Draft:Asian American Networks

Asian American Business Networks is a phenomenon that is closely tied to immigration and the phenomenon of guanxi.

The earliest ethnic Chinese who immigrated to America were recorded in 1785; three Chinese fishermen docked at Baltimore, Maryland. However, the influx of immigrants came during the 19th century, defined by the California Gold Rush in 1849, the first Transcontinental Railroad construction from 1864-1869, and laborers in the Western society, better known as coolies. When the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed in 1882, the amount of ethnic Chinese coming to America was greatly reduced. The 1924 National Origins Act/ Immigration Act created a permanent quota system based on the "national origin" of the immigrant. Only 2% of individuals from each nationality (based on the total number of individuals from that nationality that were residing in the US in 1890 national census) were provided immigration visas. The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act signed by President Johnson abolished the quota system for immigrants and favor toward northern European and British Isles residents. The new act was geared toward the skills and family relations (with US citizens or US residents) of the immigrants that were requesting for visas.

Amid the huge changes in immigration laws, this did not stop Asian Americans from finding other legal ways to come to America. Prior to 1965, there was a huge phenomenon of paper sons, where the identification papers were used to legitimize a unique, authentic individual and prove that they should belong to America because of their parentage ties with grandparents who were already American citizens. In light of the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, the records of many Asian Americans were destroyed. This led to many Chinese migrants already living in the United States to claim that they had parentage ties, or older Asian Americans who could claim several fellow citizens as their blood sons, when the younger individuals were in fact born in China.

The changes in immigration laws reflected internal conflicts as well. Marred by the LA massacre in 1871, Saigu in 1992, the Japanese-American internment during World War II, and the idea of the "Hindu Invasion", the Asian Americans already in the United States faced discrimination from the wider American society. They had to find solutions based on trial and error, looking for legal, political, and social ways to find their place in society. One of the methods of doing so was creating associations with memberships based on shared surnames, places of origin, or groups with common interests. This phenomenon is well-observed in ethnic Chinese relationships, also known as guanxi. Guanxi is defined as a system of an individual's social network/ interpersonal relationships that range from patron-client relationships or peer-to-peer ties. These networks and relationships facilitate business and social dealings. Key aspects of the relationships are mutual interest or benefit, trust, and reciprocity is assumed. Guanxi is a school of thought that influences how Asian Americans/ ethnic Asians think of and view society. They view society as a group of people that they are connected to through different means; a group of people of shared ancestry/ background/ heritage. Guanxi suggests that a country/ subethnic group is merely a network of people that one has relationship to.

The interconnection of guanxi and racism toward Asian Americans shows that guanxi is a tool that Asian Americans have used to look, dissect, and respond to prejudice in the Western society. The rise of formation of networks, like business and family networks, are proof of community members supporting each other in various ways.

Asian American Family Networks

During the 1930s-1950s, there were only 300-500 Chinese Americans living in Houston. Houston has the eighth largest Asian American population, which has grown by 73% in the past decade. Especially with the growth of the Houston Chinese community to greater than 100,000 within Harris County alone, the belief is that the Chinese community is not tight. This reinforces the importance of forming networks, for the formation of small units where relationships can flourish and members can relate and congregate together. The Gee family network is one association that exists to support community.

The Gee Family represents the Gee clan of Houston. It is currently the largest and the most well-known Chinese-American network in Houston, Texas, USA. The Gee family network is built on the basis of a similar last name, Gee (Chinese character: 朱, pronounced zhū). The members of the Gee family in Houston may not necessarily be related by blood, although the majority of them are. The Gee family is from two areas in China: Taishan, and Kai-ping Kan. Throughout the 20th century, the Gee family members that were already in Houston began supporting family members and non-family members alike in their attempt for immigration to America. With existing Gee family members in Houston, it becomes easier for the relatives to settle in; they can leverage on the family's network to seek out job opportunities and social connections. If the new immigrants had questions, they would redirect questions to their relatives who were already accustomed to the culture. Gee family member Harry Gee Sr was the President of the On Leong Chinese Merchants Association, an organization which facilitated the process of starting a business for ethnic Chinese in America.

The support for other members of the Gee family ranged from business, to financial, and family.

An area that the Gee family was known for was the restaurant business and grocery stores. The majority of the first generation of Gees in Houston were in the restaurant business. There were family members who moved from Arkansas to Houston to work at Gee family restaurants till they earned enough to set up their own grocery stores or restaurants. When opening their own stores, they would either pursue an independent project or with another member of the training group, which was another Gee relative. CY Chu was known for training whichever Gee relative who wanted to learn how to start their own business. The main skill taught was cooking. CY Chu was the foundation of the Gee family grocery chains. Family members would support others by loaning money to kickstart their business. The Gee family would also introduce family members, who had high credibility and trusted them in their business, to bankers which allowed them to have easier access to resources that other people could not get. Judge Robert, a prominent figure in Houston, was generous with the loans that supported Gordon Gee's Grocery Supply chains. The local grocery stores flourished because the major grocery business chains were not in Houston, and the local grocery stores were close in proximity to the residents.

The importance of the family unit has been constantly brought up by the Gee family members. To Harry Gee, the most important value that he would impart to their children and grandchildren is family. Familial relationships are stable, and "the attributes that can come by virtue of those strong relationships will be beneficial to them". Despite the individualistic nature of human beings and can have their distinct characters, they should still have an "appreciation for learning...for family...of church and other institutions of stability". Harry Gee also mentioned that family is usually the most significant group of people that one would "call upon when there are times of need... they're the ones who are most likely to be responsive, and to be supportive". George Gee was not attached to many forms of Chinese culture (theater, opera, art), but when asked if he is interested in any other forms of Chinese culture, he mentioned the maintenance of the family unit and that children should respect the elderly (the concept of filial piety).

CY Chu and Mrs CY Chu were frequently visited by members of the Gee family out of appreciation for CY Chu's restaurant trainings. This close connection has been maintained even after many years.. Through the Gee Family Association, the family members continue to have yearly picnics and get-togethers. The Gee family members spoke well of these gatherings, even if some Gee members were related only "by name". At a minimum of once a year, the Gee's would gather together; the children became friends with each other, and adults who were busy working on their own businesses had opportunities to catch up with each other. The Gee family's numerous restaurant and grocery chains meant that all the children had to work at the stores after school, and could not see their school friends on the weekdays. The Chinese communities had their own "clans and groups and activities" due to the reduced amount of leisure time that they collectively had; the adults were working hard and the children were doing homework, or working at the restaurants with their parents. They did not participate in sports like baseball games or be involved in school activities. The Gee children remained isolated from other neighborhood families (the majority of which were Caucasian or Jewish), since they could only play during their weekend free time. As a result, the only friends of the Gee children were the other children within the Gee network, and children from the Chinese Baptist Church, the church that most of the Gees went to. The Gee children also could see each other during Gee family gatherings. This might have led to the formation of an even closer-knit community or family network.

Horizontally across the same generation, the relationships are still tight. The Gee children were raised to value closeness between siblings, and positive relationships with siblings were repeatedly emphasized. Vertically across generations, the Gee family members acknowledged that they would take care of their parents, tying into the concept of filial piety.

Harry Gee Jr mentioned that they faced difficulties when buying houses or land because of their race. He acknowledged the limitations of the human race, which is that discrimination would always occur, differentiating ourselves from others and form our own organizations. He mentioned the importance of looking past racial differences and build relationships with other based on common ground like sport teams or passions. The Gee family is a prime example of how a diasporic community retained certain aspects of the Chinese culture -- the natural affinity with people who share the same last name or place of origin -- but evolving along with the new culture that they are in, creating a hybrid way of life and diasporic culture that the family network shares. The Gee family has made significant contributions to the Asian and Chinese groups in the Houston community, as well as Houston community organizations, the Gee Family Association (which Allen Gee's father founded), and the Community of 100.

See also[edit]

1. Gee Family in Houston
2. Chinese Americans in Houston
3. History of Chinese Americans in Houston