| For at least a couple of decades, analysts | | | | Japanese." So there is indeed some degree of |
| have predicted vast cultural, population and | | | | cultural assimilation which fuses these two |
| demographic changes that will soon begin to | | | | groups together as one.The Asian Latino |
| sweep across the Americas. Within the United | | | | Marketing NicheAlthough the actual number of |
| States alone, much emphasis has been placed | | | | ethnically mixed Asian Latinos in the United |
| upon the rise of the Latino population and | | | | States is unknown, they are considered to be |
| how by the year 2050, half of the US | | | | very few in number, hence the use of the term |
| population will be non-white.However, what | | | | Asian Latino which actually has a greater |
| hasn?t been discussed with as much clarity is | | | | value for marketing purposes.When marketing |
| the growing niche of Asian Latinos, a new | | | | strategists pair both ethnic groups together |
| cultural and marketing hybrid. Typically | | | | what emerges is a potential marketing |
| considered as separate and distinct | | | | bonanza. The similarities between the two |
| population silos, the Latino and Asian | | | | population groups are indeed striking. In |
| communities collectively could potentially | | | | addition to migrating to the US and retaining |
| steer the course of the nation far more | | | | their native language and in many instances |
| dramatically than ever possibly | | | | becoming bilingual, Asians and Latinos also |
| conceived.What is an Asian Latino?The term | | | | share other commonalities as well.Both ethnic |
| Asian Latino is actually a concept that is | | | | groups reside heavily in western American |
| defined in two distinct yet similar ways. | | | | states, creating a potential voting block |
| First, there is a cultural definition of | | | | should they decide to organize on key |
| Asian Latinos, which comes as a direct result | | | | political issues. According to the US Census |
| of cross-cultural marriage between the two | | | | Bureau figures released in 2004, both groups |
| groups over several centuries in South and | | | | are expected to triple in size by the year |
| Central America. Eventually through | | | | 2050 in comparison to the Black and White |
| immigration, the descendents of these | | | | population groups which are expected to grow |
| cross-cultural unions can also be found | | | | at 71% and 7% rates respectively.Today in |
| throughout the United States.Second, the term | | | | cities across the country, Asian and Latino |
| Asian Latino is also used to define a | | | | businesses are often located next to each |
| combined marketing niche of America's two | | | | other or in close proximity, such as |
| fastest growing immigrant populations, | | | | Atlanta?s Buford Highway corridor and in both |
| Latinos and Asians. The two groups share | | | | urban and suburban pockets of the city of |
| similarities in the fact that both are | | | | Milwaukee. Hence, small ethnocentric |
| non-English speaking groups which have | | | | businesses play a key role in serving the |
| migrated to the US and now have given birth | | | | Latino and Asian communities |
| to multiple generations, some of whom are | | | | respectively.With so many similarities and an |
| bilingual, but all born and raised in | | | | expected triple digit jump in growth, the |
| America.From a cross-cultural marriage | | | | combined Asian and Latino populations in |
| perspective, Asian Latinos developed | | | | America could one day wield enormous |
| primarily from the migration of Filipinos, | | | | financial power and wealth across America.The |
| Chinese, Japanese, Koreans and Syrians. In | | | | Political Landscape of the Asian Latino |
| fact, Filipinos are recorded to have visited | | | | CommunityAccording to the 2004 Urban |
| the Americas well over 500 years ago, before | | | | Institute Studies Program report by Dr. |
| the Columbian-era.Filipinos assisted Spanish | | | | Jeffrey S. Passel, neither Latinos nor Asians |
| colonists by becoming sailors on the Manila | | | | vote according to their current population |
| galleons which were huge multi-decked wooden | | | | proportions. According to the study, back in |
| cargo ships that sailed across the Pacific | | | | 2000, Latinos represented 12.6 % of the total |
| Ocean from the Philippines to New Spain | | | | U.S. population, but only 5.3% of the votes |
| (Mexico).The galleons carried everything from | | | | cast. Asians were 4.2% of the population but |
| spices, porcelain, and ivory, to silk cloth | | | | only cast 1.9% of votes. In contrast, whites |
| and lacquerware to be sold to European | | | | accounted for 70% of the population, but over |
| countries. The Manila-Acapulco galleon was a | | | | 81% percent of all votes.In addition, the |
| lucrative one, but when Mexico broke free of | | | | Urban Institute Studies report also revealed |
| Spain?s control in 1821, many Filipino | | | | that about 62% of Latinos could not register |
| sailors never returned home and remained in | | | | to vote in 2000 because they were either too |
| Acapulco.However, many other Asians migrated | | | | young or not U.S. citizens; 59% of Asians |
| to Central and South America as political | | | | also could not register. In contrast, only |
| refugees from WWII and the Korean and | | | | 35% of Blacks and 25% of Whites could not |
| Vietnamese Wars. Yet many other Asians | | | | register to vote for demographic |
| migrated to the region to seek better | | | | reasons.However, all of this could |
| economic opportunity. In fact the term, | | | | drastically change as the individual Latino |
| "coolie" was often used in a derogatory | | | | and Asian populations age and become eligible |
| manner to refer to unskilled labor from Asian | | | | to vote plus legalized immigrants in both |
| countries, many of whom were young men who | | | | communities begin to exercise their right to |
| traveled to other parts of the world for | | | | vote in greater numbers. Once this happens, |
| work.The result has been mixed Latino-Asian | | | | not only will both population groups |
| offspring spanning across South and Central | | | | significantly influence western state voting, |
| America. Take Brazil for example: there is | | | | they will also become a major swing vote in |
| estimated to be over one million ethnic | | | | key political states such as Ohio.The Future |
| Japanese living in the country, not to | | | | of Asian LatinosWith tremendous population, |
| mention Japanese communities located in | | | | financial, and political power to come for |
| Columbia, Argentina, Peru and other parts of | | | | the Asian and Latino communities, America |
| Latin America.Approximately 15% of Peru's | | | | will no longer resemble cookie cutter board |
| population is considered to be Chinese, not | | | | images in vast sections of the country. |
| to mention other inhabitants of Western Asian | | | | Instead, Middle America will soon become |
| countries (Syria, Turkey) who have also | | | | every image, sight, and sound of the evolving |
| settled throughout Latin America as well.In | | | | and dynamic groups of today. Asian Latinos |
| an interview with Kipp Cheng of Diversity | | | | will one day become the norm in every aspect |
| Magazine, Saul Gitlin of the marketing firm, | | | | of society and not the exception.To hear a |
| Kan ... Lee explains that "When they come to | | | | radio commentary on Asian Latinos, go to |
| the United States, their primary language is | | | | Davis is an author, lecturer, and TV/Radio |
| Spanish or Portuguese, not Korean or | | | | Host. |