Abstract Wing Ma (Ma Wing Guo) was born in China to a poor farming family who moved to Hong Kong as refugees when he was age two. Wing talks about his life growing up in Hong Kong with his mother working in the garment industry and his father working as a chef in Manila. He studied until post-secondary school before moving to the United States to train and work as an engineer. Wing would eventually join the garment industry as a factory owner, and describes the industry’s decline over time due to...

Abstract Wan Yinmei is a social science researcher. She discusses her personal experience during the pandemic and talks about how as a Chinese person she has been dealing with the ramifications of the virus since December. She talks more about how the pandemic is affecting her social science research and how she has had to adapt. As a researcher who focuses on education, she talks about some issues that students face due to remote learning. She concludes the oral history by sharing what she sees as...

Abstract Yun Xing Huang was interviewed by MOCA to talk about his immigration and living experiences in New York City’s Chinatown. As a professional singer, Huang owned a nightclub in Fujian before coming to the US during the prevalent immigration wave in China. He worked as a food delivery person before opening a floral shop on his own, singing songs for wedding parties, and acting in films. He praised the brave spirit of Fujianese people but touched upon the geographical discrimination between...

Abstract Lucy Kan sits down with MOCA to discuss her family’s journey from China, then to Peru, and eventually to the United States. She discusses her grandfather’s beginning in the Peru and the shop he owned there, and then how her father eventually moved back to China to start his family. Lucy describes growing up trilingual in Peru, speaking Chinese at home, Spanish with her classmates, and doing her homework in English. She discusses being one of the few Chinese people living in her community in...

Abstract During the interview, Mr. San Yan Wong and Mrs. Rosanna Wong talked about Hunan Garden they owned and how the cooking demonstration attracted customers. They discussed the time when the Confucius Plaza was built and how people applied for it. They also talked about kids’ education, as well as how the family keeps the Chinese culture and traditions. They brought kids back to China often and keep their Chinese ancestry root. Mr, San Yan Wong also shared his publications and calligraphies that...

Abstract The four sisters Grace Chin Chan, Judy Chin Wong, Anna Chin Tze, and Jennifer Chin Dussich sit down with MOCA to discuss their family history. They begin by describing growing up in Brooklyn and the communities and activities that they participated in there. They recount family stories from vacations and being rebellious teenagers. The sisters take turns discussing how grateful they are for their parents’ sacrifices, but also how they feel so grateful to have been raised with their parents’...

Abstract Tony Chiu discusses his life in America and how he grew his professional career as a research chemist. Chiu dedicated his adolescence and young adult years to his studies because he had no other choice but to study in order to become successful. Chiu discusses the hardships he had to face as a Chinese immigrant in the United States. English not being his first language prevented him from studying what he wanted to. His choice of chemistry was a result of necessity rather than choice. Chiu...

Abstract Victor Kan discusses his philosophy and the history of his family with MOCA. He discusses his education at the University of Chicago and his experience growing up Chinese in America with only a small understanding of English. He discusses this experience in depth, and growing up learning from his classmates at age 13 how to speak English. His classmates encouraged him to join Boy Scouts and go to school dances with them, and he felt very supported by this American community. Victor went on...