If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, you know that the South Bay is pretty ethnically diverse. Well, in cities like Milipitas and Cupertino, Asians make up the majority, as reported the other day in The San Jose Mercury News and the latest census data:
“Cupertino has joined Milpitas as the second city in the South Bay where a majority of residents is now Asian, a rare cultural phenomenon that sets the two communities apart — even in one of the most diverse counties in the country. Its Chinese population was already well established, but Cupertino’s rapidly growing Indian community has pushed its overall Asian population to 56 percent of residents, according new census data released today… Asians already were a narrow majority in Milpitas in 2000, but with a growing population of Chinese, Indians, Filipinos and Vietnamese, Asians now make up nearly 60 percent of Milpitas’ population.”
However, what is more typical in the South Bay, and much of California overall, is that no single ethnic group commands a majority – Whites, Latino and Asians make up many communities in California. Of course, if you’ve been a minority living outside of California and have just moved to the area, this can take some getting used to. And there can be some backlash, especially when it comes to high schools and “white flight.” Asian Americans in the South Bay have also flexed their political muscle a little bit more (at least until recently relative to San Francisco)
I guess this shouldn’t be anything too new to those who live in Los Angeles; I remember when I lived in the East Coast, hearing about places like Little Taipei in Monterey Park and more recently, visiting friends in Rowland Heights and going to the shoping plazas and just being shocked to see how Asian everything was – like a city was plucked from Taiwan or China and placed in California. I don’t necessarily get that feeling when I am in Milpitas or Cupertino – but maybe I am just so used to those cities now that I don’t even think twice. I don’t spend much time in the East Bay, so maybe some of you have some thoughts on how the East Bay is changing demographically.
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4 Comments to “Stating the Obvious: Cupertino has a lot of Asians”
James wrote:
East Bay? Like a lot of natives of SF, the East Bay doesn’t exist in my mental geography. That commute over the bridge might as well be the Berlin Wall.
Posted on 14-Dec-08 at 8:52 am | Permalink
Ernie wrote:
James: Hey, as a native of El Sobrante and a former resident of Oakland and Fremont, I resent that comment. That said, it’s completely true now that I live in the city as well.
Posted on 14-Dec-08 at 10:25 am | Permalink
Jeff wrote:
I grew up in Newark and Fremont in the East Bay, and things have changed heavily since my youth. Admittedly, that was a long time ago.
The Asian-American population has grown tremendously. When I did training runs for the wrestling team, I ran through ranches and saw horses and cows. In the area around my high school in Newark is an Asian shopping and restaurant area – one of a number in Newark. I recall that at my high school reunion, most of my white classmates had moved away, and couldn’t afford to live in Newark any more. Cities like Union City and Fremont are heavily Asian.
Another way to look at the demographic change in the East Bay is to study the story of Mission San Jose High School. Mission San Jose High School in Fremont was once a football powerhouse. As it grew more heavily Asian (attracted by its good academics), the football was disbanded for a time because of lack of interest. They are really good in tennis and badminton though – very popular with Asian-Americans.
Posted on 14-Dec-08 at 3:09 pm | Permalink
John wrote:
Unless you work in the East Bay, I am not sure why anybody lives in the East Bay? I know there are some good schools in the Fremont area, and I can understand the appeal of Berkeley. Being a transplant from the East Coast though, I don’t know what the East Bay has to offer.
Posted on 14-Dec-08 at 3:10 pm | Permalink
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