P r e s e r v i ng Ethnic Neighborhoods through Cultural Institutions

SPRING 2015

SAWTELLE JAPANTOWN
Preserving Ethnic Neighborhoods through Cultural Institutions

AUTHORS
CANDICE LAU
SINH NGUYEN
JACKIE TIEU

PROJECT COORDINATORS
PAUL M. ONG
C. AUJEAN LEE

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES

PREFACE
These reports represent Asian American Studies commitment to engaged scholarship through teaching and
community-oriented research that are mutually beneficial. Community partners are instrumental in identifying research needs, participating in and facilitating data collection, assisting in analyzing information,
and disseminating findings to inform policy debates and program development. For community members,
we hope that they will gain insights from student research. At the same time, students gain real-world understanding of Asian American issues. The class that sponsored a community project serves as a bridge for
students academic training and their life after graduation. We hope that this project enables students to
acquire and apply research skills and engage in broader social justice movements.
This course, Capstone Community-based Research: Asian American Enclaves and Community Institutions, connected students to Sawtelle Japantown Association (SJA). The class was offered through UCLAs
Asian American Studies Department. This years project examines the factors that contribute to the vitality of ethnic enclaves and community institutions to then provide recommendations to SJA. SJA has been
working since 2014 to preserve the cultural and historic aspects of the Sawtelle area. They are working to
mobilize and strengthen community and cultural organizations so that its members have an active, strong,
and effective voice in planning their neighborhoods future. This project emerged from a joint planning effort that started during the summer of 2014. Students conducted interviews with key stakeholders around
four topics:
Background and history of Japanese settlements in California and contemporary issues
that Japantowns and Japanese neighborhoods experience.
Efforts by Los Angeles Asian enclaves in seeking official neighborhood designation.
The role of cultural institutions in preserving and promoting Asian American neighborhoods.
Review of community-based initiatives to engage in neighborhood planning processes,
particularly in Asian neighborhoods.
Most of these interviewees were located in the Los Angeles area. Based on their interviews, each group developed evidence-based recommendations to help SJA with its efforts of community building and preservation. We believe that the analyses and findings are also useful to other neighborhoods interested in promoting their unique cultural and ethnic identity.
This project was conducted in partnership with the UCLA Asian American Studies Center and the George
and Sakaye Aratani Community Advancement Research Endowment (C.A.R.E.), which provided funding
to edit and produce the final reports. Additional funding was provided by the UCLA Office of Instructional

Development mini-grants and UCLA Asian American Studies Department for guest speakers who spoke to
students during the class. The Center for the Study of Inequality provided funds to cover the cost of a graduate teaching assistant. We also thank Professor Valerie Matsumoto for initiating the discussion with SJA and
Alycia Cheng for her assistance with layout. Last by not least, we thank SJA, particularly Randy Sakamoto,
Scott Nakaatari, Dr. Jack Fujimoto, and Randall Fujimoto, who provided our students with a wonderful
educational experience.
Project Coordinators:
Paul M. Ong
C. Aujean Lee

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work is made possible by the Asian American Studies Center and the George and Sakaye Aratani
Community Advancement Research Endowment (C.A.R.E.). Candice, Jackie, and Sinh would like to
thank Professor Paul Ong and Aujean Lee for their patience, support, and guidance throughout the research process. They would also like to thank the community leaders of Little Saigon, Gardena, Torrance,
Japanese American National Museum, and Historic Pilipinotown for dedicating time out of their busy
schedules to participate and be interviewed.
A special thank-you to:
Alison Kochiyama, Gardena Japanese Cultural Institute
Mick Nagasawa & Andy Matsuda, Sushi Chef Institute
Clement Hanami, Japanese American National Museum
Randy Sakamoto, Sawtelle Japantown Association
Nina Tran & Julie Huynh, United Vietnamese Student Association of Southern California
Luan Vu, Vit Cm Dance/Lc Hng Dance
Cay Mai, Bich Hai Vu, & Cam Van Cao, Trng Vit Ng Saddleback
Tony Nguyen, on Saddleback Thiu Nhi Thnh Th
Jeffrey Hsu, Asian Pacific Coalition
Melany De La Cruz-Viesca, Asian American Studies Center
Meg Thorton, Asian American Studies Center
Chancee Martorell, Thai Community Development Center
Martina Dorff, Samahang Pilipino Education and Retention at UCLA
Daniella Veloria, Samahang Pilipino at UCLA
Krizelle Cuevas, Francesca Rebosura, Raymar Baesa, & Jahzeel Paguntalan, Samahang Pilipino Cultural
Night at UCLA
John Luna, Samahang Pilipino at UCLA
Joshua Jose, Tribal Caf
Fellow classmates in the Asian American Studies Capstone Community-Based Research Course

P r e s e r v i ng Ethnic Neighborhoods through Cultural Institutions

Sawtelle Japantown sign

on Sawtelle Blvd.
Photo: C. Aujean Lee

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction...................................................................................9
Background.................................................................................10
Defining cultural institutions
Role of cultural institutions in Asian neighborhoods

Findings.......................................................................................13
Community partnerships increase an organizations viability
Organizations partner with local schools
Organizations create events around target audience interests and demographics

Recommendations.....................................................................18
Use community partners and multiple methods to publicize organization and events
Reach out to students and professors
Organize events to cater to different target audiences

Conclusion..................................................................................23
References..................................................................................24
Appendices.................................................................................28
Appendix A: Methodology
Appendix B: Interview Protocol

P r e s e r v i ng Ethnic Neighborhoods through Cultural Institutions

Gardena Obon Festival

Photo: Mark (Flickr)

INTRODUCTION
Visitors often see Sawtelle as a commercial district. The neighborhood, however, holds historical and cultural significance for the Japanese American community. With redevelopment projects, Sawtelle community
members have been advocating for the cultural preservation and promotion of Sawtelles Japantown.
The purpose of the research project is to examine the role of cultural institutions in preserving the history and culture of Asian neighborhoods, specifically Little Saigon, Historic Pilipinotown, and the Japanese
American community of Torrance/Gardena. After the report includes background information about cultural institutions, 16 interviewees were conducted with organizational leaders. (For more detailed information on these neighborhoods and interviews, please see the Methodology section in the Appendix.)
Our analysis of the interviews and secondary data found that community partnerships within and outside
the targeted ethnic community help with viability; school and university partnerships can provide additional resources; and designing events to cater to different audiences can help to increase organizational
members. From these findings, we recommend that SJA use community partnerships to publicize events;
reach out to Japanese American student organizations and professors from neighboring schools; and organize events based on community feedback, after gauging the audiences interests.

Japanese Institute of Sawtelle sign

Photo: C. Aujean Lee

BACKGROUND
Cultural institutions play an important role in cultural preservation. While ethnic organizations in
Asian neighborhoods may perform a wide array of
social, cultural, and economic functions, this report defines cultural institutions as organizations
that promote and preserve cuisine, music, arts, and
language in addition to tangible cultural items such
as monuments. The following section defines other
information on cultural institutions and how they
have contributed to Asian neighborhoods.
Defining Cultural Institutions
To understand cultural institutions, we define culture and institutions separately. According to Zimmerman (2012), the idiosyncrasies of the lifestyles of
a particular group of people defined by language,
beliefs, religion, cuisine, social habits, traditions, and
music and arts constitute culture. Culture is also
learned behaviorindividuals growing up within a
culture learn to behave and function in the realm of
their respective communities (Martin, 1994).

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From kinship groups and states to multi-national

corporations, culture can organize society in different ways (Miraglia, Law, & Collins, 1996). Culture
impacts interpersonal interactions, ranging from
how individuals connect with their kinship groups
to how they communicate in a corporate setting.
These impacts serve as cultural templates that shape
and perpetuate behaviors and practices within a human society (Miraglia, Law, & Collins, 1996). Culture can also distinguish one group from another
(Hall, 1981). This concept is relevant to our study
because, oftentimes, the diversity of Asian Americans are misrepresented. Asian American and Pacific Islander ethnic groups are clumped together
under the umbrella term of Asian American, which
hides diverse experiences among these communities
(Aina, 2012).
Culture, however, is constantly changing (Mckenzie & Crowcroft, 1994). This is particularly relevant
for multicultural spaces that are diverse. This fluidity should not be problematized. Liddicoat (1997)

P r e s e r v i ng Ethnic Neighborhoods through Cultural Institutions

argues that culture is dynamic and multidimensional: the connections within cultural values and practices are products of their time and place which also
evolve as time progresses (Kramsch, 1987). We now
move onto understanding institutions.
According to Barley and Tolbert (1997), institutions
are groups and organizations that promote a particular cause or program, especially one of a public,
educational, or charitable character. Institutions,
however, need to learn how to adapt to changing societies by changing their structures, programs, and
mission to address new and emerging needs (Borrero, 1993). As a result, local organizations are heavily influenced by wider environmental meanings,
definitions, roles, and models (Singerman, 1988).
Gumport (2007) states that environments constitute local situations establishing and defining their
core entities, purposes, and relations (p. 177).
Using these definitions, this report adopts different
characteristics of culture and institution, which
are operationally defined as organizations that protect, honor, and/or promote a culture (e.g., language,
cuisine, music and arts, and traditions). Cultural institutions should engage in the cultural enrichment
of its members, community, and the general public
(Oregon Legislature, 2013). Cultural enrichment includes things that are tangible and intangible: tangible items include monuments, objects, and artifacts
while intangible items consist of language, performing arts, music, and dances (McCook, 2008). In order to qualify as a cultural institution, they should
promote these activities and artifacts in order to engage the community (Soule, 2015).
Although this project focuses on the cultural components of an organization, many provide additional
services. For example, while the Thai Community
Development Center (Thai CDC) does hold festivals, it also provides legal/crisis counseling, economic assistance, and advocacy to low-income Thai
immigrants and families (Thai CDC, 2015). Similar

UCLA students observed this language classroom at the Japanese Institute of

Sawtelle. Programs such as this play a pivotal
role in the preservation and promotion of
languages.
Photo: Sinh Nguyen
with other immigrant-serving organizations, these
organizations provide multiple community needs
and are essential to the development of Asian American communities.
Role of Cultural Institutions in Asian Neighborhoods and Communities
Cultural institutions serve important roles in neighborhoods and communities. For instance, Vezina
(2010) describes how cultural institutions such as
museums, archives, and libraries preserve and promote the history and knowledge of a certain ethnic
neighborhood. An organizations cultural programs
and/or holiday event celebrations also qualifies it as
a cultural organization (Soule, 2015). Cultural organizations are also available to provide facilities for
social and recreational events that promote crosscultural communication across college campuses
and communities (Renner, 1998). These organizations establish a home away from home while also
educating people about traditions, practices, and ancestry (Rex, Mason, & Jenkins, 1986; Turner, 1994).

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Historic Pilipinotown Festival

Photo: bakitwhy.com (Flickr)

Similarly, these organizations are important in Asian

neighborhoods. Some Asian neighborhoods in the
United States are unique because they are diasporic
a collective identity centered on the memories of
the homeland which allows residents to preserve
their culture (Kutschera & Caputi, 2012). While
some diasporic cultures have clear origins that are
well documented (e.g. the Greek, Italian, and Jewish
Diasporas), there is a dearth of information on Asian
Diasporas. Therefore, Asian American cultural organizations help to recognize these distinct community ties by implementing programs and projects that
not only preserve and promote culture, but also take
into account the struggles of Asian Americans.
While preserving and promoting culture, cultural
organizations should do so without Disneyfying
or exoticizing a neighborhoods culture (Chanchanit Martorell, personal communication, February 5,
2015). For instance, the Polynesian Cultural Center
in Hawaii has been highly criticized by scholars as
Disneyfied and as an inaccurate portrayal of Polynesian culture (Desmond, 1999). Therefore, it was
crucial to operationally define cultural institutions
so that the report can focus on organizations that

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clearly protects, honors, and promotes a neighborhoods culture without exoticizing it.
Cultural organizations should be sustained because
they are vital to the development of Asian American communities. For the past several years, there
has been a greater influx of Asian immigrants in the
United States (Overberg, 2014). It is not a coincidence that Asian American organizations have also
experienced rapid growth following this massive
immigration: a growing Asian American population provides these organizations with more sustaining power. (Hung & Ong, 2012). Hung and
Ong (2012) argue, however, that although older
organizations may struggle to adapt to these changing demographics, younger organizations are most
vulnerable. Therefore, cultural organizations need
new approaches to keep themselves and their ethnic
neighborhoods viable.

P r e s e r v i ng Ethnic Neighborhoods through Cultural Institutions

Little Saigon businesses

Photo: Sinh Nguyen

REPORT FINDINGS
Using 16 interviews and secondary data, we present 3 major findings about community involvement,
partnerships with schools, and audience engagement. Many of these organizations had similar experiences with trying to stay viable through multifaceted projects. Nevertheless, they found several
strategies to connect with other organizations and
cultivate their membership.
1. Community partnerships within and outside
the targeted neighborhood can increase an organizations viability.
These partnerships can include organizations, advocacy groups, and churches. Interviewees who developed a variety of partnerships benefited from greater
publicity, volunteer recruitment, and financial assistance. Partnerships within and outside of the ethnic
community provide a range of benefits, which is explained below.
A majority of the cultural organizations that were

interviewed collaborate with organizations within

their ethnic community. For example, Andy Matsuda from the Sushi Chef Institute partners with Japanese organizations in Torrance to increase support
for a campaign. Specifically, he hopes to help pass a
regulation that requires sushi chefs to wear gloves,
a sanitary practice traditionally performed in Japan
(A. Matsuda, personal communication, February 20,
2015). Alison Kochiyama from the Gardena Japanese Cultural Institute (JCI) also works with other
Japanese organizations to network across Southern
California (A. Kochiyama, personal communication, February 17, 2015). Student organizations also
found it useful to network with their respective ethnic organizations to exchange ideas and connect for
resources (J. Luna, personal communication, March
11, 2015).
Other interviewees described the benefits of connecting across ethnic and racial communities. For
example, Meg Thorton, the previous director of
Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) in the

13

FilAm ARTS annual festival

Photo: Chris (Flickr)

1980s, referenced strong partnerships with other

Asian American and Latino organizations; some of
these organizations helped SIPA raise funds for programs that targeted youth involved in gangs, drugs,
and prostitution (personal communication, March
13, 2015). Luan Vu from Vit Cm Dance/Lc Hng
Dance similarly commented that it was important to
work with other communities: I have to open my
arm up, everyone is friends. And when I need help,
they help me. When they need help, I help them
(personal communication, January 28, 2015).
These connections can also help with promoting
events. Melany De La Cruz-Viesca commented that
FilAm ARTS works with African American organizations to coordinate an African American market
event. Simultaneously, FilAm ARTS is able to publicize the annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture, their largest fundraiser (M. De La Cruz-Viesca,
personal communication, March 10, 2015). Similarly, in addition to the Pilipino community, Joshua
Jose from Tribal Caf reaches out to local African
American and Latino communities to hold events,
fundraiser, and open-mic nights to showcase the
neighborhoods diversity (M. De La Cruz-Viesca,

14

personal communication, March 14, 2015). Cooperating with other organizations outside of the ethnic
community presents more opportunities to promote
culture.
Some organizations worked with churches and other
religious institutions for additional resources. For
example, Trng Vit Ng is a program held at a
church, which connects members with other racial
and ethnic groups, including Latino and Pilipino
people who attend the same church. These other
groups have provided assistance with funding and
volunteersit is through donations from parents
and fundraisers, were able to rent out spaces for our
services and programs (C. Mai, personal communication, February 20, 2015). Melany from FilAm
ARTS also agrees that working with other organizations helps subsidize the cost of their events which is
one way they can overcome financial barriers.
Findings from these interviews have proven how important partnerships within and outside the ethnic
community are. Whether it is working with advocacy groups, or other cultural organizations, collaboration creates a mutual relationship where they can

P r e s e r v i ng Ethnic Neighborhoods through Cultural Institutions

depend on each other for help.
2. Cultural organizations have partnerships with
schools.
A majority of interviewees have worked closely
with students and teachers in their neighborhoods.
These volunteers not only assist with implementing
programs, but they also advise organizations. It also
helps organizations to remain viable with new generations to help with cultural preservation.

volunteers for their annual Tet festival (J. Huynh,

personal communication, January 26, 2015). There
are always students that want to become involved in
their own ethnic community. Therefore, many organizations have reached out to students and formed
partnerships with them. Since many cultural organizations are nonprofit, these volunteers are crucial
and needed to keep the organization viable.

There are several examples of how professors and

students can assist with programs. For example, Bich
Hai Vu described how local Vietnamese university
professors annually train Trng Vit Ng teachers
on language teaching skills. These trainings provide
techniques that Trng Vit Ng teachers can utilize
to engage their students in the language-learning
process (B. H. Vu, personal communication, February 23, 2015). SIPA and Tribal Caf have also worked
with local schools to help with program implementation. For example, SIPA partnered with Samahang
Pilipino at UCLA during the 1980s to teach youth
traditional Pilipino dances (M. Thornton, personal
communications, March 13, 2015). Tribal Caf has
also partnered with a UCLA Asian American group
to distribute organic vegetables to UCLA.
Student cultural organizations also collaborate with
other student organizations and schools for resources and volunteers. John Luna of Samahang Pilipino
at UCLA mentioned that his organization works
with other Pilipino organizations from other universities such as UC Irvine and USC. According to Krizelle Cuevas from Samahang Pilipino Culture Night
(SPCN), becoming partners with other campus organizations is helpful because they give each other
advice and provide assistance with facilities (personal communication, March 12, 2015). Similarly, the
United Vietnamese Student Association of Southern
California (UVSA) works with high schools and
universities within Southern California to recruit

Vi t C m D a n c e / L c H n g D a n c e
features various styles of dance. Luan
occasionally works with dancers from
different communities to choreograph
and teach his students.
Photo: Sinh Nguyen

15

B i l i n g u alism is adapted in this Trng Vi t N g

p r o g r a m. Instructions are often carried o u t i n
b o t h E n glish and Vietnamese so that stu d e n t s
c a n u n d erstand.
P h o t o : Sinh Nguye n

3. Cultural organizations engage the community

through public events based on the target audiences demographics and interests.
Interviewees recognized that keeping events interesting for the audience is essential to sustain their
organizations. While organizations may target different audiences, Melany from FilAm ARTS emphasized how important it is to divide and distinguish
the audience (personal communication, March 10,
2015). The audience can be within or outside the
ethnic community and can be divided by age range
or generation. Joshua from Tribal Caf and Meg
from SIPA also utilize this technique. Their cultural
organizations were able to identify what would draw
a large crowd to their events ranging from food to
contemporary mainstream popular phenomena.
These findings also showed that bilingual events and
programs interest a diverse group of people.
Recognizing what interests the audience and community is key to planning events or programs. For

16

example, Andy from the Sushi Chef Institute found

that people are more interested in food (personal
communication, February 20, 2015). If the goal is to
solicit active participation, then organizations can
capitalize on refreshments and food at their events.
SIPA also used arts to help engage youth. For example, Meg described how youth made Christmas
parols, which are traditional Pilipino crafts. She believes that arts and culture speaks to the soul and
is an outlet that people need (M. Thornton, personal
communication, March 13, 2015). Offering these
cultural activities not only engages the audience but
it also preserves culture by teaching them about traditional crafts and activities.
Other organizations have incorporated history
into their events to reach a broader proportion of
their target community. For example, the Japanese
American National Museum (JANM) hosted a Japanese Concentration Camp exhibit that was very
successful, according to Clement Hanami. Hanami
mentioned that the exhibit was most rewarding because it really engaged the largest possible audience
of Japanese Americans that I have ever been able to
experience (personal communication, February 3,
2015). This exhibit has been particularly successful
because it preserves an important part of Japanese
American history and also has the potential to be a
cathartic and thought-provoking. This demonstrates
how JANM engages the interests of the audience to
promote the Japanese culture and history, as well as
the organization itself.
Other organizations have also included bilingual
programs. For example, there are language barriers
among Vietnamese Americans. To engage their audience, Trng Vit Ng has shifted to include bilingual programs. Cay commented that with both languages, its easier for students to understand and for
them to understand and be more engaged (personal
communication, February 20, 2015). Every member can understand and converse with one another

P r e s e r v i ng Ethnic Neighborhoods through Cultural Institutions

which is crucial in community programs.
Trng Vit Ng also understands that children often are not as interested in learning the Vietnamese
language. As a result, the organization tries to be creative by incorporating cultural games and arts and
crafts in their language programs (C. V. Cao, personal communication, February 23, 2015). They also
incorporate field trips to festivals, holiday caroling,
and volunteer events to encourage students to practice Vietnamese while interacting with students or
elders. The organization is creative in their programs
by designing them to meet several target audiences
and promote Vietnamese culture.
As Alison from JCI described, it is important to find
how programs and events are relevant to today and
in their lives (A. Kochiyama, personal communication, February 17, 2015). Organizations have worked
to develop to develop programs that are not just culturally relevant, but also interesting to their target
audience using a number of tactics and strategies. By
engaging more target groups, organizations also simultaneously remain viable and develop their membership base.

17

Historic Pilipinotown Mural

Photo: Kenny Chang

RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings, this project recommends
three actions for SJA:
1. Use community partnerships
and multiple methods to
publicize their organization
and events.
2. Reach out to students and
professors.
3. Organize events to cater to
different target audiences.
Each action is discussed in further detail below.
1. SJA should use community partnerships and
multiple methods to publicize their organization
and events.
SJA has successfully created a number of community partners, including the Japanese Institute of
Sawtelle and the local churches and temples in the
neighborhood. The following describes additional

18

ways to strengthen these partnerships through social media and other nontraditional ways. Although
SJA already works with other organizations within
Sawtelle, we also recommend that they outreach to
organizations and leaders outside of Sawtelle.
Many organizations used social media as a way to
publicize their organization and events, particularly
because it effectively targets youth. Andy mentioned
that his institute is a Google top search which is how
people hear about his program. In order to become
a top search on Google, SJA must become more active on social media and create hashtags that will
trend them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram.
Therefore, SJA could create their own website and
create a Twitter and Instagram. On these social media applications, SJA can create a photo campaign
where students from schools, programs, and community meetings can hashtag SJA (#SJA) and participate in giveaways. They can continue to publicize their cause and events on Facebook, which also
features a Promote Page or Promote Website

P r e s e r v i ng Ethnic Neighborhoods through Cultural Institutions

function. For a minimal fee, this function will allow
SJA to publicize their page or website to Facebook
users within and outside Sawtelle.
SJA can also use a combination of other ways to publicize themselves. For example, Andy from the Sushi
Chef Institute said:
In the beginning...no one show up...My challenges are I need to expose myself. So I go to
event, I need to meet people, I hand out, trade
shows...advertising newspapersmajor stations. That is the challenge is who I am and
what I am doing to expose (personal communication, February 20, 2015).
For Andy, non-traditional marketing entails networking, cooking demonstrations, printed advertisements, and radio stations. SJA should adopt
some of these methods by attending community
networking events and publicizing their events and
programs through printed media.
By combining social media and print media, SJA
can divide the audience, which JCI, FilAm ARTS,
and SIPA described. This technique uses multiple
techniques to target different audiences and generations. Print media is helpful for older generations
and newer immigrants, while social media connects
with younger community members. In addition to
newsletters and print materials, SJA can hang banners at Japanese supermarkets and stores including
Nijiya and Daiso. For example, FilAm ARTS hangs
large ethnic media flyers in popular Pilipino supermarkets and stores to target other community members who are newly immigrated.
Another way for SJA to publicize is through television and radio stations. For example, Vit Cm
Dance/Lc Hng Dance connects with local television stations which publicize his dance program and
performances. Therefore, SJA can connect with LA

18, Los Angeles Asian language TV station, which

is located near Sawtelle. In addition to broadcasting
commercials and news, LA 18 features a community
events calendar on their website that SJA can utilize.
Additionally, SJA can use local public radio to raise
awareness about their campaigns and events. For
example, 89.3 KPCC-FM is the largest public radio
station in Southern California and has Immigration
and Emerging Communities reporters, who oftentimes report stories about Asian Americans.
It is highly recommended that SJA continues to
publicize their organization and programs through
multiple mediums. Outreaching and building more
relationships creates more volunteers and financial
assistance which is vital to maintaining an organization. Social media and other non-traditional ways of
networking and advertising their organization and
programs helps them become more successful in incorporating the entire community into preserving
Sawtelle.
2. Reach out to students and professors.
As previously mentioned, many interviewees
worked with schools and universities. There are
several schools and specific professors that SJA can
reach out to and get them involved in the organization and the Japanese American community.
SJA can work with professors who share similar
goals of preserving and promoting Japanese American culture and history. Similar to this project, SJA
can work with other UCLA Asian American Studies
Department professors who have expertise in community development and Japanese American Studies. They can also reach out to Professor Renee Tajima-Pena who teaches the EthnoCommunications
course, where students create community-based
documentaries. These professors can offer students
projects or assignments to connect students with
SJA while also providing SJA with extra volunteers.

19

There are also several Japanese language professors

and teachers at schools such as UCLA, El Camino
College, and a few high schools in Torrance that have
a large Japanese American population. For example,
Professor Yoshida and Lopez are Japanese language
professors at El Camino College. Both professors are
passionate about sharing their knowledge of the Japanese language and culture. North High and South
High both offer an extensive Japanese language program for high school teachers. SJA can connect with
these language teachers to become more involved
with SJAs services and programs. Professors can also
publicize SJA events to students.
SJA can also reach out to Japanese American student
organizations in high schools and colleges across Los

Gardena Japanese Cultural Institute

Photo: C. Aujean Lee

20

Angeles. Specifically, SJA can connect with Japanese

American students and organizations at El Camino
College. There are also several student organizations
nearby, including UCLAs and USCs Nikkei Student
Union (NSU). These student organizations can help
to volunteer for events and teach SJA about social
media. Similar to SIPA, these students can also connect with the Japanese Institute of Sawtelle around
taiko and other cultural events to build a stronger
connection between the Sawtelle neighborhood and
these universities.
This year, Asian Pacific Coalition (APC), a coalition
of 24 Asian American and Pacific Islander student
groups at UCLA, will hold a night market event in
May. This event celebrates Asian Pacific American

P r e s e r v i ng Ethnic Neighborhoods through Cultural Institutions

Heritage Month. Last year, APC was able to connect with over 800 student participants. Local community organizations and leaders were also invited
and tabled at the event, which helped them connect
with students. While this event may not annually occur, similar events can help SJA recruit volunteers.
SJA can also work to organize smaller events with
student organizations, such as speaking at a board
meeting about SJA and their campaigns.
To build their programs and support base, SJA can
connect with students and professors. As previously
mentioned, many students would be willing to volunteer and become involved in the community. SJA
should also partner with Japanese American and
Asian American student organizations and professors to recruit and grow their organization.
3. Create events based on target audience interests.
As described in the findings section, many organizations work to target multiple audiences. To do so,
SJA can implement a survey and other interesting
programs to build their base. The following explains
several examples in more detail.
To learn about their audience and their interests, SJA
can create surveys. Nina from UVSA recommended looking at [audience] demographics a little bit
more closely and see how to integrate their programming to better serve their demographics (personal
communication, January 26, 2015). Therefore, SJA
should identify the demographics of their targeted
audience and from there, they can find the interests
of that audience. Even though the Japanese language
school attendance has been decreasing, SJA could
outreach to people from other communities that
might be interested in learning the language because
of the increased popularity of anime and manga. Because of anime and manga, people have found that
the Japanese language is relevant and something that
they can relate to easily.

JCI emphasizes the importance of the Japanese language in preserving culture. Alison sees that A lot
of the young people became interested in Japanese
language because they wanted to get more involved
in anime and manga (personal communication,
February 20, 2015). Finding out what people are
interested in is key in creating programs that cater
to the community. Based off of Alisons finding, SJA
can use more manga and anime in their programs
and events to attract more people.
Trng Vit Ng, TNTT, and UVSA create fun programs to engage the community while promoting
the Vietnamese culture. For example, Lunar New
Year is a communal celebration that involves collaboration among Vietnamese organizations. Bich
Hai from Trng Vit Ng found that to keep them
interested...for Lunar New Year...I try to tell them
about background, and bring typical foods we would
eat. Of course they love food and money origami for
good luck money for the New Year.
UVSA holds a festival for Lunar New Year that attracts over 100,000 participants annually: they work
in partnership with student and community organizations to hold booths, programs, and activities that
cater to both the younger and older generations. Although the Vietnamese culture is very different from
the Japanese culture, SJA can work to create similar
programs and ideas that would engage the youth
with the Japanese culture. Food is always a great way
to attract people to an event.
Japanese food in particular has become very trendy:
SJA can incorporate food into their programs as a
way to bring the community together and promote
the Japanese culture. Incorporating food can make a
program fun, which is something that organizations
such as Trng Vit Ng aims for during traditional
holidays, and should also be a goal for SJA. SJA can
create a Taste of Sawtelle program where visitors
not only tour Sawtelle, but also sample different
foods from local restaurants along the way.

21

Torrance Mitsuwa Summer Festival Photo: jessicahtam (Flickr)

SJA should not limit their programs to Japanese

Americans. According to interviewees from JCI,
SPCN, and FilAm Arts, programs are successful when they are accessible to the general public.
Specifically, FilAm ARTS encourages non-Pilipino
families to attend their annual festival and SPCN
welcomes students from all ethnic backgrounds
to participate or attend their culture night. SJA
should follow this recommendation because it creates awareness about the Japanese culture and gets a
larger and more diverse audience.
It is important to be mindful of the current Japanese
American demographics: a significant percentage of
Japanese Americans is mixed race. Therefore, Japanese organizations such as SJA should get those individuals more involved in their programs so they
can learn more about the Japanese culture. Alison
recommended the following:
The way to bring in especially the younger
generation; the population that were really

22

missing in our center; is to be more proactive in developing in programs of their interests and and try to do more outreach and
get them involved and actually involve even
developing programs that they can relate to.
We cant just be passive...we have to be there
to actually make opportunities available for
them to feel part of this (personal communication, February 20, 2015).
Meg from SIPA also agrees with Andy. While it is
important to preserve traditional Japanese culture,
SJA should look for similarities that they share with
other cultures and create partnerships with them for
programming and support. Therefore, it is important for SJA to be proactive and find what the interests of those individuals are and then incorporate
them into programs and events. SJA should engage
the youth with the older generations through these
programs and events that both generations can relate to and find interesting. They can find common
interests within groups or in the overall community.

P r e s e r v i ng Ethnic Neighborhoods through Cultural Institutions

SJA and Asian American Stud i e s s t u d e n t s

Photo: C. Aujean Lee

CONCLUSION
After conducting sixteen interviews across Little Saigon, Historic Pilipinotown, and Torrance/Gardena, this
paper presented three recommendations to SJA. The recommendations emphasized community involvements within and outside the targeted ethnic community, partnerships with student organizations and professors from nearby schools, and events that reflect the audiences demographics and interests.
Attempting to define the extensive breadth of culture and subsequently making recommendations to promote the spirit of culture was no simple task. The efficacy of programs offered by cultural organizations
in Little Saigon, Historic Pilipinotown, and Torrance/Gardena were analyzed to provide proper context to
Sawtelle Japantowns cultural preservation and promotion. Through a comprehensive analysis of these interviews and literary sources, this report identified key topics for constructive conversations with regards to the
advancement of SJA and other cultural organizations across Southern California.

23

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APPENDICES
A p p e n d ix A: METHODOLOGY
A total of 16 interviews were conducted in three target neighborhoods: Little Saigon, Gardena/Torrance,
and Historic Pilipinotown. Organizations were identified as those that met the cultural institutions criteria
described in previous sections. Most organizations were identified through internet searches, while others
were recommended by other interviewees or class instructors. Three interviews were conducted over Skype,
while the other 13 were in-person at either the organization or convenient public area. A total of 17 organizations were initially contacted, but some were not available or did not respond to requests for interviews.
In the end, 13 organizations were included in the study. Two interviews were conducted in Vietnamese, and
transcripts were translated by one of the students. The other 14 interviews were conducted in English.
The following provides more detailed information about the key research questions, each target neighborhood, and the interviewed organizations. The neighborhoods are Asian American areas in Los Angeles
County and Orange County. This section also includes materials used during the interviews, including the
consent form, interview guide and script, interview questions, and field notes. In developing the protocol
and research questions, two beta tests were done. These interviews help to understand patterns in challenges
and successes that Asian cultural institutions experience in remaining viable.
Key Research Questions
The research questions targeted community leaders who are involved with cultural organizations. The following lists the key research questions. However, based on the interviewees experiences, some questions are
not answered as in-depth as other questions.
What keeps a cultural organization viable?
What are effective ways of publicizing and outreaching to the community?
What are some ways to overcome financial barriers?
What are some effective techniques to promote culture?
Case Studies
The selected ethnic neighborhoods are located in Southern Orange County, specifically Garden Grove and
Westminster for Little Saigon, Los Angeles for Historic Pilipinotown, and Garden/Torrance for the Japanese
American community.

28

Little Saigon, Orange County

Saigon is the former name of the capital of the former South Vietnam, where a large number of first-generation Vietnamese immigrants originate (Mazumdar, Docuyanan, & McLaughlin, 2000). Located in Orange
County, California, Little Saigon was first formed in Westminster and then spread to the adjacent city of
Garden Grove (Do, 2008). There are more than 189,000 Vietnamese Americans, the highest concentration
in any U.S. city (Ablaza & Morino, 2013). Also, 31% of Garden Grove residents and 37% of Westminsters
residents are Vietnamese American (Ablaza & Morino, 2013). Their neighboring cities, Santa Ana and
Fountain Valley, also have large populations of Vietnamese Americans (Vontz, 2006). However, researchers
are focusing only on the official Little Saigon, which is located in Westminster and Garden Grove (Do, 2008).
Around 1978, Vietnamese businesses began to establish and spread into adjacent Garden Grove, Stanton,
Fountain Valley, Anaheim, and Santa Ana (Tran, 2004). In 1988, a freeway sign was placed on the Garden
Grove Freeway (State Route 22) designating the exits leading to Little Saigon (Estrella, 2007). Today, a commemorative stone sign marks the official entrance to Little Saigon in Garden Grove, California (Mazumdar,
Docuyanan, & McLaughlin, 2000). The main focus of Little Saigon is Bolsa Avenue center in Westminster,
where Asian Garden Mall and Little Saigon Plaza are considered the heart of the community (Do, 2008).
Additionally, Little Saigon is lined with over 200 family-owned restaurants, Vietnamese supermarkets, Vietnamese banks, and professional offices of doctors, dentists, lawyers, accountants, and other businesses who
speak Vietnamese (Balassone, 2005).

The Little Saigon commemorative sign welcomes visitors and residents to the officially
designated Little Saigon.
Map: Google Maps
Photo: Sinh Nguyen

29

Gardena/Torrance
Gardena has the highest percentage of Japanese in North America outside of Hawaii Japanese Americans
comprise more than a fifth of the citys population (Goodman, 1989). Torrance also has a large Japanese
American population, or 147,027 in 2013. We selected both cities because of the large Japanese American
concentration and their close proximity to each other. South Gardena is very close to the city of Torrance,
which is why both Gardena and Torrance was examined for this research.
About 59% of Asian Americans in Torrance are foreign-born, which creates demand for Asian businesses
and organizations. There are a variety of Japanese corporations in Torrance including Toyota, All Nippon
Airlines, and Japan Tiger Corporation USA. In addition to these large companies, there are Japanese markets, schools, churches, and festivals that help preserve the Japanese culture.
Historically, Gardenas Japanese Americans played an important role in the farming industry (County of Los
Angeles Public Library, 2015). All of the Japanese living in Gardena during WWII were sent to the internment camps (County of Los Angeles Public Library, 2015). Even after the return of Japanese Americans and
migration out of Gardena, some of the Japanese organizations and businesses have remained and helped
preserve language, foods, and customs (see The Trajectory of Japanese American Neighborhoods report
for more information about Japanese American neighborhoods).

Source: Google Maps

Historic Pilipinotown
This neighborhood has approximately 25,000 persons, and 60% of residents are Latino while 25% of residents are Pilipino American (Historic Pilipinotown Neighborhood Council, 2011). Pilipino Americans are
now minorities in Historic Pilipinotown; Historic Pilipinotown would be a good case study since the demographic trend of Pilipino Americans follows a similar path relative to the dwindling population of Japanese
Americans in Sawtelle. Historic Pilipinotown received its designation due to the fact that it was one of the
first areas of settlement amongst Pilipinos entering America.

30

Many Pilipino organizations are also located within the neighborhood which adds to the presence of Pilipino Americans in Pilipinotown such as the Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA). There is a current
project underway to construct a permanent building for the Pilipino American Library (Historic Pilipinotown Neighborhood Council, 2011). Similar to Budokan in Little Tokyo, it aims to preserve and promote
culture by bringing younger generations to the neighborhood and interact with Pilipino history and literature. The Pilipino American Library contains a compilation of published and unpublished materials on the
history of Pilipinos in Los Angeles. This collection includes books, reports, memorandums, periodicals, and
programs (USC Libraries, 2015). Studying these cultural works will help Historic Pilipinotown preserve its
culture and history.

Source: Google Maps

Targeted Organizations
The following organizations (see Table 1) were selected based on this studys definition and criteria of cultural institutions.
United Vietnamese Student Association (UVSA) Southern Orange County
UVSA is a student community-based organization committed to cultural awareness, educating peers, and
community service (UVSA Southern, n.d.). Founded in 1982 to organize socially and politically high school
and college students, UVSA is also comprised of working professionals, alumni, and educators. UVSA
Southern California represents dozens of schools across Southern California. This organization holds various programs, but the focus is on UVSAs biggest program of the year: Little Saigon Tet Festival. Held annually for Lunar New Year, the Little Saigon Tet Festival located in Garden Grove is one of largest Tet
Festival in the world, attracting over 100,000 guests (UVSA SoCal, 2015). UVSA aims to educate both the
Vietnamese American community and the general public about traditional Vietnamese traditions, practices,
and values (UVSA SoCal, 2015).

31

Table 1. Interviewee Informati o n a n d A f f i l i a t e d O r g a n i z a t i o n s

Neighborhood

Organization

Position

Torrance & Gardena

Sushi Chef Institute

Andy
Matsuda

Educator

Torrance & Gardena

Japanese Cultural Institute

Alison
Kochiyama

Executive Director

Little Saigon

Tr ng Vit Ng, Cng

Saddleback Valley

on

Cay Mai

Instructors Assistant

Little Saigon

Tr ng Vit Ng, Cng

Saddleback Valley

on

Bich Hai Vu

Instructor

Little Saigon

Tr ng Vit Ng, Cng

Saddleback Valley

Cam Van Cao

Principal

Little Saigon

Thiu Nhi Thnh Th ( TNTT),

Cn g on Saddleback

Tony Nguyen

Executive Youth
Coordinator

Little Saigon

United Vietnamese Student

Association (UVSA) of
Southern California

Nina Tran

Former President

Little Saigon

United Vietnamese Student

Association (UVSA) of
Southern California

Julie Huynh

Social Media
Coordinator/Webmast
er

Little Saigon

Vit C m Dance/Lc Hn g
Dance

Luan Vu

Director/Main
Choreographer

Sawtelle Japantown

Sawtelle Japantown
Association (SJA)

Randy
Sakamoto

Little Tokyo

Japanese American National

Museum (JANM)

Clement
Hanami

Vice President of
Operations and Art
Director

Historic Pilipinotown

FilAm ARTS

Melany De La
Cruz-Viesca

Director

Historic Pilipinotown

Samahang Pilipino at UCLA

John Luna

Cultural Coordinator

Historic Pilipinotown

Samahang Pilipino Culture

Night (SPCN) at UCLA

Krizelle
Cuevas

Executive Producer

Historic Pilipinotown

Tribal Caf

Joshua Jose

Owner

Historic Pilipinotown

Search to Involve Pilipino

Americans (SIPA)

Meg Thornton

Director (1980s)

Note: Com piled by authors

32

Name

on

Vit Cm Dance/Lc Hng Dance

Before the performing arts school was built, Vit Cm Dance/Lc Hng was a dance group formed in 1988
by former music instructors from the Vietnamese National Conservatory of Music in Saigon and Vietnamese musicians living in Orange County (Vit Cm Dance, 2012). The group expanded, and opened up a
performing arts center in the heart of Little Saigon (Kornhaber, 2010). Students perform for Vietnamese
and non-Vietnamese audiences. The group has competed internationally, including Canada and Australia.
Notably, the center has trained dancers to perform in well-known Vietnamese music and TV productions,
such as Thuy Nga Productions, a prestigious recording studio and music production in the overseas Vietnamese music world (Kornhaber, 2010). The centers mission is to develop and promote Vietnamese traditional music and dance throughout the United States (Vit Cm Dance, 2012).
Kito Vua Parish
Kito Vua parish is the Vietnamese congregation of Saint Columban Catholic Church, located in Garden
Grove, and is one of largest Vietnamese communities across Southern Orange County (Loc, 2015). One of
its weekly programs is Trng Vit Ng, a language program that teaches Vietnamese. Although the majority of participants are Vietnamese, this program is open to the general public as well. The goals of this program are to preserve and promote Vietnamese culture by teaching Vietnamese language (Loc, 2015). While
Cay Mai, a teachers assistance, was initially contacted, Cay connected researchers to Bich Hai Vu and Cam
Van Cao, two Vietnamese language teachers in the Trng Vit Ng chapter of St. Nicholas parish. The St.
Nicholas parish serves the small Vietnamese community of Southern Orange County Laguna Woods and its
neighboring cities (Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, and Tustin). The Trng Vit Ng chapter of St.
Nicholas Parish was included in the study as a way to compare the language program experiences in both a
large and small Vietnamese community.
Thiu Nhi Thnh Th (TNTT), Kito Vua Chapter
TNTT, or the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Society, is a Catholic non-profit organization that teaches youth
to become better people and educate youth about Vietnamese culture (Thiu Nhi Thnh Th, 2014). While
the Eucharistic Crusade was founded by Pere Bessiere, it was brought to Hanoi, Vietnam, by the Sulpicians
in 1929. By the 1960s, it became an organized association in Vietnam (Thiu Nhi Thnh Th, 2014). During the Vietnam War, the Societys activities temporarily ceased. However, with Vietnamese refugees, it
become re-established in the United States. There are about 15,000 members in 70 Vietnamese American
Catholic communities and parishes under the direction of 1,300 coordinating-leaders and chaplains (Thiu
Nhi Thnh Th, 2014). The Kito Vua chapter, located in Garden Grove, and Westminster chapter, located in
Westminster, are among the biggest chapters internationally (Thiu Nhi Thnh Th, 2014).
Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institution
JCI has served the Japanese American community for over 40 years. They offer social, cultural, and educational programs (Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute, n.d.). JCI also has a language school and other
programs for people of all ages, including martial arts, Japanese dance and art, sports, and boy scouts (Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute, n.d.). This organization qualifies as a cultural institution because it
raises awareness and promotes Japanese cultural activities such as martial art and dance.

33

Sushi Chef Institute

Located in Torrance, the Sushi Chef Institute offers classes on how to make sushi and traditional Japanese
food. Chef Andy Matsuda, the instructor, has appeared in several newspapers, magazines, and television
shows. We included the institute because students learn about Japanese culture and cuisine. On a daily basis,
individuals come to the sushi school for a one-day workshop to learn more about Japanese cuisine (Sushi
Chef Institute, 2010).
Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA)
Founded in 1972, SIPA aims to increase the quality of life of Pilipino Americans in Historic Pilipinotown
and Los Angeles County. Their services promote Pilipino American economic self-sufficiency, educational
attainment, and civic engagement, as well as health, welfare, political and cultural empowerment, thereby
increasing community involvement (Search to Involve Pilipino Americans, 2015). According to their Executive Director, SIPA seeks to build mutually beneficial relationships by partnering with other organizations
(Search to Involve Pilipino Americans, 2015). SIPAs perspective could be crucial to SJA as SIPA is currently
working to transform into a Pilipinotown Community & Cultural Center, which is similar to SJA attempting
to create a cultural center in Sawtelle.
Tribal Caf
Originally called Travelers Caf, this caf was frequented by the famous labor organizer and writer Carlos
Bulosan along with other writers and Pilipinos. Travelers Caf operated from the 1940s to 1980s. Originally
at Temple and Figueroa at the heart of Little Manila, the caf moved to its current site at Temple and Union
during the 1950s and is now home to Tribal Caf and Sunday Jump, an open mic series held every first and
third Sundays, making Tribal Caf a popular cultural hub in Los Angeles (Tribal Caf, 2015).
Samahang Pilipino at UCLA
Samahang Pilipino is a multi-faceted student organization that addresses the needs of the Pilipino and Pilipino American community at UCLA and the greater Los Angeles area. Since 1972, Samahangs mission is
to develop student leaders who will organize, advocate, and provide services for themselves and the community, while strengthening relationships with other communities on and off campus (Samahang Pilipino at
UCLA, n.d.). They create opportunities to dialogue about diversity and foster cultural empowerment.
Samahang Pilipino Culture Night (SPCN) at UCLA
The history of Samahang Pilipino Cultural Nights (SPCN) originated from the Pilipino Far West Conventions held in the West Coast during the early 1970s and 1980s (Samahang Pilipino at UCLA, n.d.). At UCLA,
Samahang Pilipino adopted the educational cultural drama of these Far West Conventions and created annual large-scale presentations that highlighted various community issues and historical events. These cultural presentations developed into SPCN, which provides students a space to learn about themselves, their
histories, and their communities, as well as express that growing knowledge to a larger community beyond
campus. It is a space where students can learn about Pilipino culture (Samahang Pilipino at UCLA, n.d.).

34

Association for the Advancement of Pilipino American Arts and Culture (FilAm ARTS)
FilAm ARTSs mission is to advance the arts and diverse cultural heritage of Pilipinos through arts services, presentation, and education (Association for the Advancement of Pilipino American Arts and Culture,
n.d.). This organization offers three programs: Eskuwela Kultura (EK), Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture
(FPAC), and Pilipino Artist Network (PAN). EK is an education program that encourage youth to share their
stories and empower them to develop art (Association for the Advancement of Pilipino American Arts and
Culture, n.d.). FPAC is the largest festival of Philippine arts and culture in Southern California and attracts
more than 25,000 attendees. FPAC is created by a group of 50 volunteer professionals and involves more
than 400 volunteers. PAN is a California-statewide capacity-building initiative for Pilipino American artists
in arts/cultural disciplines: dance, music, literary arts, visual arts, theater, media arts, traditional arts, arts
education, and arts presenters.
Japanese American National Museum (JANM)
JANM is the largest museum dedicated to preserving and sharing the experiences of Japanese Americans.
Working alongside various organizations and diverse communities, JANM provides a venue for community events, holds archives related to Japanese Americans, and presents exhibits related to Asian Americans
and Japan (JANM, 2015). Major projects and units include: Discover Nikkei, National Conferences, Arts
Innovation, National Center for Preservation of Democracy, and U.S.-Japan Programs. Additionally, the
museum highlights the Japanese experience within an international context it showcases the diasporic
experiences of Japanese (Japanese American National Museum, 2015).

35

A p p e n d ix B: INTERVIEW PROTOCOL
Participant Consent Form
University of California, Los Angeles
CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH INTERVIEW
ROLE OF CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN ETHNIC NEIGHBORHOODS
Students of the UCLA Asian American Studies Department are conducting research on the role of
cultural institutions in preserving and promoting ethnic neighborhoods. You were selected to be
a participant in this research because you are part of a cultural organization that this located in an
ethnic neighborhood.
What is the purpose of this study?
The purpose of our research project led by undergraduate students of the Asian American Studies Department is to examine the role of cultural institutions in ethnic neighborhoods. With
the information from our interview, we hope to provide recommendations to our client, Sawtelle
Japantown Association (SJA). Your help would assist in informing how SJA can work to preserve
the historical and cultural aspects of Sawtelle.
What happens if I take part in this research study?
You will be asked to answer a series of questions by a student researcher. The interview will take
approximately 30-60 minutes. You will be asked about your organization and what you do for the
community.
Are there any potential risks that I may experience from this study?
There are no potential risks that are expected. However, if you feel uncomfortable at any time during our conversation, you can refrain from answering the questions or withdraw from the study.
The interview will also be audio-recorded so that we can reference your answers accurately in our
report. The audio file will be kept confidential and stored in a password-locked folder we will not
release the audio-recording or allow anyone outside our group to have access to it. The file will be
deleted as soon as we finish our report. If you feel uncomfortable with it at any time during the
interview, please let me know and I will turn it off. Your name and organization will be put into our
report, unless requested otherwise.
Are there any benefits if I participate?
You are not expected to directly benefit by participating in this study. By giving recommendations
to SJA, your input will benefit the Sawtelle community in the future. At your request, a copy of the
final report will be emailed to you.

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Will my participation remain confidential?

You are allowed to identify any information that you would like to remain confidential.
Who do I contact if I have questions about the study?
Candice Lau, Sinh Nguyen, or Jackie Tieu
You will be given a copy of this Consent Form for your records.
VERBAL CONSENT
As a voluntary participant in this study, I have read and understand the consent form. I verify that I
am 18 years of age or older, and have been given a copy of this consent form. I also give permission
for the interview to be audio-recorded.

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Interview Guide
University of California, Los Angeles
Asian Neighborhoods and Official Designation in Los Angeles County
Opening Script
I would like to thank you for meeting with me today. My name is __________ and I am a researcher
with UCLAs Asian American Studies capstone course. For our group project, I am conducting interviews in the [Little Saigon, Historic Pilipino Town, or Torrance/Gardena] neighborhood. During
the interview, please feel free to ask me any questions.
First, as a research participant, we are required to have your verbal consent.
1. The purpose of this study is explained in this form, which is to research ethnic organizations and
then provide recommendations for Sawtelle Japanese Association (SJA).
2. The interview should last 30 60 minutes.
3. The consent form discusses your rights as a research participant. If you feel uncomfortable at
any time during the interview, you are allowed to withdraw from the interview or refrain from
answering the question.
4. This research project is voluntary. Since we may draw quotes from our conversation, please let us
know if there is any information you would like to remain confidential. If there is any information that you would like me to not release, please let me know.
5. The interview will be audio-recorded, unless you request otherwise. Only group members can
have access to the recording. The file will be stored in a password-locked folder and deleted as
soon as we finish our report.
6. Information is provided so that you may contact our research group for any questions or concerns.
Please take a few minutes to review the consent form. [When the participant is finished reading the
form, ask:]
Do you feel comfortable giving consent to participate in this study?
Do you feel comfortable being audio-recorded?
If theyre iffy about it, remind them of confidentiality
If no, then say:
Ill just be taking notes during our conversation
Before we move onto our interview, do you have any questions?

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INTERVIEWER:
DATE:
LOCATION:
INTERVIEWEE (Title and name):
Introduction
You are being interviewed because the organization that you work for is identified as a cultural
institution. Our project as a whole focuses on ethnic neighborhoods, so our conversation today
will give us a better understanding of how organizations such as yours help to preserve and promote
culture in Asian American neighborhoods.
Background Information
First, Im going to ask you some background questions.
1. How long have you worked here for?
a. Probe: [if applicable and you dont know the answer] What is your role in this organization?
b. Probe: How did you get involved with [organization or program]
c. Probe [before interview, do research. If their program has volunteers, ask them:]
How do you work with your volunteers to make sure that your [organization or
program] meets its goals?
d. Probe: [if applicable] How does your program fit into your organizations goals?
2. Probe: Have your organizations goals changed over time? If so, how?
3. What are your goals for the neighborhood and organization?
a. Probe: Why are these goals important to you?
Community Feedback and Partnerships
Now, were going to talk about community feedback and partnerships.
4. Which specific ethnic community or communities does [name of program] target?
a. Probe: How have people from these communities responded to [name of program]?
b. Probe: Have the goals of your [program or project] changed accordingly to these
community feedbacks?
5. We found out about your program through your organizations website. In your experiences,
what are some good ways to advertise your program?
a. Probe: In your experiences, what is the most effective method for outreaching to

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the community?
b. Probe: In outreaching, have you experienced any indifferences or unresponsiveness?
c. Probe: How has your organization worked to overcome this challenge?
6. Is your organization involved in other (not culturally oriented) community and/or neighborhood
activities (e.g., working with others on community/neighborhood beautification projects)?
7. For your program, what are some of the other ethnic organizations or leaders that you work
with?
a. Probe: Why is it helpful to work with these organizations or leaders?
b. Probe: How do you outreach to them?
c. Probe: How have they helped your program achieve its goals?
d. Probe: What types of programs have you held with them?
e.. Probe: What are some challenges you have found from working with these community partners or leaders?
Cultural Preservation and the Neighborhood
Were moving onto questions related to cultural preservation and your neighborhood
8. How do you define cultural preservation?
a. Probe: What types of cultural activities are offered by your organization?
b. Probe: Where are these activities are offered? (in what neighborhood, in what type
of building)
c. Probe: What are the types of people who participate? (number, ethnicity, location)
d. Probe: What are the recent trends in level of activities, participants and interest?
(increasing, declining, stable, etc.)
9. What do you believe are some of the challenges and opportunities in keeping cultural organizations viable?
a. Probe: How has your organization addressed these challenges?
10. Since youve been working, how has the neighborhood that you serve changed?
a. Probe: How have these changes impacted your program goals?

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Conclusion
Were wrapping up our interview with a few concluding questions.
11. Where do you see your neighborhood in five years?
a. Probe: Do you see your program goals changing?
b. Probe [If they mention new goals or programs in the future:] What kind of resources would you want to meet future goals?
c. Probe [if they mention new program:] How do you think a potentially new program
would fit into the future of your organization?
d. Probe: Are there any financial barriers that may hinder the success of your current
or future program?
e. Probe: How do you plan to overcome this financial challenge?
12. Probe: Do you think [ethnic neighborhood] will support this new program?
a. Probe: How do you plan to involve the community when planning these new programs?
b. Probe: What do you hope for from the future generations of this neighborhood?
c. Probe: As weve mentioned, we are working with the Sawtelle Japantown Association. If you could give advice to SJA, who is aiming to preserve culture in Sawtelle,
what would it be?
13. Would you be able to connect us to the ethnic institutions or leaders that you have worked with
or are currently working with?
Closing Script
Before I conclude the interview, is there anything else you would like to tell me about your community work, program, or organization?
Thank you so much for your time and responses. Weve learned so much about your organization
and neighborhood during this interview. The information that you provided will give helpful recommendations Sawtelle Japantown Association, and help the larger Asian American community
with preserving and promoting culture. If you have further comments or questions, feel free to
contact any of us.
[Turn off recording.]
[Add additional notes or comments about the interview and interviewee. Make sure notes are comprehensive so that emotions, characteristics, etc. are highlighted.]

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Field Notes
Fill this out ASAP!
1. How was the setting of the interview?
2. Were there any distractions or disruptions during the interview?
3. Were there any questions that interviewee struggled to answer?
4. Did you (the interviewer) feel comfortable during the interview? Why?
5. What are three words to describe your emotions during the interview?
6. What are three words to describe the interviewee during his/her interview?
7. Did the interviewee say any words or phrases that stood out to you particularly?
8. Did the interviewee display any characteristics that stood out to you? If so, what were they?

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J a p a n e se Institute of Sawtelle mural

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P h o t o : C. Aujean Lee