BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Bakersfield Chinese Women's Club has been around since the 1950s. Starting as a way for Asian Americans to get together and share their experiences, it's now grown into a welcoming organization that gives back to the community through scholarships.
One of this year's scholarship recipients has been a part of the organization since she was a baby.
"I don't really know if I've ever had a time where I wasn't involved with it, 'cause I always either remember going with my mom to the meetings for just, like, dinner at different Chinese restaurants, or going to the dinner dances that we usually have," said Ashley Ha, who, along with her mother Nina, has been involved with the club for many years.
Ashley has been joining her mother at the organization's events since she was 1 year old and spent her childhood helping her mother, member Nina Ha, pass out scholarships to other young people through the Bakersfield Chinese Women's Club.
Now Ashley is 18 and is being honored herself with a scholarship. She says being part of the organization for so long not only taught her more about her culture, but also taught her to appreciate it.
"Just having those support systems around you, because I feel like if I didn't have it, I would be much different, and I wouldn't have so much pride in being Chinese American," said Ha.
Chinese heritage has been a huge part of Bakersfield since its early development stages. It's how the names China Grade Loop, China Alley, and Ming Avenue came to be. According to BCWC President Maria Leung, the club has been a part of Bakersfield for a long time, from humble beginnings as a small social club.
"1946, a few ladies gathered together; we call them 'charter members.' They get together, play Mahjong, and exchange recipes," said Leung.
Leung says that what started as a way for women to spend time with each other has now turned into a group of women coming together to give back to a community that she says didn't initially accept them.
"Fear of acceptance, like, 'You are different. Oh, are people able to accept me?' That's the fear. That's why they've been hiding," said Leung.
Part of the BCWC for the past 43 years, Leung says she's been able to learn recipes and different parenting skills from different cultures and is grateful to be a part of the organization.
"I belong here because I am an immigrant from Hong Kong, so my culture is different from the pioneer ladies, and it really enriched my life," said Leung. "Bakersfield is my home now and those ladies are my family."
Leung says the organization's main function now is to benefit the younger generation by giving scholarships out each year.
Scholarship Chairwoman for the Bakersfield Chinese Women's Club Theresa Louie says scholarships are intended for high school seniors and are offered at various Kern district schools.
"Students in the greater Kern County area get the scholarship through their school counselor, and then they have until March 31st to get that in. Every year it's the same deadline: March 31st," said Louie.
According to Louie, a panel of 5 to 6 women review the applications carefully to determine how many students will receive a scholarship and for how much.
According to Ha, the application for the scholarship was fairly easy to understand. She credits her experiences with the BCWC when writing about why she's proud to be Asian American.
Ha says she's grateful to be receiving a scholarship, though it's a surreal experience for her.
"It's funny to come up this year and I was like, 'Oh, now I have to do it, and now I get to do all the things that I've always observed this entire time,' so yeah, it just feels really surreal," said Ha.
Ha will be attending the Boston Conservatory at the Berklee College of Music pursuing a bachelor of fine arts degree in musical theater this fall. Her mother, Nina Ha, says the scholarship money will greatly benefit her daughter as she starts the next chapter in her life.
WATCH: Exploring the Diverse Experiences of Asian American and Pacific Islanders - A Talk at CSUB
