Human connections between Indiana and China will count
Human connections between Indiana and China will count … a lot. If “demography is destiny,” what will be Indiana’s future? Can its population of immigrants from China help build up its other connections with China?
It would be easy to feel pessimistic about Indiana’s ability to flourish in this new networked global economy. Chinese make up about the same percentage of foreign born in Indiana as in the rest of the US, about five percent, making China the second largest home country of immigrants (after Mexico) for both the US and Indiana. But the percentage of immigrants in the state (about four percent) is lower than the average for the country as a whole (about 12.5 percent). Chinese immigrants make up a smaller share of the state’s total population
|
Top Ten Countries Place of Birth for Foreign Born Population |
Indiana |
Indiana Percent of All Foreign Born |
United States Percent of All Foreign Born |
|
Mexico |
98,698 |
41% |
31% |
|
China |
13,252 |
5% |
5% |
|
China (excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan) |
10,659 |
4% |
3% |
|
India |
10,628 |
4% |
4% |
|
Germany |
8,042 |
3% |
2% |
|
Korea |
7,823 |
3% |
3% |
|
Canada |
6,784 |
3% |
2% |
|
United Kingdom |
5,779 |
2% |
2% |
|
Vietnam |
5,423 |
2% |
3% |
|
Philippines |
5,123 |
2% |
4% |
|
Japan |
4,985 |
2% |
1% |
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2005
The numbers of Chinese immigrants is only part of the story. How well are they fitting into the broader community? A pattern seen in recent years is that Chinese immigrant groups that have formed (and in the case of large employers of Chinese nationals such as Eli Lilly, have been encouraged to form) begin by looking inward. They do what they can to make fellow newcomers feel comfortable, often by encouraging the preservation of culture and language brought from China.
In recent years, these groups have become more outward-looking, and have played an active role in exposing other Hoosiers to Chinese culture and history. 2008 was an important year in this regard for Indianapolis, with major exhibitions of Chinese art at the Indianapolis Museum of Art and the Indianapolis Art Center, and connected to those exhibitions dozens of other activities and events providing local residents with greater knowledge of Chinese culture.
Important Chinese groups in Central Indiana include:
- The Indianapolis Chinese Community Center, Inc., which established Chinese School in 1995, and currently offers 16 classes for 12 different levels of Chinese proficiency. It also offers mathematics, Chinese dance, and Chinese martial arts classes.
- The Confucius Institute was established by IUPUI to facilitate teaching of Chinese culture and language in central Indiana. It too hosts cultural events such as film festivals and teach Chinese classes
- The Chinese Culture Network was formed to build a Chinese community for the several hundred Chinese nationals at Eli Lilly’s Indianapolis headquarters.
- The Indiana Association of Chinese Americans helped establish Sister State with Zhejiang Province, China and Sister City with Taipei, and hosts celebrations of Chinese festivals
- Indianapolis Chinese Performing Arts, Inc., organizes Chinese traditional and cultural related shows, dances and performances, and offers classes for all age level.
Sagamore Institute
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