Ginny’s journey from the Chinese hand laundry to corporate boards and public service is a
story of transformations. She is the embodiment of the American dream come true.
Ginny’s journey from the Chinese hand laundry to corporate boards and public service is a
story of transformations. She is the embodiment of the American dream come true.
Growing up in the back of a Chinese laundry in Long Island, New York, was no picnic, but Ginny and her brother, Ken, did not know better. Playing among the dirty clothes, eating and doing homework on ironing boards was a way of life for the Eng children. "From Ironing Board to Corporate Board" is the story of an immigrant family's struggles to survive the challenges of life in a strange country as seen through the eyes of the oldest daughter.
This is the story of an immigrant family's survival experiences in their adopted country as well as the story of a community's acculturation into American society. The operation of individually owned Chinese laundries enabled the Chinese American community to live the American dream This is the story of an immigrant family's survival experiences in their adopted country as well as the story of a community's acculturation into American society.
In this autobiography, the struggles and challenges of a young immigrant girl's emergence into adulthood are portrayed against the backdrop of a community's integration into the fabric of America's multi-cultural society."
Schools and communities across the nation are rapidly changing with the influx of immigrants. Whether it is the student in search of a book on the immigrant experience, the English-as a-second language (ESOL) learner in need of inspiration, the historian capturing the history of this nation, the Asian American studies enthusiast interested in great familiarity with his/her heritage, or the teacher/parent hoping to broaden the scope of experiences for those under his/her care, this book is a must read for all.
Ginny’s journey isn’t just a simple affirmation of the traditi onal values of growing up in a Chinese laundry, but a perceptive account of American life with all its opportun ities, complexities, and injustices yet to be corrected.
Stony Brook Asian American Center
This modest memoire is a gem of an introduction to the lives of Chinese Americans and other hard working immigrant parents and their children
Smithsonian Institute, APA Program
This is a delightful story of a Chinese Americana girl who is the thread that holds together the patchwork of America
Author