Asian alumni, proud Bruins

UCLA has a rich connection and history with Asian Americans. During their time here as students, many have managed to break boundaries and set new standards. The Daily Bruin recognizes some prominent Asian American alumni as part of Asian Pacific American Heritage month.

Whether they were playing professional football or serving in elected offices, flying in a space shuttle or “going where no man has gone before” ““ their stories are relevant to the thousands of Asian Americans who attend and have attended UCLA.

From Dykstra to dark matter

At a speed of more than 3,000 miles per hour, 220 miles above earth, Taylor Wang found his livelihood in jeopardy.

As a payload specialist aboard a 1985 Challenger space shuttle mission, he had been selected as a researcher from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to perform an experiment on liquids and drop dynamics.

But when Wang turned on the device critical to his research, it did not work. Short on time and replacement parts, NASA encouraged him to give up and move on. Wang resisted.

“From Asian culture, that’s not acceptable, … you’ll bring shame to your family. In total desperation I said, “˜If you guys don’t let me do this, I’m not coming back,'” he said.

Fortunately, Wang’s shipmates agreed to take over some of his chores to give him the free time to fix the experiment.

In the end, his research was a success. Wang returned to Earth and was hailed for being the first person of Chinese decent in space.

Wang was born in Shanghai and moved to Taiwan at age 12. Though his parents hoped he would take over the family business, he developed a passion for science and against their wishes elected to go to the U.S. to study physics at an American university.

“I was debating over whether to go to the West or East Coast. My girlfriend was attending USC, so I chose UCLA to be near her,” Wang said.

New to the U.S. and American culture, Wang set up residence in Dykstra Hall.

“I found (UCLA) to be very open to accepting me and other foreign students. … I was here to not only learn science, but to adapt to a new community,” Wang said.

Publishing three research articles before his undergraduate graduation, Wang went on to receive a master’s and a doctorate degree at UCLA, graduating in 1971. He received U.S. citizenship in 1975.

“As a first-generation immigrant, I really didn’t think about NASA or going into space. … I’m a scientist, not a jock,” Wang said.

Wang married his girlfriend and their two sons, Kenneth and Eric, went on to attend UCLA.

“We have a long history with UCLA, and now (my wife is) a UCLA fan,” Wang said.

After his mission in space, Wang received a position as professor of engineering at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, where he works and lives today. According to the department Web site, Wang has published over 200 articles and is the holder of 20 patents.

“I always tell my students, “˜If you want to do science for a living, do something you love, not just what you’re asked to do. Make your life worthwhile,'” Wang said.

Field of dreams

When John Lee moved to Los Angeles from Korea in sixth grade with a limited knowledge of English, playing football for the NFL was scarcely even a dream.

Yet it went on to become a reality.

“Asian Americans weren’t very visible in the mainstream big-time sports, so there weren’t many people to identify with. But if anything, (being Korean American) helped me more, and people did recognize and remember me because I was different,” Lee said.

Following his graduation from Downey High School in 1981, he was recruited by UCLA, where he was a two-time All American placekicker in 1984 and 1985.

With current football coach Rick Neuheisel as his ball holder, Lee broke NCAA records with 29 field goals per season, an 85.9 career field goal percentage, and many other NCAA and UCLA categories.

“I put Rick Neuheisel with Joe Montana. You could just see it in his eye. He could lead,” Lee said.

Though Lee is proud of his heritage, he said he doesn’t believe he should be judged any differently than other successful football players.

“The St. Louis Cardinals picked me for my kicking ability, not for what I look like. It’s about what you do on the football field,” Lee said.

After one season in the NFL, Lee had the option to continue, but decided to pursue a career in business instead.

Lee owns real estate and retail businesses in Guam, including five gas stations, and has recently begun opening franchise Beard Papa’s restaurants.

The UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame called Lee “the most prolific placekicker in NCAA history” when he was inducted in 2001.

“The camaraderie among your teammates is something you can’t forget. We weren’t professionals or doing it for the money, but out of love for the game,” Lee said.

Today, Lee’s nephew attends UCLA, and though he doesn’t make it to Los Angeles often, he has fond memories of college.

“America gives you an endless amount of opportunities, and you can excel in both athletics and academics at a place like UCLA,” Lee said.

Translating passion

In 1942, when George Takei was only five years old, his family was relocated from their home in Los Angeles to a Japanese internment camp in Arkansas.

Though he has been in show business for five decades, starring in the original “Star Trek” and more recently on NBC’s “Heroes,” Takei still refers to the ordeal as “the most defining time of my life.”

“I was a child, but I remember the barbed wire fence and towers with machine guns. It became normal three times per day to eat in the mess halls. It wasn’t until I got out of the camp that I realized how hated we were,” Takei said.

After nearly six years of internment, Takei’s family moved back to Los Angeles, where they struggled to find housing before eventually settling on Skid Row.

“There were smells of urine, people throwing up. … My little sister said, “˜Mama, let’s go back home,’ referring to the camp,” Takei said.

Though Takei developed a passion for the arts, it wasn’t practical in his parents’ eyes, and he enrolled in an architecture program at UC Berkeley. He soon decided to transfer to UCLA to study theater.

“UCLA was the launching pad of my career. … I was seen in a student production and it just happened that a casting director from the audience noticed me,” Takei said.

On the set of his first film, “Ice Palace,” Takei befriended Robert Burton, who “loved talking about himself” and gave Takei advice about the business.

Five years later, Gene Roddenberry cast him on “Star Trek” in his most famous role as Sulu. The show’s depiction of a multiethnic crew working together was a metaphor for Earth, and for the audience this was ahead of its time, Takei said.

“Prior to that, Asians were often depicted as silent, the villain, the buffoon,” Takei said.

Today, Takei has appeared in over 30 films, made hundreds of television appearances and in 1986 he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Though he maintains a healthy acting career, Takei said he hopes that the industry will continue to open up in its acceptance of Asian American actors.

“We do have Asian Americans playing visible roles in movies, but not on the scale of African Americans; … we don’t have a Denzel Washington or Morgan Freeman,” Takei said.

Takei’s time in two internment camps shaped his political outlook as well.

“I am deeply mindful of both the greatness as well as the fallibility of America. Our democracy is a work in process, and it’s only as good as those actively engaged in the process. We’re the ones who make it ideal,” Takei said.

Takei shared advice for students hoping to break into public life, whether television, movies or politics.

“It’s not just about talent, but resilience and tenacity. Be able to spring back from rejection,” Takei said.

Working for racial equality

As chair of the State Board of Equalization, Judy Chu is one of the most influential elected officials in California.

Chu oversees 8.5 million taxpayers in over 73 cities who provide almost $53 billion to the state each year.

As an Asian American, Chu was inspired to enter politics in order to pursue equal resources for Asian Americans in California.

“They were considered the model minority, but there was no attention given to low-income people, people on drugs, people in need of health care. There were great deficiencies for social services,” Chu said.

Born in Los Angeles, Chu transferred to UCLA from UC Santa Barbara in part so she could become more involved in the Los Angeles Asian American community. Chu was particularly inspired at UCLA by coursework in the Asian American studies department, where she was a lecturer for six years after receiving her doctorate.

Chu, however, said she never thought she would run for elected office until 14 years later. At the time, Monterey Park, where many Asian Americans lived, was facing passage of an English-only initiative from the city council.

Chu was part of a multiethnic coalition that came together to fight the proposal, which ultimately failed by one council vote.

At that point, Chu decided it was time to become personally involved and she ran for city council.

“I did win, and remained on the council for 13 years, worked on bringing the city together and for an appreciation of diversity,” she said.

On the State Board of Equalization, Chu has worked with other government officials to ameliorate the state budget crisis.

“We provide 36 percent of the state’s general fund for health, education, transportation. I want to make sure we collect every tax dollar that’s owed to us,” Chu said.

On a more personal note, Chu has worked to provide support to small businesses, inspired by her grandfather, an immigrant from China who made his fortune after opening a small Chinese restaurant. “Two generations later, here I am,” Chu said.

Chu said that she enjoys hiring UCLA students in her office and is hopeful that the number of Asian Americans involved in California politics will continue to increase in future decades.

“For the first 150 years of California state legislature, there (were) virtually no Asian Americans. Beginning in 2000, there were more and more Pacific Islanders elected on the state level. Consequently, we have an infrastructure that can provide for more diversity,” Chu said.

Chu credits UCLA with leading her path into politics.

“UCLA provided a really valuable foundation for me to go out into the world and be able to contribute to the community. I will always be grateful for what UCLA gave me,” Chu said.