Asian Americans have a long history of discrimination and inequity in the West. The majority of them were low-wage, low-skilled laborers who were concentrated in racial enclaves and were the focus of state discrimination. But as time went on and the rights of immigrants were consistently upheld, Asian Americans came to be acknowledged not only in the United States but also internationally.
The United States began to seek out high-skilled immigrants from Asia after 1965. After 1990, when these attempts were intensified even more, more than half of the Asian-American population immigrated. Asian Americans are now widely acknowledged in the arts, politics, academia, and even literature. Their abilities truly are on par with American superiority.
We list some of them to remind ourselves that history, race and culture are not barriers to success.
Elaine Chao
One of the most fascinating, influential, and significant figures in the United States is Elaine Chao. She is one of the privileged few Americans appointed to two positions in the presidential cabinet: US Transportation Secretary and U. S. Labor Secretary. She is, in fact, the first Asian American woman to hold a cabinet-level position in American history.
Kal Penn
From Gujarat India, Kal Penn's parents immigrated to the United States. Kalpen Suresh Modi (his real name) is very known as an American actor, novelist, academic lecturer, and former member of the Obama administration's White House staff. He won Penn the 'Outstanding Actor' in Asian Excellence Award for his role in the movie "The Namesake."
Joan Chen
At age 20, Joan Chen confronted a familiar immigrant dilemma. She had a student visa, which allowed her to enter the country legally, but she lacked the necessary work authorization. As time passed, she was happy to finally start landing acting assignments.
She is now officially recognized as an Asian-American actor, playwright, producer, and director. She is well-known for her appearances in "Red Rose, White Rose," "Twin Peaks," and "The Home Song Tales," as well as for her appearance in the 1987 film "The Last Emperor," which rocketed her into the public eye. She is renowned for helming the feature film "Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl" as a director.
Ke Huy Quan
Quan fled Vietnam as a child and sought refuge in Hong Kong before settling in the US.
In 1984's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, he accidentally landed an audition to play the Chinese thief Short Round. The following year, he debuted as the gizmo Data in The Goonies.
And now, he just won the Best Supporting actor in Oscars this 2023 for the movie "Everything Everywhere All at Once."
Erika Lee
Erika Lee was recently elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and she is the great-granddaughter of Chinese immigrants. Lee provided testimony to Congress during its historic hearings on anti-Asian prejudice and violence. She is a renowned expert on Asian Americans and immigration in the United States. "The Making of Asian America," one of her best-selling books, describes how successive generations of Asian immigrants and their American-born offspring have shaped and reshaped Asian American life, from the sailors who arrived on the first trans-Pacific ships in the 1500s to the Japanese Americans imprisoned during World War II.
Loida Lewis
Loida Lewis is a Filipina-American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and prominent figure in the international Filipino community. She is the first Filipina lawyer to be admitted to the New York State Bar and she is able to practice law both in the Philippines and in New York City.
After her husband Reginald passed away, Loida Lewis took over the multibillion-dollar corporation TLC Beatrice International. Even though there were many challenges that she handled when she took over the company, she continued to lead the business to new heights. Her business savvy has helped it achieve significant financial success.
Now, she’s one of the leading Asian-American who strengthen the Filipino community in the United States.
Let's read her most recent book entitled “Why Should Guys Have All the Fun?”, An American Story of Love, Marriage, Motherhood and Running a Billion Dollar Empire, which is available now on Amazon - kindly revise that's it's now available on Amazon. This is a memoir that explores her passionate relationship with Reginald F. Lewi, a talented and tenacious young African American lawyer in New York City who later became the first Black dealmaker to make a billion dollars. It will also give you the inspiration to strive more in achieving your own dreams.