0:00 - Introductions, how she arrived in the US in 1976 from Hong Kong and referral to work in a garment factory and involvement with the garment union.
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1:30 - Talks about the garment factory changes through the years and declining work over time, especially after 9/11. Environment of the garment factory, experiences in different garment factories over her past 25 years as a garment worker. Discusses flexibility of garment work for childrearing.
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4:55 - Amount of work days post 9/11 compared to the past. Difficulties of new immigrants finding jobs outside of garment work, especially for those who do not know English. Involvement with garment union, reason for joining, description of benefits of union membership. Emphasizes the importance of union for family insurance plan discounts.
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9:23 - Purpose of union activities and meetings, garment factory environment following 9/11, impact on job availability, tightening security measures, and factory closures.
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12:48 - Reason for coming to the United States, comparison of work environment and culture in Hong Kong and United States. Husband’s work in the restaurant industry, feeling of loneliness when first arriving to the United States.
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17:51 - Experience with government assistance programs, living in Chinatown when initially arriving to the USA. Increasing cost of living compared to the past.
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21:06 - Change in immigrant population from Toishan peoples to mainland and Fujianese peoples over time. Comparison of attitudes and behaviors between older and newer immigrants. Current job opportunities outside of garment factory work, such as cleaning, babysitting, etc. Changing relationship between garment factory owner and workers. Details the changes in the factory environment, increasing government regulation and also lack of factory orders led to less worker leverage over owners.
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25:31 - Discusses her children and their careers working in white collar jobs. Children’s experience here within the US education system. Experience during the day of 9/11 Terrorist attack, describes her fears and uncertainty, witnessing the second plane crashing to the World Trade Center. Inability to get home due to transportation shutdown, forced to walk for hours to get back to home in Queens. Worry for her children and inability to call them.
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33:04 - Impact of 9/11 on her and children’s work and life. Changing impressions on the United States following the terrorist attacks. Hope for government involvement to maintain healthcare benefits for people affected by the attacks. Discussion on the difficulties of applying for citizenship now compared to before when sponsoring family members.
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39:47 - Talks about whether she was able to pass on her heritage and culture to her children. Describing children’s language proficiency and filial piety to her.
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42:24 - Experience with struggles of other peoples’ children struggling to assimilate to US schools and culture. Effects of family dynamics due to loss of steady income among her colleagues working in garment factory. Teenage delinquency as a result of parents busy working rather than attending to children.
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46:34 - Garment factory locations near Chinatown and its pollution to nearby residential housing and their conversion in to office space. Air quality for garment and restaurant workers.
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