[Film: Yellow Rose]

A film is one way to convey a message of present day issues through the use of imagery and voice. My primary focus during my analysis of the story told through Yellow Rose was the portrayal of the immigrant experience in the United States as interpreted through the various scenes that were particularly emphasized. While music made up a large part of the movie and what it wanted to represent, the most emotional scenes were deep introspective dialogues and Rose’s moments of vulnerability. On the contrary, music was a symbol of comfort and resistance, a response to the sudden change in her life.

[Literature]

In my research process, I considered the aspects of immigrant discrimination that researchers have studied and the effects they have on Asian Americans.  I concluded that the three most prevalent issues that are mentioned among studies were social mobility, health, and sense of identity.

[Media Objects]

To support the literature and film, I have gathered a series of media objects that add personal accounts from the creator of Yellow Rose to immigrant students who struggle with self identity. These visual representations explain the context regarding this presentation regarding immigration and how Asian Americans have adapted to systematic disadvantages.

[Topic]

My research was based on the topic of the risks and opportunities of Asian immigrants and their children in the United States.

[Podcast: This Filipino American Life Podcast]

Yet, despite the representation that the film provides, there are limitations to what this media can convey to its audience. To better address the various issues that Asian American immigrants experience, I will draw personal accounts from a podcast and a documentary that relate to certain aspects of Yellow Rose. The podcast “This Filipino American Life Podcast” expounds on the cultural shock and vulnerability of newly arrived immigrants and the continued struggle to gain social capital and stability within the work environment¹⁴. Rose is not the only one shown to suffer from this power conflict. Her mother and their neighbor Gail depend on the approval of the landlord, Alan. Elizabeth, specifically, prioritizes her security over her personal feelings when she is willing to marry Alan for U.S. citizenship. Rose’s aunt Gail, who married a white man, is shown to be distant, but much more well off than Rose’s mother. The difference between Elizabeth and Gail’s current statuses show the difference in their power and control over their own lives. 

[Film + Literature]

The loss of autonomy and identity puts a significant strain on Filipino immigrants, resulting in deteriorating mental and physical health¹. Microaggressions endured in everyday life influence self image and even worth. This puts immigrants at a constant risk, especially during crises that affect public opinion and discrimination such as the COVID pandemic. For Filipino adolescents, that pressure is immensely applied during their childhood. This is shown in their perceptions of socioeconomic mobility in which career, socioeconomic status, and educational attainment are seen as deciding factors for a majority of older adolescents². A main motive for immigration to the United States is a pursuit of opportunity, such as for wealth or a better life. The American Dream is, at its core, American. 

[Documentary: Kids Caught in the Crackdown]

The documentary “Kids Caught In The Crackdown” talks about the separation of children from their parents in the wake of the U.S. immigration laws and the presence of ICE¹⁰. The United States’ number of migrant children without the presence of their parents in federal shelters exceeds any country in the world, peaking during the presidency of President Trump. The arrest of her mother by ICE and the encounter that Rose has later with an ICE agent in the diner depicts tense points in the film that forces Rose to leave a place that she had become familiarized with. Her separation from her mother is also a separation from her Filipino heritage as she struggles with an internal conflict between leaving with her mother to the Philippines or staying in the United States. 

[Resource Website: Families In Schools]

Finally, I will talk about the responses and efforts to relieve these issues that have been propagated from American ideals. One of these responses is awareness and the availability of resources. The website “Families In Schools” is a collection of information that may benefit awareness and potentially the quality of living for immigrants¹². They give aid to those impacted by the COVID pandemic and educate visitors about their legislative rights. Spreading awareness on the “how” in establishing a stable life is especially important to undocumented immigrants. It alleviates the stress of an unfamiliar system and provides the knowledge that would otherwise be unknown without a formal American education. 

[Film + Literature]

Rose’s eventual choice to remain in the United States and her mother’s reminiscence of the familiarity of the Philippines reflect the “differential acculturation” between generations of immigrant families⁵. As mentioned before, stress is a large cause of conflict. Changes to an old lifestyle and adaptation to new habits, like work and parenting practices, can put children and their parents at odds due to different rates of acculturation. Priscilla’s eventual acceptance of her daughter’s decision relieves Rose of the previous restrictions that her mother had given her in response to the stress of their immigration status and economic well-being. 

[Film + Literature]

In 1982, Plyler v. Doe overturned Texas’ law that prevented undocumented immigrant children from attending public schools⁶. The result of this Supreme Court case suggests immigration policy, one of the most determinant factors for the well-being of immigrants, is being reexamined. In Immigration outside the law, Motomura brings up the idea of temporary workers in place of deportation. The integration of immigrant parents not only helps make sure that their children can safely reunite with them, but also ensures better opportunities for citizen children. One of Rose’s main goals in Yellow Rose was to complete her education. With her studies, she has a better chance of understanding her situation and providing for herself despite the circumstances.

[Sociological Concepts]

The two key sociological concepts that I will engage with in my project will be about how intersectionality makes Asian Americans especially vulnerable during times of crisis and the idea of sanctuary for immigrants that are under risk of deportation.  I believe that these concepts connect to the factors that I have elaborated on throughout my study and further explains the sentiments that Filipino Americans have about establishing an identity and presence in the United States.