[ music ] >>> AS COLUMBUS GROWS, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE MORE AND MORE RESTAURANTS POP UP WITH NEW TYPES OF CUISINES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

BUT CHINESE RESTAURANTS HAVE BEEN AROUND SINCE THE 1800s.

AND ONE OF THE VERY FIRST, THE FAR EAST RESTAURANT.

CHARLENE HAS A CHANCE TO VISIT A COUPLE OF THEIR DESCENDANTS TO SHARE THAT STORY.

[ music ] >>> TODAY I'M AT WINGS RESTAURANT, LOCATED ON EAST MAIN STREET.

THE OWNER SERVES FAVORITE CHINESE DISHES, INCLUDING MEAT AND VEGGIE STIR FRY, SPICY NOODLES AND EVEN THAT GRAND OLD STANDBY, EGG FOO YOUNG.

THE BUILDING HAS LONG BEEN A CENTER OF THE COLUMBUS CHINESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

IT WAS BEST KNOWN IN THE 1940s AS THE FAR EAST RESTAURANT.

BUT THE HISTORY OF THE FAR EAST GOES BACK EVEN FURTHER TO WHEN IT FIRST OPENED AROUND THE 1930s RIGHT DOWN THE STREET.

>> OH, MY GOODNESS.

THANK YOU.

>> I'VE INVITED HELEN YEE AND HER HUSBAND IRENE BURNETT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FAMILY'S RESTAURANT AND THEIR HISTORY.

SO YOUR GREAT-GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS THE FIRST ONE IN THE FAMILY TO COME OVER TO THE UNITED STATES.

>> YES.

>> WHERE DID HE WIND UPSETLING, AND WHAT DID HE DO?

>> MY GREAT-GREAT GRANDFATHER CAME HERE IN 1885.

HE SETTLED IN CALIFORNIA IN SAN FRANCISCO, AND HE ACTUALLY WORKED ON THE RAILROADS, AND HE ALSO HAD ANOTHER JOB WHERE HE WAS DOING SOMETHING WITH THE MARKET.

AND ONE DAY THEY ACTUALLY HAD HIM GO DELIVER SOME POTATO SACKS.

AND SOMETHING HAPPENED WHERE THE POTATO SACK FELL OFF OF THE WAGON, AND HE JUMPED OFF THE WAGON TO GO AHEAD AND PICK UP THE POTATOES THAT WERE RUNNING AROUND ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND THE HORSE GOT STARTLED.

AND, SO, IT TRAMPLED OVER HIM AND HE DIED.

>> MY GOSH.

HE COMES OVER FOR A NEW LIFE AND HE GETS KILLED ON HIS JOB.

>> EXACTLY.

HE HAS TO BRING THE BODY BACK TO CHINA.

BUT THEN HE RETURNED AND WAS ABLE TO EMIGRATE TO COLUMBUS, OHIO.

>> DID HE DECIDE TO COME OVER BECAUSE HE LIKED WHAT HE SAW WHEN HE WAS HERE TO, YOU KNOW, BRING HOME YOUR GREAT-GREAT GRANDFATHER?

>> YOU KNOW, IT WAS MORE LIKE AMERICA IS A LAND OF OPPORTUNITY.

STILL RIGHT NOW.

I MEAN, IF YOU'RE THINKING, LET'S GO TO AMERICA, I THINK EVERYBODY WOULD SAY LET'S GO, LET'S GO.

>> JUST A BETTER LIFE.

>> BETTER LIFE.

>> MORE OPPORTUNITIES.

>> YEP, YEP.

>> JOBS, MAKE A LIVING MORE EASILY THAN WHERE HE WAS.

>> WHAT'S FUNNY IS MY GRANDFATHER NEVER WANTED TO DO THE HARD LABOR LIKE WORKING ON A RAILROAD.

SO HIS DAD ACTUALLY TOLD HIM, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY, WITH YOUR HANDSOME LOOKS AND YOUR EDUCATION OF KNOWING ENGLISH REALLY WELL, MAYBE YOU SHOULD GET INTO THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS LIKE BEING A WAITER.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT HE DID.

MONEY TO START HIS OWN RESTAURANT.

PROBABLY AROUND 1930s, HIM AND HIS BUSINESS PARTNER OPENED THE FIRST FAR EAST RESTAURANT, WHICH I ACTUALLY HAVE A PICTURE OF RIGHT THERE.

THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL FAR EAST RESTAURANT.

>> NOW, WHERE WAS THIS LOCATED?

>> THIS WAS ON MAIN STREET.

AND THEN MAYBE ABOUT TEN YEARS LATER, THEY MOVED TO THIS LOCATION.

>> THIS MUST HAVE BEEN A REALLY STRANGE CUISINE FOR PEOPLE AT THAT TIME, ESPECIALLY IN COLUMBUS, OHIO.

>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, EVERYTHING WAS SHIPPED FROM SAN FRANCISCO.

THINGS LIKE BEAN SPROUTS AND WATER CHESTNUTS, PEAPODS, YEAH, THESE WERE ALL UNUSUAL FOOD THAT YOU WOULD NOT FIND IN COLUMBUS, OHIO.

>> APPARENTLY PEOPLE MUST HAVE CAUGHT ON.

THEY WERE DRAWN TO THE RESTAURANT?

>> OH, YEAH.

THERE WOULD BE LINES OUT THE DOOR.

MY GRANDFATHER, HE WAS VERY GOOD WITH PEOPLE.

AND, SO, A LOT OF TIMES, LIKE IN CHINA, HE WOULD BUILD THESE RELATIONSHIPS WHERE PEOPLE LIKE IRENE'S DAD WANTED TO WORK FOR HIM.

AND HE CAME OVER AND ACTUALLY SPONSORED THE FAMILY, HER FAMILY.

>> YEP.

>> HER GRANDFATHER IS MY GREAT, GREAT UNCLE.

AND MY GRANDMOTHER JUST THOUGHT, HEY, I KNOW A RELATIVE IN COLUMBUS, OHIO, YOU KNOW?

LET ME CONTACT HIM AND SEE IF, YOU KNOW, HE RESPONDS TO YOU AND YOU CAN GO OVER THERE.

>> THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKED.

IF YOU HAD ONE PERSON WHO WAS HERE.

>> RIGHT.

>> SOMEBODY HAD TO GET THE BALL ROLLING.

COME OVER, WORK HARD, GET THINGS STARTED AND THEN GRADUALLY START HELPING OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY GET OVER HERE.

THEY HAD TO TAKE A HUGE RISK.

>> IT IS A HUGE RISK OF NOT KNOWING WHAT YOU ARE GOING INTO.

I LOVE THAT PIONEERING SPIRIT.

YOU GET IT.

WE WILL TAKE ON THESE RELATIVES THAT I HARDLY KNOW.

WE'RE RELATED TO THEM, BUT FINE.

>> THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

YOU HAVE TO BE INCREDIBLY GENEROUS, TOO.

>> UH-HUH.

>> TO TAKE IN FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND WHOEVER ELSE WAS COMING OVER.

WAS THAT A CULTURAL THING, A FAMILY THING, AN INDIVIDUAL THING?

>> I THINK IT'S A CUTURAL THING.

>> I DO, TOO.

THAT WAS CHINESE TO MAKE YOUR FORTUNE AND SEND IT HOME.

>> WHY RESTAURANTS?

WHAT IS IT ABOUT A RESTAURANT THAT SEEMED SO PROMISING TO THEM?

>> I THINK THE UNIQUENESS OF THE FOOD, SO THE DIFFERENT TASTES AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF DISHES.

>> YEAH.

YOU KNOW, SHARING A MEAL.

I THINK IT IS SOMETHING VERY HUMAN ABOUT THAT THAT COULD TRANSCEND CULTURE.

I MIGHT NOT SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE, BUT THAT TASTES GOOD, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SMILING AND WE'RE TALKING.

>> YEAH.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU BREAK BREAD TOGETHER, THAT BREAKS DOWN BARRIERS, I THINK, RIGHT THERE.

>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.

>> WHEN YOU SHARE A MEAL, IT IS HARD TO STAY MAD AT SOMEBODY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE HAVING GOOD FOOD.

>> RIGHT.

THIS IS PROBABLY A VERY SIMILAR MENU.

>> OH, YEAH.

THIS IS EGG FOO YOUNG.

>> AMERICAN CHINESE.

>> AMERICAN CHINESE, RIGHT.

>> SO THEY CATERED TO THE TASTE OF WHAT AMERICANS WOULD ENJOY EATING.

THEY WOULD MAKE THE TRADITIONAL, AUTHENTIC CHINESE FOOD FOR ALL THE STAFF AND EMPLOYEES BECAUSE WE WERE ALL CHINESE, BUT NOT HAVE IT SERVE TO ANY OF THE CUSTOMERS.

AND IT WASN'T ON THE MENU.

>> AND, AGAIN, AND I THINK THAT THAT SAME MENU TO YOUR LIKING IS ANOTHER WAY OF BEING VERY ACCOMMODATING.

>> BUT I SEE SOMETHING TRENDING LIKE NOWADAYS WHERE MORE PEOPLE WANTING THE AUTHENTIC CHINESE MENU.

BEFORE IT WOULD BE -- WE WOULD BE GIVEN THE AUTHENTIC CHINESE MENUS, BUT IF WE HAD FRIENDS THAT WERE AMERICAN, THEY WOULD JUST GET THE AMERICAN CHINESE MENU.

>> AFTER SEEING HOW THE REST OF THE FAMILY RAN THESE RESTAURANTS AND BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AT IT ALL THIS TIME, WHAT IS THE LEGACY FROM THAT?

>> MY GRANDFATHER, HIM AND HIS PARTNER, WERE IN BUSINESS FOR SOME LIKE 40-SOME YEARS.

AND THEY DID REALLY WELL UNTIL THEY DECIDED TO SPLIT.

AND MY GRANDFATHER STARTED A RESTAURANT ON BROAD STREET, WHICH WAS CALLED THE YEE'S RESTAURANT.

AND THEN THE FAR EAST, WHICH IS THIS BUILDING, BECAME WINGS.

THEN HERE WE ARE EATING AT IT TODAY.

>> THAT AMAZES ME THAT THIS BUILDING IS ACTUALLY A HISTORIC BUILDING.

AND IT IS PART OF YOUR FAMILY'S HISTORY.

>> YEAH.

GROWING UP AS KIDS, WE WERE TAKEN TO THE RESTAURANT EVERY NIGHT BECAUSE OUR PARENTS WOULD WORK LIKE LONG HOURS.

AND IT FILTERED TO ME HOW HARD MY PARENTS AND HOW HARD MY GRANDPARENTS WORKED TO PROVIDE FOR THE FAMILY.

MY OWN PERSONAL LEGACY OF MY GRANDFATHER, HE NEVER SPOKE TO ME ABOUT BUSINESS, BUT HE WAS SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE.

HIS INTERACTIONS WITH PEOPLE WERE JUST VERY AUTHENTIC, VERY TRANSPARENT.

HE WAS A FUNNY MAN.

THAT GOES A LONG WAY FOR ANY -- WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING IN LIFE.

I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY IF HER GRANDFATHER DID NOT SAY, YES, GO AHEAD AND COME OVER.

I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW GEORGY UNTIL I CAME OVER, BUT I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR HIM FOR SAYING YES.

>> I HAVE SO ENJOYED TALKING TO YOU BOTH.

>> OH, LIKEWISE.

>> AND LEARNING ABOUT YOUR FAMILY.

I HAVE LEARNED A WHOLE BUNCH ABOUT FOOD.

NOW I KNOW I HAVE BEEN FOOLED ALL THIS TIME, BUT IT'S SO GOOD.

>> YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

>>> ASIAN BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN A PART OF THE FABRIC OF COLUMBUS THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY.

AND EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THESE BUSINESSES ARE NOT AROUND ANY MORE, THEIR MEMORY LIVES ON THROUGH THEIR FAMILIES.

THIS FAMILY MOVED THEIR LAUNDRY BUSINESS FROM CALIFORNIA TO COLUMBUS WHEN WORLD WAR II FORCED THEM TO CLOSE THEIR DOORS.

HERE'S MORE OF THAT STORY.

>> THE OSUGA FAMILY OWNED THIS COMPANY IN CALIFORNIA.

>> THE DRY CLEANERS WAS ACTUALLY DOING VERY WELL.

WHEN THE WAR STARTED, IT ALL CAME TO A STOP.

THEY WERE PUT INTO THE RELOCATION CAMPS IN WYOMING.

>> WHICH WAS A VERY DESOLATE PLACE.

JUST VERY COLD IN THE WINTER.

BOTH OF MY SIBLINGS WERE HERE IN COLUMBUS.

THEIR PARENTS MOVED TO COLUMBUS.

>> THEY CAME ON A TRAIN WITH THE LUGGAGE THEY HAD TO CARRY IN THE CAMPS.

THEY HAD $25.

>> THEIR BROTHER WENT TO COLLEGE TO BECOME A MINISTER.

THEIR FATHER WENT BACK INTO THE DRY CLEANING BUSINESS.

>> SO OUR FAMILY'S THING WAS THAT WE'LL EITHER CLEAN YOUR CLOTHES OR CLEAN YOUR SOUL.

>> WE EVENTUALLY GETTING A DRY CLEANERS ON NORTH WOOD.

>> I STARTED DELIVERING DRY CLEANING WHEN I WAS 15 AND A HALF.

>> OUR DAD WAS A VERY GREGARIOUS PERSON.

HE DIDN'T KNOW A STRANGER.

>> OUR HOUSE WAS ALWAYS FULL OF GUSTS.

AND PARTICULARLY ON SUNDAYS WHEN WE WOULD HAVE STUDENTS AND FOLKS FROM THE UNIVERSITY, PARTICULARLY HE LIKED TO ENTERTAIN STUDENTS WHO WERE FROM JAPAN.

>> WHAT I LEARNED MOSTLY FROM OUR EXPERIENCE, IT'S FAITH AND FAMILY THAT REALLY COUNT, AND IT IS NOT THE MONETARY THINGS.

THEY CAN BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU.

EVEN IN AMERICA, IT CAN BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU NO MATTER WHAT.

IF YOU ARE AN AMERICAN OR NOT, IT CAN BE TAKEN AWAY.

>> MOM AND POP NEVER TALKED BIT EARLY ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE AT ALL.

BUT THERE IS ALSO A JAPANESE SAYING THAT'S [ speaking non-english ] YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T HELP IT.

THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT, SO WE HAVE TO GO WITH IT.

I THINK THAT'S OUR FAMILY, TOO, IS COMING HERE TO COLUMBUS, OHIO WITH NOTHING AND THEN STARTING AGAIN.

AND I'M REALLY PROUD.

>> LIKE MANY BUSINESSES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, ASIAN BUSINESSES FACED THEIR OWN UNIQUE STRUGGLES.

PRODUCER LETICIA WIGGINS HAD THE CHANCE TO SIT DOWN WITH A FEW ASIAN COMMUNITY LEADERS AT THE RICE BOWL ON THE SOUTH SIDE, WHICH HAS BEEN IN OPERATION SINCE 196 THE TO TALK MORE ABOUT THOSE CHALLENGES.

[ music ] [ music ] >> RICE BOWL RESTAURANTS WERE INTRODUCED IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF COLUMBUS IN 1962.

AND OUR FAMILY TOOK OVER IN 1981.

SO NOW FOR 41 YEARS.

OUR FAMILY EMIGRATED FROM HONG KONG APRIL 1974.

WHEN I MET MY HUSBAND, HIS FAMILY WANTED A RESTAURANT.

I SAID, OH, IT WOULD BE GOOD.

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW.

OUR FAMILY IS SICHB, MY MOM, MY DAD, SISTER, BROTHER COULD PARTICIPATE TO GET INTO BUSINESS, SO WORK ALTOGETHER.

>> A TRUE FAMILY BUSINESS.

>> WHY COLUMBUS, OHIO TO COME TO FROM HONG KONG.

>> MY AUNT AND UNCLE WHO SPONSOR US, THEY LIVE IN COLUMBUS, OHIO.

SO THIS IS A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR FAMILY TO START A BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, FOR THE BETTER LIFE.

>> I WAS GOING TO ASK WHAT WAS THE LANDSCAPE LIKE?

WAS IT EASY TO GET THE INGREDIENTS YOU WANT?

>> IT WAS HARD TO GET IT BACK IN THE DAY.

IT IS HARD TO GET BOK CHOI, SO THEY HAD TO ORDER FROM SAN FRANCISCO, BIG SHIPMENTS AND JUST DELIVER TO THE PEOPLE.

>> AND PART OF THIS DISCUSSION IS ABOUT YOUR RESTAURANT AND HOW COVID-19 AND THE ENTIRE PANDEMIC AFFECTED THE BUSINESS.

>> WELL, AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNMENT ORDERING SHUT DOWN THE DINING SERVICE FOR MARCH 14, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE PANICKED.

AND A LOT OF RESTAURANTS EVEN CLOSED FOR THAT NUMBER OF MONTHS FOR THE BUSINESS.

BUT WE STAY OPEN.

WE ARE LUCKY TO SURVIVE, ACTUALLY.

BUT THERE WAS A TIME WE HAD A COUPLE COOKS GOT SCARED, TOO, SO WE ARE WORKING SEVEN DAYS STRAIGHT.

GET THE FOOD PREPPED, YOU KNOW, GET OUR BUSINESS GOING.

BUT WE'RE DOING OKAY.

UH-HUH, YEAH.

WE SURVIVED, YES.

>> AS SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS ABOUT ALL THE BUSINESSES THROUGH THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, WHAT WAS THAT LIKE FOR THE IMPACT?

>> WE STRUGGLED DURING THE PANDEMIC.

A LOT OF LIKE WHAT CONNIE SAID, A LOT OF ASIAN RESTAURANTS, ASIAN-OWNED RESTAURANTS, THEY CLOSED.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE WERE SOME OR A FEW ASIAN-OWNED RESTAURANTS THAT EVEN THRIVED BECAUSE OF CARRYOUT.

ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACED FOR THE ASIAN-OWNED BUSINESSES IS THE RISE OF HATE CRIME FOR ASIANS JUST BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THAT FALLACY OF WHERE, OF COURSE, COVID STARTED.

>> YES.

>> AND SO A LOT OF US -- A LOT OF THOSE ASIAN-OWNED BUSINESSES WERE AFFECTED BY IT.

NATIONWIDE I KNOW THAT ANTI-ASIAN HATE CRIME ROSE UP TO ABOUT 300%.

VERY -- NOT VERY MUCH HERE IN COLUMBUS, OHIO BECAUSE CULTURALLY WE DON'T REALLY WANT TO MAKE WAVES, YOU KNOW.

AND WE JUST MIND OUR OWN BUSINESS.

AND THERE WAS THIS MISTRUST ABOUT REPORTING THOSE KINDS OF INCIDENTS.

SO THERE WAS THAT FEAR OF REPORTING AND, OF COURSE, THERE WAS THAT FEAR ABOUT THIS HATE AGAINST, AGAIN, ASIANS, ESPECIALLY THE ASIAN-OWNED BUSINESSES.

THEY WERE VERY MUCH AFFECTED BY THAT.

I THINK FOR SOME RESTAURANTS, THEY GET CERTAIN LETTER, YES.

>> HOW IS IT, BEING AN ASIAN AMERICAN, ASIAN BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF COLUMBUS?

WHAT IS THAT LIKE?

AND MAYBE, JOY, FROM WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD FROM SOME OF THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH, CONNIE, AS A BUSINESS OWNER.

>> WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE SUPPORT US.

FOR THE BUSINESS AT THE TIME COME FROM EVERYWHERE.

WE WERE AMAZED RNGS YOU KNOW, ALL THE SUPPORTERS THAT KEEP US ALIVE.

>> THANKS TO THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, SBA, AND THE CITY OF COLUMBUS AND FRANKLIN COUNTY WHO PROVIDED EDUCATION AND, REALLY ASK ALL THE BUSINESSES, THE ASIAN-OWNED IN PARTICULAR, TOO, THROUGH THE ASIAN-AMERICAN COMMERCE GROUP IS TO TAKE A LOAN THROUGH PPP, OF COURSE, AND THE IDE LOAN.

AND THEN FRANKLIN COUNTY HAD THIS RECOVERY GRANT THAT A LOT OF OUR ASIAN-OWNED BUSINESSES ACTUALLY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF.

THAT'S HOW ASIAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES SURVIVED.

WE HAD TO REACH OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO PROVIDE THE EDUCATION.

WE HAD A SPEAKER FROM FDA, FROM COLUMBUS STATE THAT REALLY HELP THEM WITH THE RESOURCES LIKE GIVING THEM ACCESS TO FUNDS, ACCESS TO FINDING WAYS TO HELP THEM SURVIVE THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC.

WE HAVE CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING BUSINESSES.

IT-OWNED BUSINESSES.

WE HAVE RESTAURANTS, HOTEL.

VERY BIG NOWADAYS, YOU KNOW, OWNED BY MOSTLY INDIAN FROM EYEBROWS TO MASSAGE TO NAILS ARE REALLY COMING OUT OF THE WOOD WORK RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF OWNERSHIP FROM ASIAN WOMEN IN AMERICA.

>> AND THAT KIND OF SPEAKS TO HOW DIVERSE THE COMMUNITY IS AS WELL.

ARE THERE ANY OBSTACLES FOR YOU, CONNIE, AS A WOMAN OWNING A BUSINESS, WOULD YOU SAY?

>> IT IS A LOT OF HARD WORK.

THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY, YEAH.

>> SO WHEN PEOPLE COME IN AND SIT DOWN AND EAT AT THE RICE BOWL, WHAT MAKES THE RESTAURANT UNIQUE AND WHAT WOULD YOU SAY SOME OF YOUR SPECIALTIES ARE?

>> EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN SPECIALTIES.

NUMBER ONE, GENERAL TSAO CHICKEN NOW SPICY CHICKEN WINGS.

EGG ROLLS BECAUSE THEY'RE HOMEMADE.

HOMEMADE.

SO THEY LOVE THE SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE.

HOMEMADE MUSTARD.

>> WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING THING ABOUT WORKING HERE?

>> YOU SEE ALL THE CUSTOMERS HERE COMING IN.

THAT'S LIKE YOUR FAMILY.

SOME OF THEM TRAVEL LONG DISTANCE.

THEY LEFT AND COME BACK.

YOU KNOW, FIRST THING, THEY COME BACK, THEY COME HERE AND GET THEIR FAVORITE FOOD.

>> THAT PROBABLY FEELS PRETTY GOOD, RIGHT?

>> RIGHT.

WHEN I WALK IN, I SAY, OH, YOU'RE HERE.

IT IS LIKE A BIG FAMILY.

>> JOY AND CONNIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME IN THIS CONVERSATION TODAY.

IT'S BEEN REALLY WONDERFUL TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND YOUR BUSINESS AND THE ASIAN-AMERICAN COMMERCE, SO THANK YOU.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> WELCOME.

>>> WOSU ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR REGION, ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE.

COLUMBUS HAS WELL-KNOWN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE ITALIAN VILLAGE AND GERMAN VILLAGE, NAMES THAT REFLECT EUROPEAN IMMIGRATION TO CENTRAL, OHIO.

COLUMBUS DOES NOT HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT REFLECTS ASIAN HERITAGE.

RECEIVED A SUBMISSION FROM SOMEONE WANTING TO KNOW WHY IS THERE NO CHINATOWN IN COLUMBUS, OHIO.

TO FIND AN ANSWER, WE SPOKE WITH A HISTORY PROFESSOR.

>> THIS IS A GREAT QUESTION.

BUT I THINK I WANT TO -- MAYBE WE HAVE TO CLARIFY THE DESTINATION OF CHINATOWN.

GENERALLY WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE CHINATOWN, THAT MEANS SEVEN BLOCKS OF BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL AREAS IN THE INNER CITY WHERE THE ETHNIC CHINESE CONCENTRATED THERE.

THERE ARE SEVERAL ELEMENTS, RIGHT?

ONE IS IT'S A LOCATION, MOSTLY THE CHINATOWN IS INNER CITY IN A LARGE CITY.

AND THE SECOND WE CAN LOOK AT THE DEMOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION.

CHINATOWN, JEWISH TOWN OR ITALIAN TOWN IS USUALLY THE AREA WHERE THIS ETHNIC GROUP CONCENTRATED.

YOU CAN SEE THE ETHNIC BUSINESS IN THEIR LODGING OFTENTIMES.

IF YOU SEE THE STORE, THEN BEHIND OR UPSTAIRS WHERE THE FAMILY LIVES.

YOU CAN CALL IT HISTORICAL CHINATOWN OR CONVENTIONAL CHINATOWN OR MAINSTREAM CHINATOWN, WHICH APPEARED IN THE UNITED STATES IN CANADA, IN AUSTRALIA AROUND THE 1840s.

>> THAT'S THE TIME THE SO-CALLED GOLD RUSH APPEARED IN THOSE THREE LOCALITIES.

SO THE CHINESE ALSO MIGRATED THERE.

BUT SINCE 1960s, A DRAMATIC, CRITICAL, SOCIAL HISTORICAL AND ECONOMIC CHANGE HAPPENED.

WE HAD THE 1965 IMMIGRATION REFORM THAT REFORMED THE TRADITION OF QUOTA SYSTEM AND ALLOWED MORE PROFESSIONALS TO ENTER THE COUNTRY.

SO THAT CHANGED THE DEMOGRAPHIC PICTURE OF THE ETHNIC CHINESE.

I HAVE BEEN STUDYING ASIAN POPULATIONS, URBAN POPULATIONS SINCE THE 1980s, BUT STARTING FROM 1990 I BEGAN TO FOCUS MORE ON THE MIDWEST AREA, OKAY, IN THIS LOCALITY BECAUSE OF MY JOB AND ALSO MY RESEARCH INTERESTS.

>> SO THE MIDWEST IS UNIQUE.

THE ASIAN-AMERICAN POPULATION, FOR EXAMPLE, CHICAGO, KANSAS CITY, MORE THAN 60% OF POPULATION WAS ENTREPRENEURS IN A PROFESSION.

SAN FRANCISCO MORE THAN 80% OF THEM WERE WORKING CLASS OR SMALL BUSINESS SHOPS, OWNERS OR HOUSES.

SO THERE IS A BIG POPULATION COMPLETION DIFFERENCE.

SO THAT GAVE THEM A BETTER INTEGRATED SOCIALLY ECONOMICALLY INTO LARGE SITES.

SO THAT IS A MAJOR DIFFERENCE, AND THAT DIFFERENCE DETERMINED THEM RESIDENTIALLY MORE INTEGRATED INTO SUBURBAN MIDDLE CLASS NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND THERE IS NO NEED FOR THEM TO FALL IN THEIR CONCENTRATED CHINATOWN.

THE OTHER FACTOR IS THE RECEPTION OF THE LOCAL AREA.

HOW ACCOMMODATING.

AND GENERALLY THE PUBLIC IN THE MIDWEST IS MORE LAID BACK, MORE FRIENDLY.

AS EARLY AS 1870s WHEN ASIAN AMERICANS CAME, YOUR LIFE QUALITY IS BETTER HERE.

YOU CAN LIVE IN A LARGE, MORE COMFORTABLE HOUSING IN SUBURBAN AREAS.

A LOT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE NO LONGER HAD PHYSICAL BUILDING.

YOU HAVE CHINESE RESTAURANT, CHINESE GROCERY STORES OR CHINESE PEOPLE IN THERE.

SO THAT IS KIND OF A PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S REPLACED BY THIS CULTURE.

MODERN CULTURAL AND THE SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE AMERICA IS A MULTIETHNIC COMMUNITY.

IT IS A NATION OF NATIONS.

SO WE SEE THE DIFFERENCE.

BUT THE MINORITY IN THE TRADITIONAL FORM OF THIS PHYSICAL ETHNIC CONCENTRATED AREA.

>> DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?

HEAD TO WOSU.ORG/CURIOUS TO SUBMIT YOUR IDEA, VOTE ON WHICH QUESTION WE SHOULD INVESTIGATE NEXT AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE COVERED SO FAR.

>> THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

AND REMEMBER YOU CAN CATCH ALL OUR EPISODES ON COLUMBUSNEIGHBORHOODS.ORG, PLUS ON THE MOBILE APP OR FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER.

WE WILL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK ON "COLUMBUS NEIGHBORHOODS."

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