The History of Identity with Mustafa Popal

Mustafa Popal is a dynamic Afghan-American professor of history here at Skyline College. He teaches all of his classes through the lens of identity, which emphasizes the importance of history when attempting to understand ourselves and our contemporary zeitgeist. In this interview, we explore thematics such as diversity, culture and education through some authentic avenues, such as identity, family and hip-hop.

Born and Raised: From Afghanistan to Germany To Concord, CA

Growing up with a primarily Afghan Social Circle

Mustafa analyzes whether the transition from primarily

 Afghan social circles to more diverse social circles had

 an effect on his identity.

Mustafa explains why he considers his relationship with

 being bi-cultural in America as embodying the

 "salad bowl theory" as opposed to the "melting pot theory."

Stay tuned to find out which element of the salad he most relates to!

Mustafa explains the experiences and responsibilities 

associated with being bi-cultural in America.

“Everything, then, passes between us.

This "between," as its name implies, has neither

a consistency nor continuity of its own.”

-Jean-Luc Nancy

Being Singular Plural

Mustafa explains his theories on why Americans

 lack the ability to engage in healthy discourse.

Mustafa discloses what he would like to see in education
so that students leave with the ability to articulate their thoughts
 and feelings and engage in healthier discourse.

"Leaders who do not act dialogically, but insist
 on imposing their decisions, do not organize 
the people- they manipulate them."
-Paulo Freire

Mustafa describes the relationship he 

had with hip-hop as he was growing up.

Hip-Hop: Continued

Mustafa gives some insight on the factors,
aside from hip-hop, that led him to fall in love with History.

A Quick Inspirational Message from Mustafa

Mustafa provides some insight on the way he
 teaches history through the lens of Identity.

“Identity provides the human mind a sense of meaning,
purpose and truth, all prerequisites for engaging in
the day-to-day activities necessary for survival and existence."
-Mustafa Popal


Blooper: What if We ARE Robots?

BYE!

My Inspiration to Organize and Mobilize: Aurora Victoria David

Aurora Victoria (a.k.a "AV") David is a Filipino-American community organizer from Daly City, California who continues to inspire many individuals as she fights for migrant workers' rights and spread awareness of the local and national issues that the U.S. and Philippines encounter today.

Table of Contents:

I. Moving to America

II. Adapting to the Culture

IV. Finding Support & My Identity

IV. Community Work & Migrant Workers

V. Immigration

Moving to America

In AV's introduction, she talks about the various reasons why her family decided to move in the United States. She describes their previous situation in the Philippines before migrating at the bay area and the difficult decision that her mother had to make to find better opportunities in America.

"I was sad to leave the people who were closest to me, the relatives who raised me. But I think I overcame that by my excitement to see my mom. I was sad but I was also happy"

Adapting to the Culture in the Bay Area

The excitement AV had when she first came to the U.S. did not last long as she struggled to adapt to the new life she had in the bay area. She experienced discrimination in school but used this as her motivation to focus in her education and volunteer work. 

Just like Yen Le Espiritu's academic journal article on Family, Culture, and Gender in Filipina American Lives, AV David's story reflects the lives of other young Filipinas that experienced discrimination when they first migrated in the United States. In one of the interviews Yen Le did, the respondent said, 

"When I was in the tenth grade, our English teacher asked us what our nationality was, and she goes how many of you are Mexican, how many of you are Filipino, and how many of you are Samoan and things like that. And when she asked how many of you are American, just the white people raised their hands." (page 420)

Such discrimination have happened to many Filipinos as early as the 1900s. In Competing Visions: A California History, the authors explain the anti-immigrant sentiments that happened during a riot that broke out in Watsonville: "Several Filipinos were injured, and two were killed. Other violence followed, spawned by fears that Filipinos were competing for jobs or by anxieties over Filipino men socializing with white women." (page 256, Ch. 8)

Finding Support & My Identity

                      

Community Work & Migrant Workers

Through her active involvement in the community, she was able to discover her voice and purpose to serve migrant workers who had the same struggles she had.

"When I think about the conditions of immigrants, that's what kind of makes me sad and heartbroken. Knowing that they left their country out of love for family, but coming here, they face another level of exploitation and harassment. I think it's unjust and wrong. That's what keeps me with community organizing, knowing that there's a lot of things that needs to change."

Immigration

In this segment, AV explains the issue of immigration or forced migration. She closes her story as she gives advice to the incoming immigrants who could hopefully find their own community in wherever they go, and use their stories to contribute to the larger issues in the community.

As the Filipino community continue to grow as "California's largest Asian group"(page 402, Competing Visions), they still struggle to fight for their rights and many of their contributions are erased in history until today. We hope that these interviews and insights shed light and added information to the many struggles and stories of Filipino immigrants.

Sources:

Signs, Vol. 26, No. 2 (Winter, 2001), pp. 415-440

Cherny, Robert W., Gretchen Lemke-Santangelo, and Richard Griswold Del Castillo. Competing Visions: A History of California. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005. Print.

Alex Picado: The Difference between United States and Nicaragua

Jimmy Alexander Picado was born in Managua, Nicaragua in 1974. He lived in Nicaragua for 19 years until he came with his family to United States in 1993. However Alex who is my father went back to Nicaragua in 1995 to marry his girlfriend, which is my mom, and stayed over there for 6 years and came back to United States with me and mom in 2000. In the interview below he mentions the difference between Nicaragua and United States, and how United States gives more opportunities to become who you want with enough work.

Table of Contents

 1.Introduction

2.Employment

3.Identity

4.Diversity

Employment

"The Growth of service sector employment created new job opportunities for many of the states residents" - Competing Visions: A History of California  pg.405

Alex started working at an Art warehouse in 1993 at 19 where he started getting paid $8.00/hr which was the general weekly income in Nicaragua. The segment above Alex explains his experiences in working in United States.

Identity

"We are more close-knit. We tend to help one another. Americans, ya know, they are all right, but they don't help each other that much." - Family, Culture, and Gender in Filipina

Although the quote refers to Filipino families, Latin families are very much alike. In the Segment above Alex talks about if he considers himself to be American or not, and if he believed in the American Dream. Alex also discusses on how he immigrated to United States.

Diversity

"Hispanic population, concentrated primarily  in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, became more diverse." (396)

Alex has been living in San Francisco for almost 21 years and he's seen many changes in the city, but in the segment above he talks about one of the few things that haven't changed in San Francisco since the late 1890's which is Diversity.



Salwant Multani: A One Way Ticket from India to America

Who is Salwant Multani? 

Salwant Multani is a 50 year old Indian woman who immigrated from India. She made the big move from her hometown of Chandigarh in India to San Francisco in 1990 at the age of 24. In the following videos, we will be able to learn more about Salwant's life in India, as well as her transition from Indian to American culture.

Table of Contents

I. Introduction to Salwant

II. Education in India

III. Immigration and Employment

IV. Life in America

V. Indian and American Identity 

Introduction

In this video, Salwant Multani introduces herself and she gives us a brief explanation about what it was like being raised in India. She discusses what a typical day in the life was like for her and she talks a bit about her family. 

Education in India

In this segment, Salwant shares her education experience in India. She emphasizes the importance of going to school and she discusses the differences between education in India and America. She also talks about her journey through college, including how she knew what career she wanted to pursue and her hopes of becoming a nurse. Salwant also explains how she wanted to be a stenographer for a short period of time.

Salwant (top row, 5th student) and her fellow classmates from her stenography class in India.

After she graduated college, Salwant and her stenography professor and classmates went to Himachal Pradesh, a tourist destination. While she was there, she dressed up in traditional Kulumanali clothing and she went to a famous temple. 

Immigration and Employment

Salwant discusses the story of why she wanted to move to America with her husband. Along with moving to a different country came great pain, as she was leaving behind all her family in India; however, she explains how her parents encouraged her to take the leap and move across the world. Upon arriving to America, Salwant discusses whether the reality of the country lived up to her expectations. She also mentions how she maintains relationships with her family in India. 

"Between 2000 and 2010, California's Asian Indian population increased 68 percent, gathering fourth place in the states ranking of Asian immigrant groups. Although their presence in the state dates back to the 19th century, Asian Indian began arriving in large numbers in 1990. Legislation passed in 1990 and 2000 increased the number of visas issued to students and highly educated, skilled workers, spurring the recent sustained immigration." -Competing Visions A History of California (432, Cherny)

Life in America

Moving to a country that is completely foreign may be a lot to take in at once. Salwant decided to share the biggest change that she experienced when she first landed at the Los Angeles airport. She also talks about the difficulties of raising three children when her husband was the only one working in the family. Although it was very challenging, she concludes on a happy note by explaining the positive affects that moving to America had on her children.

Salwant and her husband Dalvinder are pictured playing with their first son in Sunnyvale. 

This was just 10 days after Salwant moved to America.

Indian and American Identity

Salwant delves into the topic of how it is extremely difficult to live away from her birthplace and how she longs to visit her family in India. She mentions how she views India differently now that she has lived in America for so long; moreover, since she has lived here for about 25 years, she feels that she has a new American identity but claims that she will always be Indian. Salwant also emphasizes that she really tries to keep her culture alive in America through various practices. 

"You know that your family will always be there... You also know that if things don't work out in the outside world, you can always come home and mommy and daddy will always take you and your children in... Asian parents take care of their children." -We Don't Sleep Around Like White Girls Do: Family, Culture, and Gender in Filipina American Lives (422, Yen Le Espiritu) This relates to how Salwant spoke about feeling the need to stay in America in order to guide her children. She wants to continue living here in case her children need extra support at anytime in their lives.

"At the beginning of the new century in California, with its large immigrant population, contained a greater diversity of religious sects and denominations than any other state in the nation and kept a secure hold on its reputation as a leading source of new cultural developments." -Competing Visions A History of California (458, Cherny)

Salwant still practices her Sikh religion in America: she is pictured here in traditional Indian clothing at a Gurdwara (temple).

"Beginning with California's first people, cultural diversity has been an integral part of the human landscape. Wave after wave of migrants and immigrants, the emergence of ethnic enclaves, and the birth of numerous subcultures have added additional layers of richness, and at times produced interesting cultural fusions. As a consequence, the state's cuisine, music, art, architecture, folklore, cinema, theater, dance, and public spaces all carry the imprint of its incredibly diverse and increasingly complex picture of ethnic and national groups." -Competing Visions A History of California (XIV, Cherny)

Cherny, Robert W., Gretchen Lemke-Santangelo, and Richard Griswold Del Castillo. Competing Visions: A History of California. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005. Print.

Espiritu, Yen Le. "“We Don’t Sleep Around Like White Girls Do”Family, Culture, and Gender in Filipina American Lives." Gender and U.S. ImmigrationContemporary Trends (2003): 263-84. Web.

NEW IMMIGRANT in San Francisco

          NEW IMMIGRANT Coral Lin

Coral Lin is a 24 year old immigrant from china, she has lived in san francisco about 10 years and she works for Chinese American international school.

THEMES

 Education

Employment

Immigration

 BACKGROUND

 

             Immigration

"The 1906 earthquake in San Fran cisco to some extent facilitated the immigration of Chinese. Since birth records of the city were destroyed during the earthquake and fire, many Chinese grasped the opportunity to claim U.S. citi zenship and used their new status to send for their sons and daughters".(Chinese American Women Defense Workers in World War II 142 )

            Employment

she like to be a teacher becasue she prefer with the children.she was luckly can find the good job in the new century for immigrant. if she imigrant before world war II,she just can always stay in chinatown and cant be a teacher.

"Before the Second World War it was difficult for Chinese American women to get jobs outside Chinatown because of racial and gender discrimination".(Chinese American Women Defense Workers in World War II)

               Education

Education is very important to Coral,becase in her childhood,she parent always told her need to stuy hard and get a good job.

she want to get the master degree and be a profession women in the future.

"State funding for higher education followed the economic roller coaster-down in the early 1990s, up in the late 1990s, down with the dot-com crash, up in the mid-2000s, down with the Great Recession" ("Competing Visions - A History of California" 444)

An Unexpected Immigration Story

Evelyn Paraiso is a resident of San Bruno, California for about seven years now, but has been a California immigrant for almost sixteen years. She is a loving mother who lives with three of her six children, while working as a caregiver in the world of California that is full of opportunities.

In my interview with Evelyn, we talked about her journey to the United States and how she had to move from one state to another in order to find opportunities that would help her raise her six children. Her life as an immigrant is full of adventures that made her to be the strong woman she is today. In my goal to explore the life and experiences of an immigrant in California, we discussed the subjects of immigration, employment, discrimination, housing, identity, religion, and diversity.

IMMIGRATION

There are different reasons as to why immigrants migrate to another country. Evelyn is only one of the people who did not expect her migration. Due to certain events in her life, she decided to look for opportunities that other countries could offer her. In this video, Evelyn talks about her motive behind her immigration to the United States and the process of becoming one.

Moreover, through the help of Evelyn's second son who petitioned her, she was able to be an immigrant. According to the academic book, Competing Visions, on page 147, it states that, "...important changes in the legal status of African Americans, and ultimately, Asian Americans and others... The Fourteenth Amendment (1868) defined federal citizenship and the rights of American citizens" and that, "..the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, altered the meaning of citizenship, and California in important ways" (162). 

The Fourteenth Amendment allowed the birthright for Evelyn's son to become a citizen once he was born. Which is why he was able to petition Evelyn, and for Evelyn to be able to petition three of her children.

At the heart of San Francisco

Evelyn continues to talk  her migration in the United States in 2001. The American Dream has different definition for every individual. As for Evelyn, it did not occur to her to have an American Dream until her husband passed away. She was a full time mother who was taking care of her six children, along with her husband. This is why she never thought about leaving the Philippines.

In the video, she talks about American Dream and how having a social security benefited her when it came to her salary. She used to earn $60 a day, and without the social security, she would earn $40 as a caregiver. It was one of the obstacles she had to deal with.

HOUSING

Migrating in the United States was difficult, but Evelyn’s contact with her old friends, truly helped her here in the United States. Unlike the mid-twentieth century, Evelyn did not have much difficulty in looking for shelter. With the help of a friend, Evelyn and her son was able to live in a bedroom where they spent their early years as California immigrants.

Living in the United States by herself was definitely a challenge for Evelyn. But with her son's presence, she had someone close to him to help him get through the feeling of nostalgia. 

EMPLOYMENT

Evelyn's search for a job was not as difficult as she thought. Through the connections she kept with her old friends from the Philippines she was able to get some help in her search for an opportunity here in the United States. Despite being oblivious of the kind of environment here in the United States, she was able to find a job that she loved which is caregiving.

She also talks about her experience in taking care of one of the many patients she had. Neil Curry, whom she loved so much, she mentioned and said, "was like a father to me." Evelyn took care of him for seven years. 

DISCRIMINATION

Thankfully, Evelyn did not experience any discrimination here in the United States, specifically in California.

Since most of Evelyn's co-workers came from the same ethnic group as hers, she was able to create relationships with these individuals through their common interests and goals in life. 

DIVERSITY

The diverse population of California did not hinder Evelyn from developing friendships with other individuals in her community. 

Evelyn with two of her friends at Rockaway Beach in Pacifica, California.

Cultural differences was something Evelyn was aware of.  Now that her three of her children lives with her, she sees to it that they continue to retain their culture and beliefs by continuing to live by their traditions. 

Moreover, Evelyn mentioned in her this video that the difference in culture was a subject she was concerned about, particularly the way American culture raises their children. According to an Academic Journal Article written by Yen Le Espiritu, she writes that a Filipina immigrant said, "The American way of life is more individual rather than collective" (422). This quote proves that Evelyn's perception that the American way of raising children, is more liberal than the Filipino culture. 

Additionally, Evelyn says that in the Filipino culture, they do not let their children leave their home when they turn eighteen and go to college. In the article of Espiritu, she quotes an interviewee who said, "You don't have to work when you turn eighteen, you don't have to pay rent when you are eighteen, which is the American way of thinking" (422). This shows that the traditions and values of the Filipino culture are very different from each other. The teachings and the idea of having a very close-knit family are only a few of the cultural differences.

RELIGION

Despite moving in the United States, Evelyn says that her religion and beliefs did not change. In fact, it became better and stronger because it was something that helped her get through her the difficulty of being an immigrant in California.

IDENTITY

Evelyn talks about how her perception of her homeland was not affected by her migration in California. She tells us that since her identity, morals, and values are already stable and solid once she migrated in the United States, she believes that it is uncanny for her to identify herself as an American.

Evelyn with three of her youngest children whom she currently lives with.

By maintaining relationships with her family back in the Philippines, Evelyn has an easier time in maintaining her traditions and cultural identity.

Evelyn at the wedding of her third child, Pam, along with her five other kids. Maui (second to the right), is her son who petitioned her in 2001

Evelyn mentioned earlier that when she was working for her patient, Neil, his family were very helpful and kind to make sure that she had time to contact her children while she was at work.

References:
Espiritu, Yen Le. "“We Don’t Sleep Around Like White Girls Do”Family, Culture, and Gender in Filipina American Lives." Gender and U.S. ImmigrationContemporary Trends (2003): 263-84. Web. 

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Cherny, Robert W., Gretchen Lemke-Santangelo, and Richard Griswold Del Castillo. Competing Visions: A History of California. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005. Print.