| Summary: | Fred Yee is a pioneer in creating culturally-appropriate services for the Asian and Pacific Islander community. He was born in Hong Kong and came to Seattle in 1969. Yee is a co-founder of Chinese Information & Service Center, and Children’s Alliance. He retired from U.S. government in 2011 after 29 years, serving in many capacities including the Office of Minority Health Regional Consultant (Pacific Northwest/Alaska), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He was awarded the International Community Health Services “Bamboo Award for Health” in 2012. Yee is the director of Kin On, an elderly health care center. Topics presented in order of discussion on recording - Side A begins with man talking about Dan Evans as governor and Slade Gorton - Movement of younger lawyers and architects who were worried about state laws. - I served in the 1967 session while wife was pregnant with twins. They were born in March while I was still in Olympia. - Steve Duzan and others -- not great in numbers but were active and the Post Intellegencer liked what they were doing - Lynn Howell and others approached me to be a candidate for city council - Was serving in legislature at the time and expected to return to Seattle to maintain new law practice. - Clarence [Nassar?] was principal opponent. - Was endorsed by [?] along with Phyllis. Sam Smith was not endorsed - A perceived need for change in Seattle city politics - Victor Steinbrueck - Impact of the fair on Seattle. Eddie Carlson, Jim Ellis - A controversy started with pinball machines that involved investigative reporting and the police taking payment. - That was my first experience in politics as a republican. - Was endorsed by both democratic and republican organizations. It was a non-partisan era. - Metropolitan democratic club realized they were endorsing republicans and getting them elected. - Pike Place Market and campaign to do away with billboards - Mayor Braman had a short fuse and wanted to get things done. Ed Devine was on his staff, he was the idea person and was responsible for the Model Cities program. - Discussion of people and the positions they held city government and the process of getting the budget through. - Phyllis Lamphere wanted automated accounting system. I asked for an intoxication center[?] - Due to deaths on the council there were new people coming onto the council and coalitions started forming. - Tape stops and starts again - New Narrator discussion race relations. - Asian immigration in the 1850s. [1950s?]Exclusion laws were later repealed. - Narrator was born in Hong Kong, but was immediately naturalized because father was a citizen. - Even without exclusion act there were quotas on the number who could immigrate. - Treatment of Chinese in late 1800s due to exclusion act and building the railroad. - Fathers gift shop was the first in Washington. He negotiated with UW to open the store. Now have store across from Four Seas. - Gary discussing the book. - Original China town was between Yelsler and S Washington. moved after the fire. - Originally the area now known as ID was residential for single Chinese men. Played a role in the Yukon gold Rush. - SErvices provided by community origanization for amd by Chinese. - Started with a focus on helping elders. - No knows at CISC. Rita Weng is involved with the agency. - Came to Seattle in 1969 to go to college. About 16 years old. - Encouraged to go into engineering, but gravitated towards geology -- and odd idegree for an asian. - In 1973 he graduated college and started doing community support work. - Applied and was accepted to graduate school in Texas. Got money too. Knew it would lead to job with big oil. - Decided not to pursue grad school at Texas, but went to UW instead to study social science for a year. UW was strong with social and urban geography. Urban development. - Took more classes in social sciences. Knew he woldnt' work for Exxon! - - Side A ends - Tape Side B: Fred Yee - Side B begins with same narrator who ended side a, discussing his post-graduate education. - Attended Western. - Got a job with the US Government HEW Health Education and Welfare. - Continued discussion of his career path. - The shape and growth on government agencies. - Pause for a phone call - More on work and government agencies - Changes in society towards Chinese and other Asians. 1960s and 1970s. - need to be better advocates and be better able to face the system. - Lots of the old ways weren't working. In the 1980s we started taking more pride in out heritage. - - American culture is changing, and the Asian populace is going to play an important role. Look at the 1990 census. - Myth: Asians are a model minority. We have a lot of problems! - It will be the century of the Pacific. Look at the Pacific nations. - There is more pride among immigrants from Pacific nations. - Seattle has a traditionally strong relationship with Asian countries. Dating back to the 1700s. - Changing nature of US relationship with China. Hong Kong becoming English territory. - Growing trust and respect between Asian cultures. All part of American cultures. - There will always be some difficulties, issues of language and culture. - Sam [Wan?] and Ben Woo would both be good to talk to. - You should talk to people who immigrated in the last 10 years. - Gary: Talking to families: Ruby Chow, Cheryl Chow and Cheryl's daughter. - visit the ID and ask any shop owner. You'll get an interesting story. - Continued small talk about themes and types of people to talk to. - Discussion of book structure. - I've spent 70% of my life in Seattle and 30% in Hong Kong. - Ping Lee is a good source for CISC. Karen Wong also, shes at Seattle Public Schools. Ron Chew at Wing Luke Museum - Interview ends. To request a high resolution or uncompressed reproduction, or to obtain permission to use any portion of this item, contact the University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections. Email: photos@uw.edu. Please reference the Digital ID Number. 1 sound cassette, analog, mono
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