May marks the start of Asian American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month and to highlight the milestones the community has achieved, FOX Business correspondent Susan Li acknowledged some of the unfortunate, yet rich, history each culture has overcome.
“The Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community have come a long way, each with their own cultural distinctions, but all contributing to America’s long, colorful history,” Li told “Fox & Friends.”
Li reflected on some of the Asian histories, dating back to the 1800s when “the first settlers on the Asia Pacific sailed across the oceans to find riches in the us-regions Gold Rush.”
THE ASIAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION LAUNCHES WITH $125M COMMITMENT TO BENEFIT AAPI COMMUNITIES
The FOX Business correspondent mentioned “more than 20 million Asian Americans today trace their roots back to 20 countries in East, Southeast and South Asia.”
Augsburg University Asian American politics professor Andrew Aoki told Li, “[The Asian community] has really come in and contributed to make this country what it is.”
Li continued to recognize the hard work the Asian community has done for this country.
“The transcontinental railroad, [was] built off the labor of thousands of Chinese immigrants working dangerous backbreaking jobs to combine America’s two tracks,” Li added.
“Despite their cheap labor helping build the economic artery across America, Chinese immigrants were the first and only ethnic group to be banned by law from immigrating to the U.S. with the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act,” Li added.
During World War II, the Japanese Americans experienced a “dark period” as more than 12,000 people were locked up across 10 internment camps in multiple states after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
“Most of them [were] American citizens born on U.S. soil,” Li remarked.
Video
“During World War II when Japanese Americans were interned, the same thing didn’t happen to German and Italian Americans,” Aoki said to Li.
In 1965, the “boom” in the Asian American population began after the Hartzler Immigration Act, providing “preference to highly skilled workers and helped launch the model minority myth,” FOX Business correspondent mentioned.
Asian journalist and documentarian Samantha Cheng told Li, “People see Asians in general as high earners, highly educated, disciplined individuals. But we also have our new immigrant families who are coming here.”
WOMAN COVERS LYFT, UBER RIDES TO HELP ASIAN RESIDENTS IN NEW YORKERS GET HOME SAFELY
One New York restaurant owner expressed to Li he came to the U.S. during a difficult time and said he’s now “living the American dream.”
“There is nowhere better than America. It’s a dream,” Donald Moi, Mee Sum Trahouse owner in Chinatown, New York, said to her.
Despite the AANHPI community celebrating and honoring their culture this month, the recent rise and anti-immigrant attacks leave many curious if they’re “welcome here.”
Activist Don Lee told Li that Asian Americans today have the “opportunity” to speak out and “seek justice,” unlike their ancestors.
“People are afraid to leave their homes, but we are having the opportunity to speak out,” Lee mentioned.
“Asian-Americans currently make up 6% of the population today, but the fastest-growing group across America and also a crucial swing vote in future elections,” Li concluded. “This is a group that both sides of the political aisle will want to court in future votes.”