Asian American Studies 197A
Winter Quarter 2002

Description of Final Project

Our final project for this class has two parts: a written report due by March 11 (tenth week) and an oral presentation during finals week (on Monday, March 18, at Visual Communications in downtown L.A. in Little Tokyo). The written report counts 25% of each student's course grade, and the oral presentation counts an additional 25%. For both the written report and the oral presentation, each student will receive an individual grade and a group grade.

For the written report, student committees should submit two copies: one for the instructor, and a second for Visual Communications. Also, with the permission of all in the committee, a copy of the written report will be posted on our class website for use by others interested in Asian Pacific American labor.

For the written report, materials should be organized into a whole report rather than simply as individual reports by individuals. Sections can be prepared by individual students and carry individual bylines, but the report should be organized and submitted as a whole. The report should include the following:

• Provide a description of the main themes (such as promoting interethnic unity, changing gender relations, confronting globalization, or expanding human rights) relating to the particular issue of focus of your committee (suggestion: think of the main themes in terms of how immigrant workers have changed and are changing our communities through labor struggles; look also at the two articles by Glenn Omatsu in the Class Reader and the book by Miriam Ching Louie for ideas; remember also that the labor struggles we're focusing on are community-based struggles rather than simply workplace-based or industry-based struggles launched by traditional labor unions)
• Similar to the main themes, provide an analysis of the hidden contributions and largely unknown legacy that immigrant labor struggles have contributed or are contributing to our community, such as the legacy of "shared (grassroots) leadership: that stands in contrast to prevailing notions of Western style leadership in U.S. society.
• Provide a short history of the campaign you researched and what workers did or are doing
• Provide an understanding of what your committee of students collectively have learned from your discussions with immigrant workers and community-based labor organizers.
• Provide a section of "Works Cited" or other resources used for your committee's research
• Provide a list of people that members of your committee interviewed for your report
• Provide a list of people that members of your committee interviewed who would also be willing to be interviewed by Visual Communications staff for the documentary

For the oral report, several committees have mentioned that they are planning do a video presentation for Visual Communications. Others have mentioned powerpoint presentations. Each committee will have 20 to 25 minutes for their presentations, with an additional 5 minutes set aside for questions and answers.