Columbia University and Committee of 100 to Commence Joint Research on the Economic and Sociopolitical Situation of Today’s Chinese American Population
New York, NY (June 1, 2022) – Columbia University’s School of Social Work, one of the world’s leading research universities, and Committee of 100, a non-profit membership organization of prominent Chinese Americans, today announced they are commencing joint research on the economic and sociopolitical condition of today’s Chinese American population. The announcement comes on the heels of national Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, where “our nation recognizes the innumerable contributions, vibrant cultures, and rich heritage of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.”
“The more than five million Chinese Americans living in the United States today represent a diverse group of individuals, with varied and nuanced experiences, concerns, and needs,” said Gary Locke, Committee of 100 Chair, Former U.S. Ambassador to China, and current President of Bellevue College in Washington. “We are excited to collaborate with Columbia University on this research project to provide an informative representation of our community and produce data that may help in elevating the quality of life for Chinese Americans across our great country.”
The research will provide much-needed data to shed light on the demographic, economic, health, and sociopolitical situations of today’s Chinese American population, and inform policymakers and the public on the status and needs of the Chinese American community. While traditional methods of conducting such large-scale surveys have been cost-prohibitive and prevented repeatability, this project utilizes an innovative approach of working with community organizations across the country to survey local and hard-to-reach communities, providing a scalable and sustainable way to obtain a representative sample of the Chinese American population.
“As an institution that pledges to fight for racial and social justice, the Columbia School of Social Work is proud to partner with Committee of 100 on this initiative,” says Dean Melissa Begg, Columbia School of Social Work. “The problem of anti-Asian discrimination has for too long been overlooked and under-studied. This effort changes that and we are eager to get underway. My colleague Dr. Qin Gao is a perfect choice to lead this important research with the researchers at Committee of 100, given her rigorous scholarship and commitment to partnering with communities.”
“Chinese Americans are a vital part of the American society, whose size has been growing rapidly,” said Qin Gao, Professor and Director of the China Center for Social Policy at Columbia University’s School of Social Work and lead researcher on this project. “This group is incredibly diverse in terms of values and beliefs, socioeconomic status, political participation, and public engagement. Yet many of the contributions, as well as struggles, of the Chinese American community remain unseen and unknown to the broader world. I am proud of our pioneering efforts to conduct this joint research with Committee of 100, a leadership organization that I admire deeply. We look forward to sharing our findings from this landmark study to inform policy and services.”
“For too long, Chines Americans have gone without an adequate systemic understanding of our community’s varied experiences and challenges,” said Zhengyu Huang, President of Committee of 100. “This research aims to shed light on a fuller picture of what it means to be a Chinese American in today’s world, as our community contends with new and old social, economic, and political obstacles.”
The nationwide survey will be conducted in English, simplified Chinese, and traditional Chinese, and will invite the participation of all adults self-identifying of Chinese-ethnic origin and living in the United States.
The survey will be shared nationally in the coming months.
