On this joyous occasion of Asian Festival in Chinatown we come together to acknowledge the truth that culture offers an abundance to celebrate! “The civilization of a nation is embodied in its cultural heritage, which should be maintained to preserve the nation’s own identity.” Chinatown has its own identity for all to recognize. Therefore, this festival stamps its brand and identity on the region.
California State University, Monterey Bay is privileged to be part of one of this state’s (if not our nation’s) rich cultural melting pots. Salinas Chinatown has a bountiful history. It is the largest extant Chinatown between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It contains a ‘root’ California story that is little known within and outside the local community. It has served as home to successive waves of immigrant labor who formed the backbone of California’s agricultural economy: Chinese in the 1860s; Japanese in the 1880s; Filipino in the 1920s; and Mexicans in the 1940s.