Huntington Beach

After Lily finished her masters degree, the Chen family moved to California in 1965. They settled in the predominantly white Huntington Beach. Lily worked at the Long Beach El Cerritos County Hospital, where she provided group therapy for patients recovering from substance abuse, and Paul worked at TRW Aerospace Company. She dedicated a significant amount of her time to taking care of her patients, whether it meant rearranging her schedule or working late nights after Arthur and Helen completed their homework. When Lily returned to the hospital to work in the evenings, she was often chased out by the custodian. 

Lily was actively involved with her children. She enjoyed attending Parent and Teacher Association (PTA) meetings and talking with other parents. She was there for her children as much as she could be—cooking, sending them to school, and supporting them. 

When Arthur turned five, his birthday party was an eye-opening experience for Lily. She noticed that he was the only Asian boy among his friends who were all Caucasian. While their community in Huntington Beach was welcoming, Lily wanted more for her children to be connected to their culture as they grew up. In 1969, the Chen family relocated to Monterey Park 孟母三遣.

Monterey Park

In the 1960s, Monterey Park was a third white, a third Latino, and a third Asian—making it an “ethnoburb,” a much more diverse population compared to the predominantly white Huntington Beach. Monterey Park provided the perfect opportunity for Lily’s children to maintain their Chinese heritage, while also being exposed to more diversity. 

With the influx of Chinese immigrants, the demand for social services related to Asian Pacific affairs increased as well. Asian American social workers like Lily responded to the growing needs in the Asian American community.