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 Hin

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
July 21, 2004
Introduction
Challenges Facing Street Level
Bureaucrats in the Inner-City Immigrant
Workers Community

The two-tier system in the community

Introduction (2)
The Challenge of Understanding
Different Languages
 The slang
 Body language
 Culture, Politics
Introduction (3)
Challenges of Intercultural Communication

Language Barriers

Cultural Difference in Body Language

Immigrants’ Cultural Resistance to Outsiders

Challenging Facing Asian and Pacific
Islanders in Southern California

1) APIs are the fastest growing major group in

the United States.

2) APIs are more likely than other ethnic groups

to be linguistically isolated.

3) API communities in Southern California cities

experience high rates of poverty.

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

a high school education.
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
Challenges Facing Would-Be Organizers of
the Chinese Immigrant Community

Language barrier and cultural dynamics

 Many new immigrants don’t speak
English
 Chinese publication
 More comfortable not to assimilate
 “Us” vs. “them”
Challenges Facing Would-Be Organizers of
the Chinese Immigrant Community

Social environment, economic

disadvantages and vulnerability

 The burden of community

 Economic disadvantages and

vulnerability
Challenges Facing Would-Be Organizers of
the Chinese Immigrant Community

Distrust due to racism and segregation

 Historical (Chinese Exclusion Act)

 Cultural, Political

 Cold-war
Challenges Facing Would-Be Organizers of
the Chinese Immigrant Community

Lack of community resources

 Lack of immigrant workers center

 Non-profit dilemma
Challenges Facing Would-Be Organizers of
the Chinese Immigrant Community

Internal politics and social dynamics

 The “Turf” Issue

 Fear of Oppressions
PART THREE: Handbook – Policy
Recommendations
The “Three Pillars”

Better Communication with immigrants

Immigrant Community Center As a

Communication Bridge

Boundary-crossing leaders
Effective Intercultural Communication
and the S.O.S. of Communication

Increase service response to significant

language needs
The S.O.S. of communication with an
international 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
Immigrant Community Center
As a Communication Bridge
. • Local focus

• Ability to integrate concerns of established

residents and new immigrants
• An internal process reflecting
multilingual/multicultural constituents
• A place-based leadership structure enabling
new immigrant participation
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 are

networked into many groups

 Actively acquire new skills to build larger networks

 Collaborate on projects or work with diverse

partners
Conclusions
 No One say this is easy
 An introductory guide book for the
street-level bureaucrats
 There’s no one simple solution
 If that’s not come form your hearts, it
won’t work
 Never think this is charity or give away,
never patronize the community
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 up
with mine, then let us work together."
 The End

Any Questions?