H. Sook Wilkinson, Ph.D
Chairperson
Governor’s Advisory Council on Asian Pacific American Affairs
Keynote Address
Fifth Annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration at the Capitol
May 15, 2007
East Steps of the State Capitol
Lansing, Michigan
Why Asian Pacific Americans are important to Michigan and the US?
I’m standing here today as a proud Korean American and as an Asian American.
I truly consider this an honor to be among all of you this morning. As I look out over our audience, I see we have a diverse array of people from all walks of life and personal histories who have joined us on this very special occasion.
I see my colleagues from the Governor’s Advisory Council on Asian Pacific American Affairs and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. I also see some of our state’s and community’s most esteemed political leaders, social, cultural and academic leaders. I also see our next generation of leaders and everyday citizens
who have come to share this special moment for the Asian Pacific American community. I thank you all for attending today.
I want to extend a special Thank You to the Hon. State Rep. Hoon-Yung Hopgood. Rep. Hopgood is the Chairman of the important House Transportation Committee. He is also considered one of the most effective and innovative leaders on educational issues in the state. He has been an outstanding leader in ensuring that issues pertinent to our communities receive the attention they deserve. As soon as he won the election in 2002, he started this celebration at the Capitol. That was 5 years ago. As you can see, this celebration has grown in size and scope. Thank you so very much Representative Hopgood for your leadership.
Also, I want to thank to you, Rep. Hopgood, and the planning committee members for asking me to address this event today. This is an incredible honor. I also would like to acknowledge and thank all the political leaders from the House and the Senate who are co-hosts for this event. To have over 40 senators and representatives co-host this event is historic. My heartfelt thanks to all of you.
Like so many of you here today, I came to America as a young person, looking to stat a new life in a new country. My story may not be all that different from many of you.
As a new college graduate in Korea, idealistic with many ideas as to how the world should be, I decided to come to the U.S. Of course, it wasn’t that easy to find the right opportunity. Through the Peace Corps, started by Pres. Kennedy, I was offered a position as a teacher of Korean language to the Peace Corps trainees who were getting ready to go to Korea to serve as Peace Corps volunteers. When I came to the US, I had $100 in my pocket, and a promise of a job for 3 months. Not a very promising start by any measure. But I was just happy that I had the opportunity. I had no fear or worries about the future. That’s the beauty about being young and naïve. I’ve never regretted that decision and I’m very thankful for all the opportunities I’ve had.
I’ll tell you a little story about how naïve I was. On my very first day in America in 1970, I vividly remember landing at the LA airport all by myself with two huge pieces of luggage that we called Immigrant grow bags. I didn’t know how to navigate the airport to go from one terminal to another. I finally found a porter who could help me. I had heard something about a tipping system in the US. In Korea, we don’t have a tipping system. Out of my $100, I was trying to figure out how much would be the right amount to tip. In my head, I was converting Korean money to US dollars to make sure that it was a fair amount. Finally I arrived at a figure of 25 cents, a quarter. I was so proud of myself for figuring it out. I thanked the porter and put a quarter in his hand. He looked at it, looked at me, and without a word, gave me the quarter back. I thought it was so incredible. How did he know that I really needed that money more than he did! I thanked him profusely.
Fast forward this story to now, 37 years later. I had never imagined that I’d be standing in front of you, on the steps of the State Capitol, at an event such as this, delivering a keynote address. I know I owe this incredible honor to many people.
We are grateful to all of our community leaders who’ve worked diligently over the years to illuminate the growing influence and the needs of the APA community. However, it is the everyday citizens of our state, who go to school, or work, or stay home and raise our children – to whom this day – and this month - is really dedicated.
Because it is from there where leadership emerges; it is there from which our community gathers its strength. I owe this day to all of our mothers, fathers and relatives who came to this country to pursue a better life for their children. Or for some of us; even the parents who stayed behind in the lands of our birth, but sacrificed everything to ensure that we could receive the education needed to leave our homes and travel thousands of miles to this place called “America,” and create a new life for ourselves. The success of the APA community is something we all should take great pride in. It is a reflection not only of the fortitude of our community and our traditional commitment to our children’s success, but most importantly, it honors our parents and all of those who have sacrificed so much so that we might succeed. I wish my parents were here to hear me say this.
Still it is never immodest or vain to take a moment to reflect on some of the accomplishments and contributions our community has made to America and to this beautiful state of Michigan as we continue to grow in population and influence.
Indeed, we take pride in the fact that the State of Michigan now has more than 208,000 Asian Pacific American residents among its population. This represents more than 30 countries and major religions of the world including Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism, to name a few.
Nationwide (according to the latest U.S. Census reports) there are roughly 14.4 million people in this country who claim to be of Asian heritage. Between 2004 and 2005, we recorded the second highest rate of growth, right behind the Hispanics. The 3% growth over that period added 421,000 more people to the APA population.
By the year 2050 the U.S. Census projects that 33.4 million U.S. residents will identify themselves as single-race Asians. We would comprise 8 percent of the total population. That turns out to be a 213% increase between 2000 and 2050. What’s the projected rate of growth in the general population for that period? 49 %.
So, what does this mean in terms of US economy and businesses? Here’re some statistics.
It’s compelling to note that there were over 1.1 million businesses owned by Asian-Americans in 2002. That’s an increase of 24 percent from 1997, just over 5 years. This data is based on the Survey of the Business Owners of the Economic Census. The rate of increase in the number of Asian-owned businesses was about twice that of the national average for all businesses. These businesses together had an annual payroll of $291 billion and generated more than $326 billion in business revenues.
What type of business are they in?
Again from the Economic Census of 2002, about one in three Asian-owned firms operated in professional, scientific and technical services, as well as Other categories such as personal services, dry cleaning business, and repair and maintenance of equipment and machinery. Another third engaged in retail trade, healthcare and social services, and accommodation and food industry businesses. It’s interesting to take a moment here and see how Michigan compares to the overall US data.
In Michigan, out of 15,337 Asian-owned businesses, the largest number of them were in healthcare & social services (21%), next in Other category of dry cleaning, personal services, repair and maintenace (17%), and next in professional, scientific and technical services (15%). That accounts for more than half of the total number of businesses. The next categories of business were accommodation and food industry (10%), then, retail trade (10%) and real estate industry (6%). Michigan ranks 13th in the country in APA population and 14th in Asian owned businesses.
So what does this all mean for Michigan and the US?
It means with our nation’s rapidly growing ethnic population, the Asian Pacific Americans will be playing a linchpin role in our nation’s economic future. Right now, minorities – that means, Asian, Hispanic, and African Americans currently comprise less than a third, about 28%, of the U.S. population. By 2050, they are expected to increase to nearly 50%. And that current data and demographic projections show the growing size of the minority population, and reflects its increasing impact in the marketplace.
Nationwide, Asian, Hispanic, and African Americans collectively already control 18 percent of the nation’s disposable income. And the combined buying power of these three groups expanded from $629 billion in 1990 to $1.3 trillion in 2000.
By the year 2045, total minority purchasing power is expected to reach $4.3 trillion - accounting for 32% of overall purchasing power in the U.S. Savvy business leaders have already begun to network and invest in this burgeoning market.
With all that said, what contribution can we, you and I, make in this fast changing society as an everyday citizen?
These businesses need people to make things work at all different levels. They need us. We must be prepared to learn to work productively and creatively with individuals from a multitude of races and ethnic, religious, and cultural histories. Only in appreciating THAT fundamental fact will we be able to maintain America's global competitiveness in the increasingly diverse and interconnected world economy.
But equally if not more importantly, learning to appreciate and respect each other’s differences and cultures will also lead to better race and ethnic relations in our state and nation. So it is not merely in the best interest of our economy that we learn to work cooperatively with one another. Our social contract as Americans in one of the most diverse nations on this planet requires it of us.
It is not just a moral or economic imperative. Our very survival as a properly functioning and stable country depends upon it. And we - as citizens and leaders in our communities - have a special responsibility to our state and nation to help it grow and accept these changing realities in a positive way.
Your presence here today and continued work with all the various councils and organizations in the Asian Pacific American community, is a demonstration of your commitment to the positive growth of our state and nation.
Thank you very much.
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