Chan 1

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

Messiness of Interaction. Society and Space 29, 803-21.

Cahill, Caitlin. The Personal is Political: Developing new subjectivities through

participatory action research. Gender, Place, and Culture. Routledge:

Mortimer Street, London. Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 267-292.

CISC. Chinese Information and Service Center, 2011. Web. 2 June 2014.

<www.cisc-seattle.org>

Class Discussion, Week 10.

Dyck, Isabel. Feminist Geography: The Everyday and Local-Global Relations.

Canadian Geographer 49(3), 233-43.

Hall, Stuart; Massey, Doreen; Rustin, Michael. After neoliberalism: analyzing

the present. Soundings (n53)(Spring 2013):8(15). Lawrence & Wishart

Ltd.: London, U.K.

Harvey, David. The Geopolitics of Capitalism. Macmillan Publishers, 1985.

p129-163.

Kendall, Frances E. Chapter 4: Understanding White Privilege. In

Understanding White Privilege: Creating Pathways to Authentic

Relationships Across Race. New York: Routledge, 2006: 61-78.

Lawson, Victoria; Elwood, Sarah; Canevaro, Santiago; Viotti, Nicolas. Poverty

Politics Post Crisis in Argentina and the US: class subjects and relational

practices in urban neighborhoods. 17 Mar 2014.

Lawson. Class Discussion, Week 5.

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Leitner, Helga. Spaces of Encounters: Immigration, Race, Class, and the

Politics of Belonging in Small-Town America. Annals of the Association

of American Geographers, 102:4, 828-46.