when you walk down Guadalupe and have twenty different types of restaurants to choose from, but neighborhoods are not as multicultural and inclusive as one might think. I-35 interstate racially divides Austin; many white neighborhoods can be found to the west of I-35, but most of the Latinx, African American, and Asian neighborhoods sit to the north and east of Austin. Observing Map 1 above, one can distinctly see the racial divide created by I-35. I can support this with observation as well because my job site is located on the east side of Austin, and I rarely see true multiculturalism. On top of this racial segregation, economic segregation exists as well. Map 2 (below), created with U.S. census data, illustrates the stark economic differences between the two halves of the city. The whiter portion of the city is associated with higher incomes, the darker green on the map. The eastern area of Austin, an area with many minority neighborhoods, has significantly less average income. According to Martin Prosperity Institute, Austin is the third most economically segregated metro in the country. With the correlation between economic and racial segregation in Austin, it is likely that minorities have less opportunities to succeed in Austin. Furthermore, as Austin continues to grow and housing prices increase, low income minorities will be pushed farther from the economic center of the city, forcing them to travel farther for their jobs, increasing traffic and mobility challenges in Austin.

Map 2: Map of Socioeconomic Status in Austin

Naoki and Yanni – Houston

From a statistical point of view, Houston could not be any more diverse — unlike other large cities in America, Houston has no clear ethnic or racial majority (Emerson et al 5). It is the most diverse of the 10 largest U.S. metropolitan areas (Emerson et al 6). However, statistics on Houston’s diversity do not show whether these ethnic, cultural groups are actually living together or whether they are segregated from each other. Hence, by looking at maps generated from US Census data, scholarly articles and current news, we reflect on how Houston may not be as multicultural as it originally seems.

As Houston’s metropolitan area added over 1.2 million people between 1990 and 2010, the growth of Houston’s ethnic and racial diversity has increased dramatically in the last few decades . Although Houston has become more diverse, overall segregation between the racial/ethnic groups only experienced a slight decline in the last 20-year period.

Through analysis of maps showing distribution of different racial and ethnic groups, one can see clear divides. As research from the Kinder Institute shows, Houston still has segregation between its four largest racial/ethnic groups with the white-black segregation being the highest across the nation. Segregation between Anglo-African Americans has declined, but remains in the “high” segregation category. Segregation between Anglos and Latinos has tapered and actually increased since 1990 (the immense influx of Latino immigrants could account for some of the increase). Anglo-Asian segregation has remained the same since 1990, and is lower than Anglo-African American and Anglo-Latino segregation. Latino-Asian segregation has also remained unchanged since 1990, and this type of segregation is only second to Anglo-African American. The largest decline in segregation is between blacks and Latinos — they were highly segregated in 1990 but became moderately segregated over the past years (Emerson et al 13).

Figure 3: Map of Different Ethnic Groups in Houston

In some cases, Houston’s multiculturalism may be a facade for cultural assimilation. In fact, in an area nearby a plant that Naoki visited during his internship, there was a recent construction project, called the “Esplanade” that the community angrily opposed, because they feared the project did not fit in well with the culture of the community. According to the Houston Public Media, the input of the residents were not considered when building the project. The Esplanade does not represent much of the culture the community believes is integral to the area, and instead is more contemporary than the Hispanic culture that it replaces.

However, there is evidence that opposes this as well. For example, in a study on Asian Cultural Assimilation, one can see how, to some degree, Asian American communities are able to integrate themselves into the Houston area yet still hold onto their cultural roots by attending cultural events or participating in holidays. We can see this in Figure 4 below

Figure 4: Kinder Institute Survey Results on Asian American Groups in Houston

Mai Pham – New York

There are over 8.5 million people in New York, speaking as many as 800 languages. English is still the most widely spoken language, but there are many in the outer boroughs that have limited English speaking ability. For those that are not familiar with New York and its five outer boroughs, they are: the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island — and even to some, Long Island. When describing the different ethnic neighborhoods, they are not limited to one area. For clarification, consider this example of what New Yorkers refer to as a predominantly inhabited Asian neighborhood. Both Flushing (Queens) and Manhattan have their version of “Chinatown”. There are two separate “Little Italy’s,” one in the Bronx (Belmont) and one in Manhattan. With an influx of immigration, ethnic enclaves developed. Over time, as new immigrant groups arrived, neighborhood demographics changed. For the case of “Little Italy,” the area in Manhattan used to be dominated by Southern Europeans. However, as other immigrants arrived or the area became gentrified, many new immigrants settled in other boroughs.

There are many examples of different ethnic groups in New York, and studying each one is a history on its own. The Latin American community, for instance, is extremely complex, as there are immigrants from a multitude of countries. The Upper East Side is known as “Spanish Harlem,” but other neighborhoods are known for being populated by people of Colombian or Puerto Rican descent. The map of racial/ethnic groups in New York supports this data as well. The orange represents Hispanic, the blue represents Black, the green represents White, and the red represents Asian. From afar, the map is divided into many distinct sections. If zoomed in, however, one can find small patches within the different boroughs as well. This blending of neighborhoods often lends itself to high rates of gentrification, and an encroachment on various ethnic communities.

Figure 5: Map of Racial/Ethnic Groups in New York

According to an article in New York Times, most neighborhoods have a racial/ethnic group that predominates at rates of 70-90 percent. To answer the cohort’s question, “Is the city that I am living in truly multicultural?,” it clearly is. However, this independent study demonstrated that New York is even more complex. Studying the map and U.S. Census data shows the overall cultural composition of New York; it’s easy to say it’s clearly divided and rigid with its racial boundaries. The complexity stems from the racial boundaries not being inclusive. Zooming in on the map makes one realize that there are ethnic neighborhoods within ethnic neighborhoods.

References:

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Second Post:

Culture Shock Reflection 2: July 5th

Group Reflection:

Culture Shock explored its second theme, “Cultural Expression,” by conducting interviews “Humans of New York Style” on the city streets, workplaces, and events to gain an understanding of how different people feel about their culture. We did not go into the interviews with strict lists of questions, but instead allowed the interviewing process to be as natural as possible. Catherine interviewed people at the B Scene Viva Espana night at the Blanton Museum of Art, on Guadalupe Street and at Lake Travis. Naoki interviewed people at work, friends’ families and residents around his apartment located in the energy corridor. Yanni interviewed family friends at a July 4th social event. Mai interviewed friends she made at work and in the city.

Going through the interviewing process itself had salient takeaways. Although some people were initially reluctant and skeptical of sharing their stories and photograph, the group found that almost everyone that we interviewed spoke enthusiastically and honestly about their culture. This highlights a sense of pride that people have for their cultural identities regardless of what city they may live in. Furthermore, we were surprised at how simple it could be to establish a successful, personal connection despite cultural differences.

When reading the stories, our group identified several common themes. One of these themes was belonging versus alienation. Some of the people that we interviewed expressed a deep connection to their communities, while others felt somewhat alienated and separated. Some people made a proactive effort to maintain their native culture’s traditions and customs while simultaneously embracing and appreciating American culture.

Another theme we identified was the deep connection with one’s roots. America is known as a “salad bowl” of cultures, something most evident when people still appreciate where they come from and speak highly of their life back home. One pertinent example of this was the mention of food in many of the interviews — although eating one’s own cultural food may seem unimportant or ordinary to many, it appears to serve the purpose of being a regular reminder of where one came from.

Additionally, we saw similarities in how upbringing can play a role in cultural identity. One example of this was the notion of language education. Some people were brought up with their parent’s native language whereas other people did not have this opportunity. This passing down of language (or lack thereof) appears to have an impact on the relationship that the person has with their parent’s roots. The individuals who were able to speak their native language seemed to have a greater sense of pride and connection with their culture.

Most importantly, through this study of cultural expression, we all seemed to gain an appreciation for the complexities of culture and cultural identity. Culture, especially in America, is not black and white, but rather a spectra of different colors.

Catherine:

“I’ve never really thought about what culture I belong to, I guess I don’t have one in particular. But I like that people of many cultures are here to celebrate Spanish culture since Austin is so often segregated.”

(lady on left) “I worry that the [Mexican] children, especially the undocumented ones, feel isolated from society. Sometimes I feel like many take advantage of us. The best way to take part in Mexican culture is through parents educating their kids. [Mexicans] work so hard to provide for their kids; I hope that they can learn to spend time with their children and educate them about their own culture.”
(lady on right) “I find Mexican culture and traditions very rich. [in spanish], “la cultura mexicana tiene tradiciones y una cultura riquísima no? Yo creo que es muy importante saber las raíces y nuestra historia y tradiciones mexicanas. Yo creo que es un parte fundamental de mexicanas. [mexican culture has many traditions and a rich history, right? I think it’s very important to know about [cultural] roots and [our] history and Mexican traditions. I believe that it is a fundamental part of mexicans [to know about our roots and culture].”

“I’ve lived in America for 9 years, but I still feel that I’m Korean. I was always raised as Korean; I lived with my aunt and my uncle who were both nationalistic and installed korean values in me. I ate Korean food every night, spoke Korean at home, and learned about history from my uncle.”

“My family is really Irish, so alcohol is an important part of my life [laughs]”

“I was originally born in Busan, South Korea and moved to America when I was 16. This is my 5th year in Texas! Since I have spent most of my life in Korea, I do feel that I’m more connected with my home country than here in the United States. However, I am beginning to find a sense of identity as an American. I actually put numerous efforts to make this happened because I hope to assimilate quickly into American society.”

Naoki:

“I am half-hispanic and half-white… I have never been out of the country before, so I can only speak English fluently. I have always wanted to practice my Spanish with my mom, but her Spanish is full of slang”

“I am the youngest child out of 8. My older sisters would call me the baby of the family. They all live in California, and I am the only one living here…I miss my sisters, but I take my family back to California almost every winter vacation. There is always so much homemade Mexican food— beans, tacos, enchiladas. Almost everyone can cook better than I can. I always gain a few pounds when I come back home”

“My parents were born in India, but they moved to America before I was born. Before coming to here, I lived in Memphis. I was the only Indian person in my school back in Memphis, so I felt out of place sometimes. Moving to Houston where the city is so diverse was a new experience for me”

“I was born in Taiwan and moved to America in 2008… In Taiwan, I felt like I could not speak out as much at work because of the culture but it is starting to change now. Younger people are starting to have more of a say in things than they did before. But things are still not like America. I like how I can freely voice my opinion in America, even to upper management. But sometimes I think people talk too much here ”

Yanni:

Christina:

“I am half-Taiwanese and half-Greek, and my father is second-generation Greek-American, while my mother is first-generation Taiwanese. Since I look less like either of my parents and more like my sister, while I was growing up, many assumed I was adopted. While my parents are very different, which can lead to confusion between what culture I identify with and a loss of “authentic” culture on either side (I cannot speak Greek and can only speak a little Chinese), they both imbed similar values of being hard-working and the importance of family to me and my sister.”

Daniel.:

“While most of my family is of European descent from all over, a large part is Hungarian. While I have never been to Hungary, I still identify with being Hungarian because it is a large part of how my mom is and how she raised us. She frequently cooks goulash and uses paprika in almost everything. I know that I look like a typical-white male, but Hungarian blood flows through me, and I am very proud!”

Abhi:

“I have traveled all over the world, and right now live in Switzerland. It can be hard living in a country where most people look very different from me, but because I have spent most of my life traveling, I almost don’t notice it anymore. I grew up in Houston, and my parents are from India. While traveling, it is easy to try and blend in with the culture, but I never forget where I actually came from. Being Indian allows access to a rich and varied community all over the world, especially in Houston, where I call home.”

Russ

“I have lived in both Britain and Houston. There is a large British community here in Houston and most of my friends are from overseas. I would say that being British is still a huge part of my identity. I spend many of my weekends playing golf and sharing a pint with my best friend Rod. I’m beginning to feel more at home at Houston, and let me tell you, the weather is great.”

Mai:

I scheduled to have lunch/dinner with two people: one from the Ukrainian community here and the other from the Jewish community. My acquaintance from the Ukrainian community had to postpone. I did, however, spend a long dinner with my Jewish coworker. When we first met, I asked her if she was involved in her community. She was confused and said that it’s very uncommon for her to be asked that because it was assumed that any Jewish individual in her neighborhood was involved. The question was rather, “Do you hold a leadership position within your community?” She did and said that she has been very active in her youth group since she was born. When she left for college, it was important for her to find a Jewish community wherever she went. We also talked about Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath, with the events starting on Friday. (I was familiar with these traditions because I spent a month in Israel as part of a summer program in 2014.) I asked her if she ever wanted to skip Shabbat if her friends were having an event. She explained to me that it was her choice, that Jewish culture was a part of who she was, and that it didn’t make sense for her to skip it. The theme for these past several weeks was manifestation of culture in daily life. It was fascinating to compare my daily activities with hers. I know that it’s only one person’s perspective, but from her descriptions, it sounded like all the young adults in her community felt the same way. (We also went to a broadway show later that day.)

Next Activity:

For our next activity, our group will zoom out and take more of a macro approach to explore our last theme of Multicultural Exchange. We will use U.S. census data to map the demographics of different areas of city and determine whether the cities we are living in are truly multicultural. In contrast to much of anecdotal-based studies we have done for the past two reflections, we hope that the data-based study will show us truly how cities organize themselves around culture and whether American multiculturalism is simply a myth.

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First Post:

Culture Shock explored its first theme, “Cultural Definition,” by attending a local celebration or

walking through an ethnic community. We first engaged in a thorough individual reflection to

understand the other members’ experiences. Catherine attended the 4th Annual Bollywood

Meets Borscht event held at the Jewish Community Center in Austin. It was a joint Jewish-

Indian festival held to raise money for the Hindu Charities for America. Mai attended National

Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York, which honored the Puerto Ricans back home and in the

states. In each circumstance, there was lots of food, music, dancing, and art. Naoki attended

the Dancin’ in the Street: Motown & More Revue event held at the Miller Outdoor Theater in

Houston. It was a soul/funk music performance and gathering, that celebrated the genre’s

origins from African American culture in the 50s and 60s during the Civil Rights Movement.

Yanni (despite living in Houston for twenty years) finally decided to explore Houston’s

Chinatown. He went shopping in an east Asian supermarket, ate at a Chinese restaurant, and

purchased authentic tea at a teahouse.

One interesting takeaway from everyone’s reflection:

 “The first thing that stood out to me was the praying. Both Jewish and Hindu prayers

were said before the event started. It was so interesting seeing the juxtaposition of the

two totally different prayers. It really showed how important religion is to both cultures

and showed an important point of similarity between the two.” — Catherine

 “Although I usually enjoy Soul Music simply as a form of entertainment, hearing it live,

watching the dance performances and interacting with people there challenged me to

view the music as an expression of identity, community, politics and pride rather than

just a form of spoon-fed entertainment. In some sense, the music offered a disconcerting

contrast to popular hits that play on the radio nowadays.” — Naoki

 “I realized that many families from out-of- town came to the event. Many of the Puerto

Rican-Americans that I spoke to demonstrated a lot of pride and loved that I was

interested in learning more about their culture. The adults spoke about the importance of

maintaining the culture among the youth with these festivities. I loved how proud

everyone was to celebrate their culture and that this event has been going on for many

years.” — Mai

 “Asian supermarkets have many drastic differences from the supermarkets that I am

normally used to. When I go to Kroger it seems like everyone is taking their leisurely

time; in Chinatown however, everybody seemed to move with a purpose, and it almost

felt like there are an aura of tension in the air. In addition, the types of foods available for

purchase cannot be found at your average Kroger. In contrast to Americans, Chinese

utilize nearly every part of the animal – intestines, ears, feet, tongue, testes – even in

animals not typically eaten in the U.S. such as turtles.” — Yanni

After our individual reflection, we discussed common themes that we observed. We did not tell

each other in advance what activity we were planning to do, and it was exciting to share our

experiences of America’s multiculturalism. Common forms of cultural expression were art,

dancing, religion, and food. These forms of expression allowed each culture to define

themselves individually. We all made the effort to interact with other attendees, the event

planners, and locals. Everyone we met at these events was very enthusiastic in teaching us

about their culture.

Other interesting things we discussed were the powers of language and religion. Some people

see language and religion as barriers to cultural interaction. Our experiences proved otherwise.

Catherine experienced firsthand the immersion of Jewish and Hindu practices. Mai and Yanni

saw that although some ethnic groups speak in their non-English language, they do so because

it preserves their culture. There was also a mix of tradition and modernism in each culture.

Naoki highlighted how a culture and its forms of expression can be defined by its historical and

political roots and shaped by subsequent generations.

In summary, we each left our comfort zone but learned a lot by appreciating a different culture.

By sharing our experiences with each other and the people we interacted with during the

events, we were able to broaden our scope of “Cultural Definition.” Our second theme is

“Manifestation of Culture in Daily Life.” For our next activity, we look forward to spending a day

in an ethnic neighborhood and conversing with several locals about their experiences and

thoughts on their culture.