Down the Road...

Dear Willow Lung-Amam,
I found your discussion on suburbia extremely interesting. Living in the east bay myself and visiting Fremont upon occasion I identified with the claims and theses you proposed surrounding Asian Americans and the lifestyles they are building for themselves there.  However, I do feel like while you did note that all suburbs were not inclusive, and in your concluding chapter and afterward emphasized the importance of inclusion, I feel that you failed to account for suburban culture in other places, even those still in extremely close proximity to the silicon valley.  For example, I live in Danville which is about a twenty-five-minute drive from Fremont and very few of the claims you proposed would be relevant to my community.  My school and neighborhood are very much similar to the communities that you described in the 50’s and 60’s.  It is extremely disproportionately white and there are few stores and gathering places for people of minorities.  Furthermore, rather than the accepting culture that you proposed of the Bay Area, whenever they are proposals for new housing or even new grocery stores not deemed sufficient to Danville's quality of life, concerned citizens take to town hall meetings and raise threats of relocation and political action.  So I guess what I’m getting at is if there are polar opposites to your research on the people of Fremont and Santa Clara County less than 30 minutes away, then what is there to be done about reversing age old tradition and social constructs?  Anyways, some food for thought.  Hope all is well.
Sending all of my best,

Tatum Hall

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