Professional Documents
Culture Documents
MelissaChan
ProfessorVictoriaLawson
Geog432/Honors232C
June9,2014
ServiceLearningFinalPaper
MyservicelearningforthisclasstookplaceattheChineseInformationandServiceCenter
(CISC)intheInternationalDistrict.Ivolunteeredasahomeworkhelperintheafterschoolprogram
foraclassoffourthandfifthgraders,andwasresponsibleforansweringmath,reading,and
Englishquestions,aswellasassistingtheteacherinclassactivitiesandplayinggameswiththe
kidsduringfreetime.
CISCworkstobridgecultures,communities,andgenerationsandcreateopportunities
forAsianandotherimmigrantsandtheirfamiliestosucceed(CISC).Foundedin1972byagroup
ofcollegeandhighschoolstudents,thecenterisanotforprofitfundedbytheUnitedWayofKing
County,andoriginallyfocusedonservingSeattlesnonEnglishspeakingelderly.Sincethen,CISC
hasbroadeneditsprogramstoprovideavarietyoffamilyandyouthservices,includingESL
classes,bilingualpreschool,multigenerationalfamilycounseling,aseniorcenter,andcultural
navigationservices(CISC).SituatedhereinSeattle,CISCservesover20,000Asianimmigrants
andtheirfamilies,manyofwhomareinthesituationwheretheparentsandgrandparentsspeak
littleornoEnglishandthechildrencarrymuchoftheburdenoftranslation(CISC).AllofCISCs
servicesworktowardsthegoalofhelpingtheseimmigrantfamiliesunderstand,transition,and
integrateintoAmericanculture(CISC).
Inmypositionasanafterschoolhomeworkhelper,IsawCISCaddressingpovertyinthe
formsofpowerandpositionalityitsservicesaddressthepovertyofbeingforeignborn,in
contrasttotheprivilegeofbeingnativeborn,andtherelativeculturalandeducationalpoverties
thatgoalongwithit.However,althoughthescopeofCISCsvariousprogramsdoavery
comprehensiveandholisticjobofaddressingandattemptingtoassistclientsinthesepoverties,I
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realizethatindoingsotheprogramsdonotchallengenormativeassumptionsabouttheir
immigrantclients.CISCsgoalistofacilitateintegrationintomainstreamAmericanculture,oras
itswebsitesAboutUspageputsit,Theultimategoalisforeachclienttoreachtheirmaximum
potentialasquicklyaspossible,andbecomeselfsufficient,contributingmembersofthe
community(CISC).Inmypersonalexperiences,thedominantnormativeassumptionsaboutAsian
immigrantsinSeattlearethattheydonotspeakEnglishandareoblivioustoAmericancustoms
andsocietaltaboos,andthereforeactinwaysdeviantfromtheAmericannorm.Icanseehow
CISCsESLandculturalnavigationprogramstrytoaddresstheseassumptions,buttheyaddress
themastheproblemoftheindividualinsteadoftheproblemofamarginalizingsociety.AlthoughI
canalsoagreethatitisimportantforimmigrantstoanycountrytolearnthelanguageandcustoms
oftheirnewhome,theseprogramsdonothingtocombatthepatronizingandpathologizingviewof
immigrantsthattheseassumptionscreate.Byhavingthegoalofhelpingclientsintegrateas
quicklyaspossible,thecenterseemstobeperpetuatingtheideathatbeinganunassimilated
immigrantisbad;thisattitudedoesnotcriticizethemarginalizationofsuchimmigrantsanddoes
notmakespaceforthefactthatitshouldbeokaytobenewandlostandtaketimetobe
comfortableandlearnaboutanewhome.
Theperpetuationofnormativeassumptionsreflectsthesocialnormalizationofwhiteness
discussedinFrancesKendallsUnderstandingWhitePrivilege.Kendallarguesthatthe
prevalenceandinvisibilityofwhiteprivilegeallowssocietytoseewhitepeopleasnormalandall
othersadifferentfromnormal,wherewhitepeopleareassociatedwithaworldfullofcultural
imagesthatconferasenseoflegitimacyandsocialdesirability(Kendall,2006,71).This
exaltationofwhitenesscamethroughinourvolunteertrainingthroughthedistinctionmade
betweenoursandtheclientseducationlevelsandculturalunderstandings.Weweretoldmultiple
timesthatthechildrenwewouldbehelpinglookeduptousasrolemodelsandthatthecenterwas
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soappreciativeoftheknowledgeandskillswewouldbringtohelpitsstudents.WhileIamsure
thesewordsofencouragementwerewellintended,itdidcomeacrossthroughourtrainingthatwe
thevolunteers,mostofwhomareeitherfirstorsecondgenerationAsianimmigrantsaswell,along
withtheteachersandprogramdirectorsatCISCwerebeingexaltedasthosewhohadmadeit
andwereexamplesofacademicsuccessandculturalintegration.Wewereessentiallythewhitened
modelminoritiesthatCISCsprogramstrytohelpitsclientsdevelopinto;themodelminorities
thatfitrightintotheproblematicstructureofnormalizedwhiteness.
Interestinglythough,despiteitseffortstopushclientstowardsnormativeAmericanlife,I
didnotseemuchevidenceoftheuseofcontactzonestopromotethisgoal.Programswillteach
seniorsandparentsaboutAmericanculturethroughPowerPointsandlectures,andthechildrengo
outonfieldtripstothegardensandmarkets.However,althoughtheclientscanformallianceswith
eachotherthroughlearningtogether,theseapproachesarelimitedinthesensethattheclientsare
limitedtointeractingjustwithotherfellowAsianimmigrantsintheclassroom.AsKyeAskinsand
RachelPaindefineitintheirarticle,Contactzones:participation,materiality,andthemessiness
ofinteraction,contactzonesarespacesofinteractionwheredifferentgroupscanlearnhow
subjectsareconstitutedinandbytheirrelationstoeachother(AskinsandPain,2011,805).I
believethattherealizationofthisinterrelationisintegraltoaholisticunderstandingofboth
culturesfrombothsides,anditisthismutualunderstandingthatisthefirststeptobreaking
normativeassumptionsaboutmarginalizedgroups.ItseemstomethatCISCsservicesarevery
onesidedinthesensethatthefocusisonteachingimmigrantclientsaboutAmericanculture,and
thereforetheservicesignoretheequallyimportantaspectsofadvocacyforAmericanstolearn
aboutimmigrantculture.Thisfurthernuancestheprobleminthattheclientsareintegrated
knowledgewiseintomainstreamculture,butnottrulyintegratedconnectionswisebecausethey
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havenothadthefacilitatedspacetointeractandbuildnetworkswithpeopleoutsidetheimmigrant
community(ClassDiscussion,Week10).
Inrelationtotheissueswehavediscussedinclass,CISCsworkextendstheconceptofthe
deservingvs.undeservingpoortothedeservingvs.undeservingimmigrant.Disadvantaged
immigrantscominginwithlittleEnglishandlimitededucationareoftenforcedtoworkjobsinthe
informalsector.AnexampleofthisisshownthroughthechainsofcarediscussedinIsabel
DycksFeministGeography,inwhichglobalizationandneoliberalismhaveattractedfemale
domesticcareworkersfromthePhilippinesandMexicototheU.S.insearchofhigherwages
(Dyck,2005236).Societyperceivescareworkandotherinformalworkasthatofthe
unsuccessful,belowthestandardsoftheAmericanDream,andthereforesocietyperceivesa
deservingimmigrantasonewhoisabletoworkhisorherwayoutoftheinformalsector,andan
undeservingimmigrantasonewhoisunabletodoso.Thisattitudeofpullingoneselfupbythe
bootstrapsisreflectedinCISCsemphasisonhighereducationforitsclientsthroughitsreasoning
thatAmericaneducationandEnglishproficiencycanmeanthedifferencebetweenasuccessful
careerandamenialjobinrestaurantorfactory(CISC).However,thisattitudeonlyreinforcesthe
negativeperceptionsofcareandinformalworkbydevaluingsuchworkscontributionstosociety,
anddoesnotrecognizethatmuchoftheactivityconstitutingglobalizationanditssupporting
neoliberalregimesliesintheinformalsector(Dyck,2005,237).Byextension,devaluingthework
asmenialinturndevaluestheworkerassubhumananddesignatespeoplesworthtosociety
basedontheireconomicstatus.Inthissense,CISCsworkpromotesthehegemonicideasofthe
deservingimmigrantwhilereinforcingthehegemonicdevaluationofthesupposedlyundeserving.
Thesocialforcesthatshapetheseattitudestowardsthoselabeledpoor,particularlythose
otheredastheundeservingpoor,areverymuchderivedfromthevaluesofourcapitalisticsociety.
InGeopoliticsofCapitalism,DavidHarveyhighlightsakeycomponentofacapitalisticsociety
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asonethathasprofitseekingasitsdirectandsociallyacceptedgoal(Harvey,1985,128).With
thisemphasisonprofitseeking,capitalisticsocietiespromotethisideologyofcompetitive
individualisminwhichcitizensmuststrivealwaystowardsprogressesandselfbetterment,amidst
competitionandthroughselfmotivation,drive,andinitiativetowork(Halletal.,2013,9).The
hardworkingarethereforevalorizedasdeservingofprivilege,butthepoorandunemployedhave
fallenoutoftheprofitdrivencapitalisticsociety,andarethuslookeddownuponaslazyand
lackingthedriveforselfimprovementbecausetheyarenolongerabletocontributetothegrowth
andprogresssointegraltoandvaluedwithinthecapitalisticmodel(Lawsonetal.,2014).
Extendingtheseperceptionstothesupposedlyundeservingimmigrant,theforcesof
capitalisticvaluesaugmenttheimportanceofachievingtheAmericanDream,withitsnormalized
whitenessandmiddleclassnessasthestandardsofsuccess.Thisistheconditionthatmustbemet
inordertoavoidbeinglabeledandotheredasundeserving.Capitalisticvaluesthereforecreatethe
binariesofhardworkingprivilegedvs.lazypoorthatplacetheblameofpovertyonthesupposed
personaldeficitsoftheindividual,irrespectiveoflargersocialcontextsandstructuralissuesthat
contributetotheindividualssituation.Similarly,capitalisticvaluescreateindividualizedbinaries
betweenhardworking,privilegedimmigrantsvs.lazy,poorimmigrantsbyperpetuatingthe
idealisticattitudethatintheAmericanDream,hardworkautomaticallyresultsinsuccess;these
binariesdonotallowspaceforthefactthattherearemanycontextualfeaturescontributingto
whetherornotandhowfastanimmigrantcanintegrateintomainstreamcultureandproductive
society.Thelackoftoleranceforaspectrumofintegrationmakesiteasyforthenativebornto
automaticallydismisstheunassimilatedimmigrantasthedeviantother.InrelationtoCISC,the
promotionoftheidealizedAmericanDreammentalityhascontributedtoahomogenoustreatment
ofallthestudents,regardlessoftheirindividualethnicidentitiesoreconomicbackgrounds.Every
studentisexpectedtoachievethesamelevelofhighacademicsuccessintheafterschoolprogram,
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andthosewhodonotperformtothatlevelorhavebehavioralproblemsareotheredbythe
classmatesandteacher.OnestudentinmyclasswhowashavingdifficultieswiththeEnglish
activitiesassignedbytheprogramalsohappenedtoidentifyasbeingfromaminorityChinese
population.Becauseofherdifficulties,shewasdisciplinedwithextrabusyworkandtheothergirls
excludedherfromtheircardgamesduringchoicetime.Asavolunteerworkingwithkids,itwas
notappropriateformetoaskthestudentsabouttheireconomicbackgroundsandlifehistory;in
factweweretoldinorientationnottomakepersonalconnectionswiththestudents.Butevennot
knowingherentirebackground,Iwonderifignoranceofthecontextsofthisstudentsethnic
differenceandpossibleeconomicdifference,andthepossiblecontributionstoherlearning
difficultiesthesemayhavehad,contributedtoherothering.
Alsocontributingtotheotheringofthesupposedlyundeservingimmigrantarethesocial
forcespresentedinHelgaLeitnersSpacesofEncounters:Immigration,Race,Class,andthe
PoliticsofBelonginginSmallTownAmerica.Leitnerarguesthatimmigrantsareotheredthrough
racializationthatstemsfromtheprivilegedsunspokenfearofthelossofwhitedominance
(Leitner,2012,840).Thisfearissupplementedbytheinsecurityofnotunderstandingan
immigrantsbackgroundandculturaldifferences,makingencountersofdifferenceseemawkward
anduncomfortable(Leitner,2012,834).Becauseofthislackofunderstandingbytheprivileged,
belongingtothenationalandlocalcommunityisconditionalonimmigrantsconformingtowhite
Americanvaluesandnorms,andthisexpectationmakesiteasytosingleoutandotherimmigrants
asracializedbodiesthreateningwhitedominanceinwhitespaces(Leitner,2012).Thisisexactly
whyIfeelthatCISCneedstoputeffortinadvocatingforthevalueofcontactzonesasawayto
breakdowntheprivilegedsmisunderstandingsofimmigrants.Thehegemonicneedtomaintainand
defendwhitedominanceinvisibilizestheproblemandaffordsthosewithwhiteprivilege,aswellas
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thosewiththeprivilegeofbeingwhitened,theneutralitytoignoretheirowncontributionstothe
issues(Lawson,ClassDiscussion,Week5).
Asidefromtheprivilegeofthewhitenedoverunassimilatedimmigrantpreviously
described,IhaveseenevidenceofotherunexaminedprivilegesspecificallyintheclassroomI
workedinthatexhibitthefluidityofthepositionsofprivilegeandpoverty.Oneinstanceoccurred
inthemiddleofthequarterwhenthefifthgraderswerepulledoutofclassforanhourevery
ThursdayforanextraprogramclassthatwassupposedtohelppreparethemfortheAmerican
middleschoolsystem.Theclasswastaughtbyayoung,whitewomanwhowasatCISCsolelyfor
thatpurpose.However,thekidsveryclearlydidnotrespectherasmuchastheydidtheirusual
Chineseteacher,andwouldmisbehaveandspeakChinesetoeachotheraroundher.Herethe
young,whitewomansusualprivilegewassubvertedasshewastheminorityinamajorityAsian
community,andshewasotheredasthedifferentone.
Anotherinstanceoccurredtowardstheendofthequarterwhenanewvolunteerjoinedthe
programandwasplacedinmyclass.Hewasayoung,whitemalewhowasaUWstudentand
neededacanetowalk.Wevolunteerswriteournamesontheclasswhiteboardsothekidscancall
usbyname,andwhenthekidssawthisnewnameontheboard,theyimmediatelyaskedthe
teacherwhohewas.Oh,hestheguywiththecane,theteacherdismissivelyresponded.Thenew
volunteerlookedupandverycarefullycommented,SonowImthevolunteerdefinedbyhis
disability?Theteachershruggedoffandavoidedthecomment,andthekidsreferredtothis
volunteerastheonewiththecane.Thisinstanceofinsensitivityflippedthisvolunteerspositionof
privilegeasayoung,whitemaletothepovertyofbeingdefinedandcategorizedbyhisdisability,
whilethekidsandteacherassumedtheprivilegeofability.Similarlytotheinstancewiththe
young,whitewoman,Ifeelthattheseinstancesofflippedprivilegewereseenasokaybecausethey
werenotexamplesoftheimmigrantpovertyprivilegeissuesCISCworkstofix.However,reverse
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discriminationandotheringalsoperpetuatethepoweroftheprivilegedovertheimpoverished,
regardlessofwhichdirectiontheprivilegeisbeingabused,andthereforeequallycontributestothe
problemofunexaminedprivilege.
Thethemesofthisclass,andinparticularthediscussionswehadabouttheissuesof
marginalizationandtheinvisibilityofnormativewhiteness,madememoreawareofhowI
approachedthestudentsIworkedwithinmyservicelearning.Iwantedtomakespaceforthefact
thatIdidnotknowtheirwholestoriesandbackgroundsothatIwouldnotbetooquicktojudgeor
otherthembasedoffthelimitedinteractionsIhadinapurelyacademicsetting.Wealsotalkedalot
inclassaboutthesowhatandmovingbeyondthemomentofservicedelivery.Inmypositionas
avolunteer,themomentofservicedeliverywasjustmeansweringquestions,movingfromone
studenttothenextasneeded.ButIfeltliketheactualsocialchangecouldoccurifIwasableto
helpbridgethegapandnotjustintegratethesestudentsintotheAmericaneducationsystem,but
insteadhelpthemunderstandthesystemandwhytheywerelearningwhattheywerelearning.
However,thatwaswhereaninnerconflictarose.ReflectingonCaitlynCahillsThePersonalis
Political:Developingnewsubjectivitiesthroughparticipatoryactionresearch,Irealizedthat
comingfromanonESLbackgroundandanaffluentpublicschooldistrictwithparentsfluentin
EnglishandgradatedfromAmericanuniversities,Imyselfdonothavetherightofexpertiseto
teachthesechildrenaboutchange(Cahill,2007).Icertainlytriedtosympathizewithmystudents
situationsandbesensitiveinthat,butnotbeingabletoactuallyempathizemademeuncomfortable
becauseitjustaugmentedhowmucheducationalprivilegeIhaveabovethem.Inherarticle,Cahill
advocatestheneedforknowledgefrombelowinapproachestosocialissuesthroughPAR
becausethosewhohavetherealrightofexpertisetodirectchangesaboutsuchissuesarethose
whohavelivedexperiencewiththem(Cahill,2007,268).Cahillalsodescribesthegoalofthis
bottomupapproachasnotonlytodescriberealitybuttochangeit(Cahill,2007,268).In
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relationtomyservicelearningandreflectingonmyownsubjectivityinthecontextofmyESL
students,IwonderhowIasaprivilegedoutsiderwithouttherightofexpertisecangetbeyondthe
momentofservicedeliverytoworkwithmystudentstoenactsocialchange.
Inconclusion,myservicelearningexperienceatCISC,alongsidetheissuesandquestions
discussedinourclasshavehelpedmebothrealizeandbegintothinkcriticallyaboutthe
invisibilizedprivilegesIbothhaveandseeinmyeverydaylife.Theyhavealsodecenteredthe
comfortandneutralitytowardsissuesofinequalityandmarginalizationthatmyprivilegehad
previouslyallowedmetohave,andchangedmysubjectivitywithinmyprivilege.Itisnotmy
intentiontodevaluethegoodworkandservicesCISCprovidesforSeattlesAsianimmigrant
community.Butinstead,Ibelievethatbylookingcriticallyandobjectivelyatanyserviceprovision
organization,wecanrealizeandacknowledgeinvisibilizedhegemonicprivilegesandpoverties,
andbethatmuchclosertoenactingsocialchangeandansweringthesowhat.
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WorksCited
Askins, Kye; Pain, Rachel. Contact Zones, Encounter, Participation and the
CISC. Chinese Information and Service Center, 2011. Web. 2 June 2014.
<www.cisc-seattle.org>
p129-163.
Politics Post Crisis in Argentina and the US: class subjects and relational