A new survey revealed that 23 percent of Asian Americans in California struggle with poverty, Nextshark reports.
On Monday, AAPI Data and the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) released the findings from their survey on the working lives of 2,684 AAPI California residents.
According to the report, survey subjects were classified as working and struggling with poverty if they met two criteria: “1) They are currently employed either full or part-time or are unemployed but still seeking employment; and 2) They live in households that have an adjusted income that is 250% or less than the U.S. Census Bureau’s Supplemental Poverty Measure, adapted for regional location in California.”
Overall, 23 percent of the Asian Americans surveyed are working and struggling with poverty but that percentage varies by ethnic group. About 44 percent of Hmong Californians and 36 percent of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Californians are working and struggling with poverty. Most other ethnic groups had rates closer to 20 percent: Cambodians (26%), Vietnamese (26%), Chinese (23%), Filipinos (22%), Japanese (22%), and Indians (20%).
Only 15 percent of Korean Californians reported working and struggling with poverty.
The survey also found that AAPI poverty in California is concentrated in specific regions. Half of those working and struggling with poverty live in the San Joaquin valley. Another 37 percent of those working and struggling with poverty live in Southern California’s inland empire.
The survey also briefly examined the sectors in which AAPI California residents worked. It found that Asian Americans working in the gig economy were two times as likely to report working and struggling with poverty. Those who work in the gig economy are paid to perform tasks and services for others. Only 14 percent of those surveyed reported working in the gig economy.
In addition to examining economic hardship, the survey also asked questions about racial discrimination. According to the results, AAPI Californians are more likely to report dealing with racial discrimination (17%) than other Californians (12%). Reports of racial discrimination were highest among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (29%) and Indians (24%).
The results of the survey refute the model minority myth. While many AAPI Californians prosper, many also struggle.
“Although statistical averages show that AAPIs as a whole exhibit relatively high levels of employment and earning power, this report reveals significant areas of concern,” the report’s executive summary states. “Like for the rest of the population, we find a state of ‘two Californias’ among AAPIs – one where some AAPI workers report a great deal of financial stability and one in which other AAPI workers report significant financial insecurity and struggle.”
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