1998_04 Insight April 1998

              The |L lew Majority
N
photo by Mrwako Murasawa
By Stive Echeverria, Jr.
In 1982 there were 8,000 Southeast
Asians in Fresno. Three years later ,
the numbers had more than tripled to 26,000. By
1995. about 55.000 Southeast Asian immigrants
lived in Fresno.
This kind of immigration helped Fresno's
population more than double in just 20 years from
202,400 in 1978 to 406.900 today.
"Fresno has been going through a population
explosion since the late 1970s," said
Dan Whitehtirst, a former Fresno
"The non-white population is growing at a
faster rate," said Cathy Chung, who works for the
Council of Fresno County Government and was
the city's demographer.
In fact, the Asian and Latino groups are the
fastest growing populations in Fresno. Between
1980 and 1990, the Asian population grew fastest - from 3 percent in 1980 to 12 percent in 1990.
The second fastest growing group. Latinos,
jumped from 24 percent
o 30 percent. The n
Mayor. "The large influx of South- * FfeSTlO IS CL ber of wni,es declined
east Asian refugees has been one of from 63 percent in 1980
the significant components of that cff\c%fi t>\~ftni 1llt> f%f ,0 49 percent in 1990.
erowth." g«WM K^UlllfSl*: %Jl Fresno's African-Ameri-
Historian Wayne Merchen said the Valley's
agricultural-based economy has been a big factor
in the migration of Latin, Asian and European
populations to Fresno throughout the century.
"Fresno has always been the agricultural service center of the Valley for various immigrants,"
said Merchen, a regional planning professor at
Fresno State.
Throughout the 20th Century, Fresno, a
see POPULATION, paae 6
photo by Mrwako Murasawa
growth."
These refugees fled to America,
in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.
to seek a new life. They were attracted to Fresno's mild climate and
agricultural-based economy.
As one of California's fastest
growing cities - sixth largest in a
state that has more people than
Canada - Fresno has been described
as a city that doesn't know how to
deal with growth.
At the turn of the century.
12,500 people lived in Fresno, which
covered a little over four square
miles. By 1997. more than 400.000
people called themselves Fresnans and live over
an estimated 104 square miles.
Not only has Fresno gained more people and
incorporated more land, but also the type of
people now residing in the city has shifted. In
1970, whites composed 69 percent of Fresno's
population. Twenty years later, the total minority population surpassed the white population,
51 percent to 49 percent, respectively.
a city not being
able to control
growth."
can population decreased
one percent during the
same span.
Population Percentage by Race/Ethnic Classification
City of Fresno
1980 and 1990
LOU MARTINEZ
Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce President
The dramatically altered racial distribution
in Fresno mirrors state
trends.
California's ethnic
and racial distribution
shifted during the 1990s
from white to Latino and
Asian/Pacific Islander
(Census data puts the
two groups together|. According to the U.S. Census, since 1990, Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander
population changes have provided 91 percent of
California's population increase.
With such startling predictions, estimates
from the state's Department of Finance have California, a state whose population more than tripled
in 50 years, projected to have 63 million people
living in it by 2040.
5% —
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pholo by Mrwako Murasawa
>on Her works at k.c. Market in the Asian Villoge on Kings Canyon Rd. He moved to Soft Lake CMy, Utah from
os in 1975, to southern Calif, in 1981 then to Fresno In 1984. He has worked for one and one half years and has
e children. Before working at k.c. Market, he was a maintenance worker for an apartment complex.
sons Chonming
Vang, 11, and Foe
Fang, 17, play
video games while
the Chue April
Vang, and
Cheristy,15,
Jennle,9,and
DorMtta.12,
prepare the meal.
photos by Miwako Murasawa
Insight Special ^ April 22,1998