Filipino Americans, like many ethnic groups in America, are complex and heterogeneous. This book documents how Filipino Americans have grown within the context of political forces, the prevailing social order, rights and responsibilities of individuals, economic success, and the American Dream. Lott shows how Filipino Americans have become active participants in the American democracy and why active civic participation is crucial to any emerging ethnic group. Her controversial thesis is that the twenty-first century will not be defined by the color line but by a more basic human relationship-the adult/child connection-because no society can survive without sustained commitment and shared sacrifice by adult men and women for the welfare of future generations.