Preserving the Asian Pacific American Culture in Houston
By Stephanie Sanchez
Since 1977, May is known as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. No one knows the contributions this community has made to our area more than Anne Chao. She is an Adjunct Lecturer in the School of Humanities at Rice University and manager of The Houston Asian American Archives (The Archive). Chao said The Archive is important because Houston is such a diverse city filled with culture, music and tradition. AARP caught up with Chao who shared her story, as an Asian-American. She also talked about the importance of having associations that preserve the Asian-Pacific Culture in Houston.
While Chao was born in Taiwan, she grew up in many different countries because her father was a diplomat. She came to the U.S. to attend college. It was there she met her husband. They later moved to Houston. In 2009, Chao went back to Rice University and finished her Ph.D. in Chinese History.
Chao continued to volunteer for various local organizations. A friend told her about her father who was a publisher of the first Chinese newspaper in Houston. Chao assigned a Rice Student to interview the publisher. The report was so interesting it's now stored at Rice University’s library. It was then she noticed many did not know about the contributions Asian Americans have made to our community. That lack of knowledge is what inspired Chao to co-found The Houston Asian American Archives at Rice University.
Chao believes the interviews will help shed light on the contributions Asian Americans have made. She hopes they provide evidence of their existence in History, increase their visibility, and help younger generations understand their self-identity.
The Houston Asian American Archives has collected more than 200 stories from different people in Texas. Chao said the project is important for the community because it helps preserve the culture and allows the Asian-American community to know they are a part of this country’s history.
Chao said Asian-American communities in Houston thrived because they helped each other. She explains how the Chinese-American Citizens Alliance was created to help first generations, despite the strict legal regulations in the U.S.
While Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the country, Chao said you don’t often hear of associations that help preserve cultures in the way The Houston Asian American Archives does. Chao’s goal is for the public to recognize Asian Americans as a strong community and to end marginalization and discrimination.
