Making Census Of It: Asian Population Responds To Borough’s Offerings
As NY1 continues its week-long look at Staten Island’s 2010 Census results, we examine the borough’s Asian community which has seen a huge spike in population. Borough reporter Amanda Farinacci filed the following report.
Every Saturday morning dozens of Asian-American students pack the Staten Island Chinese School in New Springville. Young and old they come to learn one of many dialects.
In the last couple of years, enrollment at the school has peaked and so it should come as no surprise that the 2010 Census found that the Asian population has increased by 40 percent.
“Besides one Chinese school there’s another Chinese school on Staten Island. So you know the population is growing tremendously,” said Staten Island Chinese School Principal Julie Tam.
In fact, the Asian population has grown so much that it’s not just concentrated in one area. Rather, families are spread all over the borough, attracted to its affordable housing and educational opportunities for their children.
“Asian communities are very family oriented so they’re always looking out for the needs of their children. And so with the limited budget it makes better sense to get a better value with your money. I feel Staten Island can offer that,” said Borough Resident Thomas Chik.
Residents also link the growth to the number of Asian restaurants and churches that offer mass in their native languages, like the Chinese Christian Church in Castleton Corners.
“You find that this is really becoming a new community for folks to really settle and to have their children attending good schools here; that’s very important,” said Charles Wang of the Chinese Christian Church.
Because there is no Chinatown on Staten Island yet, many Asian families still travel to Chinatowns in Brooklyn or Manhattan on the weekends to get a taste of their native culture.
Several Asian supermarkets have opened and closed in recent years, but the one on South Avenue remains. Residents say it’s a sign the community is growing.
“One of the main draw of the well-established mainstream middle class Chinese whenever they think of moving up they always think of Staten Island first,” said James Hsu of the Staten Island Chinese American Club.