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How To Overcome Cultural, Trust And

Language Barriers To Working With The

Inner-City Immigrant Workers Community:A Handbook for Service Providers Working

in Los Angeles Chinatown

By: Lee Siu HinCalifornia State Polytechnic University, Pomona

July 21, 2004

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Introduction

Challenges Facing Street Level

Bureaucrats in the Inner-City Immigrant

Workers Community

The two-tier system in the community

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Introduction (3)

Challenges of Intercultural Communication

Language Barriers

Cultural Difference in Body Language

Immigrants Cultural Resistance to Outsiders

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Challenging Facing Asian and Pacific

Islanders in Southern California

1) APIs are the fastest growing major group inthe United States.

2) APIs are more likely than other ethnic groupsto be linguistically isolated.

3) API communities in Southern California citiesexperience high rates of poverty.

4) A large number of APIs do not have more than

a high school education.

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Challenging Facing Los Angeles Chinese

Community

The Rich Hong Kong, Taiwan, SE Asia Business, working professionals Living in San Gabriel Valley, Palos Verdes, Cerritos and

Orange County

The Poor China (Guangdong, Chieu Chow, Amoy and Fukien), SE

Asia and refugees. Low-wage, sweatshops worker, restuarants, etc. Chinatown, El Monte and San Gabriel Valley

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Challenges Facing Would-Be Organizers of

the Chinese Immigrant Community

Language barrier and cultural dynamics

Many new immigrants dont speakEnglish

Chinese publication

More comfortable not to assimilate Us vs. them

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Challenges Facing Would-Be Organizers of

the Chinese Immigrant Community

Social environment, economic

disadvantages and vulnerability

The burden of community

Economic disadvantages andvulnerability

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Challenges Facing Would-Be Organizers of

the Chinese Immigrant Community

Distrust due to racism and segregation

Historical (Chinese Exclusion Act)

Cultural, Political

Cold-war

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Challenges Facing Would-Be Organizers of

the Chinese Immigrant Community

Lack of community resources

Lack of immigrant workers center

Non-profit dilemma

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Challenges Facing Would-Be Organizers of

the Chinese Immigrant Community

Internal politics and social dynamics

The Turf Issue

Fear of Oppressions

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PART THREE: Handbook Policy

Recommendations

The Three Pillars

Better Communication with immigrantsBetter Communication with immigrants

Immigrant Community Center As aImmigrant Community Center As a

Communication BridgeCommunication Bridge

Boundary-crossing leadersBoundary-crossing leaders

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Effective Intercultural Communication

and the S.O.S. of Communication

Increase service response to significant

language needs

The S.O.S. of communication with anThe S.O.S. of communication with aninternational accentinternational accent

3. Speak S-lowly, with pauses

4. Speak O-penly, with a wider open mouth

and clear enunciation

5. Speak by saying each word S-eparately

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Immigrant Community Center

As a Communication Bridge

. Local focusLocal focus

Ability to integrate concerns of establishedAbility to integrate concerns of established

residents and new immigrantsresidents and new immigrants

An internal process reflectingAn internal process reflecting

multilingual/multicultural constituentsmultilingual/multicultural constituents A place-based leadership structure enablingA place-based leadership structure enabling

new immigrant participationnew immigrant participation

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Boundary-Crossing Leaders and

Community Leadership Development

A sense of global citizenship

Understand and fight against racism and other

forms of oppression and exclusion

Continuously reach out to other groups and arenetworked into many groups

Actively acquire new skills to build larger networks

Collaborate on projects or work with diversepartners

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Conclusions

No One say this is easy An introductory guide book for the

street-level bureaucrats Theres no one simple solution If thats not come form your hearts, it

wont work Never think this is charity or give away,

never patronize the community

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Remember

A powerful statement made by Australian

Aboriginal Elder Lilla Watson:

"If you've come here to help me, you're

wasting your time. But if you've come

because your liberation is bound upwith mine, then let us work together."

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The End

Any Questions?