Las Vegas NowI-Team: Asian Population, Culture Skyrockets in Las Vegas
"The Asian population is growing tremendously here," said Bessy Lee-Oh.
Across town, William Chu is ready for year two in an unique experiment.From games of chance to games of football -- from the living room to the board room, Las Vegas has a quickly growing group of people influencing us all with a unique culture. The number of Asians in Las Vegas is skyrocketing and shaping the way the valley looks, sounds -- and tastes.
For years, everyone has been tracking the rise of Hispanics. But Asian Americans are living and moving to Las Vegas in record numbers. The lives and lessons we're learning from each other are changing our city in profound ways.
It's the staccato rhythms -- the wood hitting canvas. At the Lohan Shaolin Dance Studio, it's a new world for the faces on the masks -- smiling kids and the faces behind them.
Asian Americans are now the fastest growing group of people in Las Vegas. More than 200,000 strong, making up more than eight percent of Clark County's population -- a faster rate of growth than African Americans and Hispanics, turning conventional wisdom on its head.
When most of us think of Asian culture, this is what comes to mind. The four mile long shopping district called Chinatown. A better name for the area might be Asiantown -- reflecting a change in attitude and understanding.
"The Asian population is growing tremendously here," said Bessy Lee-Oh. She and Duy Nguyen are part of a new brand of business in the valley -- young, Asian and ready to succeed.
"It's time for the community to learn who we are and what we're about," said Nguyen.
Their goal -- and baby -- is Asian AM -- a lifestyle magazine for Asians 18 to 34.
"This has been a dream of mine for over twenty years," said Lee-Oh.
Lee-Oh wants to sell the magazine nationally and use its glossy, splashy pages to introduce other Asians to role models -- real models.
"We open the magazine, and we see someone that we relate to or that looks like us," said Nguyen.
And create a magazine specifically for hip, young Asians, typically a culture all but ignored in traditional media.
"So it's time. It's time that they're written about, they're talked about, they're showcased," said Lee-Oh.
Across town, William Chu is ready for year two in an unique experiment. "So that they can feel more at home and understand a little more about their cultures," he said.
The First Asian Bank of Las Vegas -- for more than a year, it has offered the same services as other banks only in Japanese, Korean, Tagalog, Chinese and yes -- English too. Chu says it's about breaking down the walls put up by other banks.
"We're here to offer better service, and you don't have to wait in line and you're not a number," he said.
But if you want a specific number, you can get it in the vault. Each account number starts with the number eight -- a symbolic but smart reference to the luckiest number in Asian culture. One more way to make people feel at home and break stereotypes.
"In particularly Asian communities -- culture, they don't necessarily trust banks," said Chu.
It's just part of the delicate dance for the lions of Lohan school, a cutting edge bank and a magazine ready to hit newsstands.
"The potential is huge," said Lee-Oh.
A growing group, a proud culture, kids with smiles again -- with many more smiles to come. Asian AM plans to go national in October. The First Asian Bank has plans for expansion in the near future.
Back to that eight as the luckiest number issue, here at Eyewitness News, or Channel 8 on your dial at home -- maybe it's ancient cultural wisdom. Maybe we're just ahead of the curve.
Email your comments to Investigative Reporter Jonathan Humbert.
