Outside Reading Graphic Card

"Where is the heart of America? I am one of many thousands of young men , born under the American flag, raised as loyal idealistic Americans under your promises of equality for all , and enticed by glowing tales of educational opportunities. Once here we are met by exploiters, shunted into slums, greeted by only gamblers and prostitutes, taught only the worst in your civilization. America came to us with bright-winged promises of liberty, equality, fraternity. What has become of them?"

Conflict
When arriving to the U.S. in the early 1900's, many Filipinos faced racism and were thought very lowly of. They would receive rude remarks and were called monkeys, poor, dirty and filthy. Therefore, many Filipinos were fooled by the so called "luxuries" of working in America to find out that it took hard work, determination, and the passion to want to prove others that Filipinos could be successful. Another challenge many Filipinos faced in America was their sense of social obscurity. [Perrin, 132] Not only were Filipinos an outcast in a white society, they were also outsiders to their own oriental community as well. For example, many Japanese and Chinese immigrants were easily identified as Asian but some Filipinos were not easily identifiable; some were thought to be Hawaiian, Polynesian, Indian and Vietnamese. [Perrin, 113] Life for Filipino immigrants residing in the U.S. was a hard transition but over a period of time they've slowly marked their place in society. [Perrin, 130]

Resolution
Most Filipinos who immigrated to the U.S. took time to adjust to life in America and eventually adapted to the culture and customs. Others either learned quick or simply stayed on the down low and eventually moved back to the Philippines. Immigrants who later traveled to the U.S. also ventured out into city and suburbs landing them with much more important jobs unlike those of their descendants who served as plantation workers. [Perrin, 132]