Last Wednesday I had the pleasure to attend the second ICR meeting for IACA. A few weeks before we were able to meet Kwan and learn about the story of how he ended up in Indianapolis. This past week we were able to learn all about Benny and overall Chinese Immigration. To Begin, Benny Ko informed us that he was born and raised in Hong Kong, China and then attended undergrad and medical school at Indiana University. Benny is now a retired physician that lives in the Indianapolis area, where he also served on the board at the IACA in the past. He then went on to explain the immigration of the Chinese. He began by stating that immigration is within all of us, because without it, we would all still be where we started which was Africa. He then went on to discuss China being part oceanic bordered and part landlocked by the Himalayans and Gobi Desert. After the physical location of China was established, Benny started in on the Age of discovery which is when immigration became popular. The Portuguese kickstarted this movement by opening up transcontinental trade. The discussion then went on to discuss the relationship between the Brits and the Chinese and how the opium war played an important role in trade between the two countries. The British loved the tea that the Chinese traded with them in exchange for water way trade and opium. After the opium war, the Chinese found their way to immigrating to California where the Gold Rush was occurring. When the Gold Rush died down, the Chinese found jobs in laundromats, restaurants and along the building of the Transcontinental Railroad from the West to Midwest. I had absolutely no idea that the Transcontinental Railroad was build by Chinese Immigrants, mostly because this was not discussed in my highschool history classes. Apparently, also, a majority of the Chinese slaves that built the railroad came from the Chinese providence Ching, in Hong Kong. Overall Benny was so sweet and very informative in his lecture. We all talked about what we wanted to get out of the ICR and I am excited to take part In the future events Benny and Kwan have planned.