Series:

Suburban Chinatown: Chinese American Business and Political Leaders in the San Gabriel Valley

Topic:

Asian American History

Biographical Note:

Immigrant from Hong Kong. Director of CIBT Educational Group and executive director of SE Global Capital, Inc. Board member of the Bowers Museum and chair of the Asian American Senior Citizens Service Center.

Interviewer:

Cline, Alex

Interviewee:

Hsu, May

Persons Present:

Hsu and Cline.

Place Conducted:

Hsu's home in Santa Ana, California.

Supporting Documents:

Records relating to the interview are located in the office of the UCLA Library's Center for Oral History Research.

Interviewer Background and Preparation:

The interview was conducted by Alex Cline, series coordinator, UCLA Library's Center for Oral History Research; musician. Cline prepared for the interview by studying biographical information supplied by the interviewee and by holding a pre-interview meeting with the interviewee.

Processing of Interview:

The interviewer prepared a timed log of the audio recording of the interview. Hsu was given the opportunity to review the log in order to supply missing or misspelled names and to verify the accuracy of the content but made no changes.

Length:

4.5 hrs.

Language:

English

Copyright:

Regents of the University of California, UCLA Library.

Audio:

Series Statement:

The Suburban Chinatown series focuses on political and business leaders in the San Gabriel Valley who came to the U.S. in the post-1965 wave of Asian immigration after the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 abolished the quota system based on national origins. The series was undertaken as a collaborative effort between the UCLA Library’s Center for Oral History Research and the American East Asian Cultural and Educational Foundation (AEACEF). AEACEF recommended the majority of the individuals interviewed and introduced the interviewer to the narrators. Many of the narrators are also featured in the AEACEF’s book Thirty Years of Chinese American Immigration in Southern California.

Born in Chongqing, China--Father involved in the Chinese military during World War II while mother taught--Family had to flee after the communists took over China--Hsu has six siblings and is very close to her family--Father had to go to Taiwan, since he served in the Kuomintang, while mother raised kids in Hong Kong—Goes to nursing school in Hong Kong--Exposed to Western culture and cinema in Hong Kong--Immigrates to Canada and later New York City to study at the Medical Lab Knowledge School--Works at a hospital in New York--Has two daughters while in New York--Leaves New York for California in 1970.

Husband’s experience in New York--Move to Orange County--Forms a Chinese school in Huntington Beach--Children are Asian studies majors in college and learn Chinese in Chinese school--Blend of American and Chinese culture for children--Volunteers at the Bowers Museum and is the first Asian board member of the museum.

Involvement in Cal American Medical Supplies company for ten years--Gets involved in Orange County Protocol Foundation; helps entertain Chinese visitors from that group--Investment in education in China--Opening of school in Beijing for Chinese students to learn business and earn their MBAs--Disadvantages of being a Chinese woman in the medical field.