♪♪ Scott: Entrepreneur, philanthropist, and civic leader.

CC Yin has a story to tell from his beginnings in China and Taiwan to making his fortune in America.

CC has a long track record of building up and giving back.

He joins us today to share with us his uniquely American journey.

So, CC, at this point in your life, share with us what is your earliest memory of the childhood that started out in China?

CC Yin: Well, Scott, you talk about American dream, American journey, it's like all the unique ones before me and others.

Uh, but back to my home country, much like many... many immigrants to the backgrounds, uh, when our own country was in trouble for different reasons, uh, China too, as you all know, last 200 years, I was born World War II and, uh, lost my mother at six months old.

So, I... I-— w-— I grew up with my grandpa in the farm, more rural, backwards, and no police, no sec-— no security, uh, we don'’t wear shoes.

Most time, you know, kids like me don't wear pants.

We were just, uh, working in the farm and just surviving.

Now, real peaceful though.

Beautiful.

However, the war came, you know, and, uh... uh... uh... after the war I went to the city for school.

Um, I was-— I wasn't very good in school and kind of, uh, I was, uh, the bottom of the class.

And then, uh, when after-— civil war comes because you know, you won a country, you want to come back, you have given part of the people who have tried to do the job.

So, the... the communist come that, um, my father worked for, uh, Kuomintang [inaudible] so, they fled to the outlands and I went with him where I went to high school colleges.

Very poor that time.

Taiwan was not economically viable.

And, uh, so out on the street, most time looking for a place to eat, sleep.

My sisters brought me up, three older sisters.

They were also very poor.

So, that's how it was.

And after college I couldn't find a job like most of, uh... uh, immigrant from, uh, that time from Taiwan.

Uh, and so we all went to foreign countries.

The first one we want to go to was America because America after World War II is like a God.

You know, we... we feel now it's just a gold mine, let's just like, "Hey man, we've got to go there."

Don't know what to do.

And didn't speak the language... didn't know that stuff, but we did not have a hope basically, uh, as, uh, student.

So, we all came.

Uh, I came with-— didn't have money so I borrowed $100, paid for the-— a small boat and, uh, and... and also the so -called illegal, uh, print of textbooks in a broken suitcase.

Nothing, uh, nothing in the suitcase except an illegal print textbook.

So, that's how I came to Los Angeles in 1965, uh, age 27.

Didn't know anybody, didn't speak the language, uh, no money, had only about $20 left I got on... on a street in Los Angeles.

That's how it started.

Scott: Take us back... take us back to that moment when you were on the streets of Los Angeles for the first time, make your first steps in, you're looking around... what are you feeling back then?

CC Yin: Well, that was my second day, actually.

I walked out of the boat; I had a ride from a stranger.

He said, "Where are you going?"

I said, "I don't know."

So, he took me to his little quarters.

I sleep at night on his floor.

Next day, I went on the bus.

Uh, took it to the lot-— They told me there are... there are restaurants... You can find dishwasher, busboys.

I didn't speak the language.

So I took a bus, but took me two hours, transferring many times because I didn't speak the language.

Um, and finally at 12 o'clock I was on the street of Los Angeles.

I don'’t know how to say the words right, but big street, was all restaurants.

Of course, I didn't know which restaurant because back in Taiwan and China we can see and smell people-— food on a restaurant.

Now here the smell is only inside, we didn't know.

Anyway.

So, took me six hours in Los Angeles from lunchtime to six o'clock at night to the end of the street and learn how to say my name, what they're looking for.

And, uh, I come back another six hours, midnight across the street of where I started.

This place was-— light was still on; it's called The Islander.

It's still there, a big Polynesian restaurant.

I knock on the door.

A young man opened the door and happened to be a man who speak Mandarin.

He was the, uh... uh... UCLA graduate student in charge of night shift, closer...

He welcomed me in, and I ate the best food in my life that midnight, leftovers.

Oh man.

So, I said, "Whoa!

This is America, got all the food!"

You know.

They opened the door for me.

I said, "“Great!

"” The guy said, "I know what you're looking for, come inside.

See my, uh, Jewish owner."

Everybody was Chinese.

The cooks, everybody is Polynesian, you know, fancy.

So, anyway, the guy asked me, he said, "Okay, you have experience?

Uh, what's your name?"

I said, "Jí Chéng Yin".

He said, "No, no, no American name."

I couldn't figure out what's different between American name and a Chinese name.

So, by that time, I remember of when Johnson and, uh, Kennedy was elected, it was newspaper in Taiwan, in Chinese.

I translated it, I said, it must be American name, I translate it back.

I said, James-— Johnson, Johnson.

Right?

I can't say Kennedy because we don't have an N sound.

I said, uh, I said, Johnson.

Uh, and so, "How... how do you spell?"

I spell JAMSON.

I say, "JAMSON."

"Oh, that's American name."

He said, "Do you have experience?"

I said, "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Because all I learned about is smiling and, "“yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

"” So, I say, "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"Where is it?"

I pulled out a paper in my... in my pocket.

I say, "Here."

"Oh, New York, Oh, Shanghai.

I know that place is... is Jewish."

You know, from Shanghai, uh, from... from New York, you know, Jewish from New York, right?

"I know...

I know that place."

No, it wasn't-— I didn't have experience.

So, a sailor on the boat gave me a piece of paper when I was so sick on the boat.

He said, "If you couldn't find a job, go to see my friend in New York."

I showed that up.

So, I got my first job as a dishwasher.

As dishwasher and a bus boy.

Scott: Wow.

CC Yin: I was very happy.

Scott: Wow.

So, you know, uh, it sounds like that, you know, hospitality and food service, that's been with you a long time.

You're known for your work with McDonald's, but, uh, that started way earlier than that.

I'm curious, what lessons did you learn back at that first job that carried with you in building out this massive empire of McDonald's franchises?

CC Yin: Well, that was great that happened to me because I thought that, you know, people are so open to the, you know, strangers... Like I was a total stranger, didn'’t speak the language, uh, and, uh... uh, people were there to help me.

Uh, besides, I needed work, of course, but I was so excited about it.

I said, "Whoa!"

So, I...

I saved all the leftover chicken and the, and, uh, the, uh, rib bone because they cut the corners... drop in the garbage.

I saved them.

I took them home free-— free-— froze them and I...

I had a great food forever.

I never had chicken, had... had... had, uh, rib bone in my life like that.

So, I was...

I was in the heavens.

And then, uh... uh... so I...

I learned a lot from there, and that.

But after that I made enough money to take a bus to Seattle University of Washington.

I was supposed to go to there.

I worked illegally.

I was supposed to not to work.

I work in illegally for about, uh, let's see, September to, uh, to springtime.

Six... six months.

I saved enough money to take a bus to Seattle, join my sister in college.

That's how-— but I still work at nighttime, weekends.

I did, uh, did dishwasher, busboy.

I became an expert.

I become [inaudible] Scott: And when you... you know, you... you ended up... you ended up becoming-— you were an engineer, correct?

By training?

CC Yin: Yes.

I was an engineer.

Scott: Ok. CC Yin: Yes.

Scott: And so, um, you, you know, you spent time in the hospitality, entertainment restaurant industry, you became an engineer and you... you worked on massive projects.

How did you end up getting involved with McDonald's in the first place?

CC Yin: I, like most immigrants, you know, uh, work and, uh, support school, and build a family, very much the same, typical.

I was happy to meet my wife who is a much smarter and, uh, wiser, uh, so taught me, guide me a lot.

You know, I was a-— I'm a farmer basically, you know.

Uh, and uh... secondly engineer's more mechanical, you know, build stuff.

We don't ... we don't build people.

Will build... we don't...

I don't.

So, but I always liked people and the group I was born in my, in my genes.

I enjoyed very much.

And, uh, after I graduated, I went to work for fuel companies, uh, and I wanted to come to San Francisco because the culture and the future growth.

So, I moved to San-— from the Seattle to San Francisco and, uh, worked for Bechtel Corporation, Fluor Corporation national, international company.

And I have 20 years, I become chief engineer on the project as structural engineer.

And uh, all of a sudden, I was laid off.

I didn't know why.

At that time, we didn't know... know-— we didn't, they didn't know why.

Just said, "“Gone.

Bye-bye.

"” I was gone.

Then I found that I have three daughters going to high school, college.

My wife was a social worker still.

And, uh, all of a sudden, I find out I was on the street.

I didn't understand why.

You know?

So... so I...

I follow my wife who had part-time had this social work do the, uh, sales called the, um, uh, the sales, what do you call that?

Mult- multi-level sales.

WOMEN'’S VOICE: [inaudible] CC Yin: She sells-— direct sales, sales to cosmetics and jewelries.

I was a math engineer, I never understand that, you know.

So, I was helping her carry bags, set up table, deliver product.

That's all I did for about a year.

And I learned a lot about it.

You know how to communicate, how to do this, what they need, what customers want.

I learned a lot about this building team.

I didn't understand that multi-level, not to make money, is building teams.

So, I was good.

I was naturally good because where I lived, I grew up in the farm.

I grew up on the street in Taiwan.

I grew up here in a restaurant, with everybody, uh, you know, not... not my... my own kind of people.

So, I enjoyed that actually.

So, I could recruit all the people I learned.

Oh!

But I found that out it's not-— I could not last very long.

So, I was looking for a restaurant.

I said, you know, I'm a bu-— I was dishwasher, busboy, I feel good.

Maybe I start a restaurant.

So, I was looking around, couldn't find one.

I didn't have money either.

And... and, uh, one day at the direct sales there was a man, uh, told me, "CC, there's a McDonald's for sale near Oakland."

I didn't know the difference between Oakland, San Francisco, Hillsborough, or Sacramento.

I didn't know the difference at all.

I said, "Well, good.

I have no money, but I can still do real estate."

What happened when you come from a poverty... lifetime country, like our China at that time, the security is so important to us.

So, during the engineered time, 20 years, I save-— we save all the money.

I worked weekend and evenings, uh, to what?

To buy run-down properties in San Mateo, the side where I work.

And, uh, and, uh, fixed them up, I rent them up.

I wanted to have-— so by 20, 15 years, I was able to-— we're able to, on this side, to have, uh, um, like I had... 40 units, no 80 units apartment and the few houses, duplexes.

I told him I still want-— I can sell them.

But, so, this guy, the guy who was selling McDonald's in Oakland that happened to be, uh, past, uh, James Jackson the past, uh... uh, police chief.

Because he was so tough McDonald recruited him, but he went bankrupt in five years.

That's what happened.

So, the guy told me "CC, how can you do this?

You have no money.

You don't... you don't know how to speak English because-— you are doing engineering.

You know how that works."

You know, we have no social skill.

Uh, and... and, uh... And, uh, you-— so I say, "You know, I don't know.

I just want to do it, give me a chance."

So, he took me to the court, next day.

He... he told the judge, said "Judge, your honor, I have a buyer.

[laughs] This Mr.

Yin."

And, uh, next to us there were four, uh, gentleman, three white, one Black young man... it was like... 20, 30 -some years old by name [inaudible] stood up, and say, "Your honor, we object as McDonald's.

Mr. Yin is disqual-— not qualified as, you know, as a franchisee for all the 10 different reasons."

The judge had told-— this is a true story.

McDonald's say, "Hey, you can-— your purpose is you want a good franchisee, but this... this person, this young man is from different culture, different country.

You can't read them.

You can't tell his language.

He doesn't speak good English, is not good in people.

He... he doesn't have, uh, cash.

All that stuff, no experience, no leadership skills."

Yeah.

I said I-— he wanted to say, "I want you to put Mr. Yin into your program and you can prove to me he's not good or he's good."

That's how McDonald's said.

Okay, took me in... in the program to the... program, you know.

And, uh, I was still in the program.

Yes.

That's how it happened.

Scott: So you started there, and you built this... this empire of what, over 20 right, franchises, correct?

CC Yin: Yeah.

I-— over 20.

My family, my daughter together, have about 31 and that was 20 years ago before I-— Scott: Right.

CC Yin: Before I change in my life purpose to give back to America, yeah right.

Scott: And... and... and... and... that... that's what, uh, I want to ask you about is the change in your life purpose.

So, you... you... you embody this, uh, you know, a... a unique, but very American success story.

Okay.

And then you and your wife came together and founded this group, APAPA - API Public Affairs, to address an issue that you all saw dealing with the AAPI community.

Tell us what it was that you saw and inspired you and your wife, Regina, to start APAPA and what is it... and what is it?

CC Yin: Yes, Scott, the inspiration come from, uh, my entire experience come to America since I land in Los Angeles, seriously.

Every part of it.

Although that, uh, my termination was mystery to me, later, I found that out was glass ceiling in major corporation.

This happened to all major corporations and government, too.

I didn't know that, of course.

I had been the... been the dishwasher, busboy, engineer.

Very pure.

I thought America is that, you know, principle, you know, justice, you know, freedom, equality all that stuff.

That's what we believe in from school, from foreign countries.

And then come to America to see some reality, you know, that's all the inspiration.

So, that's all we-— especially, uh, you know, Oakland taught me so much that-— about the... the... the value and the pride and of the contribution to offer Americans people even too, seriously.

And the suffering they had.

I saw that.

People were killed on the street every day, almost.

I see bodies on the street every day, almost.

And I got... got shouted, you know, I got chased so many times.

Um, but I learned that this is really... one of the great things to have so much, but another thing that has so much opportunity offered toward American, uh, so-called, uh, founding father spirit and value system, so-called.

That's-— then I learned also too, working with corporation McDonald's, one of the... the kings in the hill .

I feel so proud.

Meantime, I also see that too, this uh... this uh, internal discrimination.

It's not-— it's built in, it's natural.

It's not-— but that's where... that's where, when we grew it into 14 cities, you know, our organization-— Scott: APAPA grew into 14 cities.

CC Yin: So, I mean the McDonald's.

Scott: Oh, okay.

CC Yin: From San Francisco, Oakland, to Sacramento, 14 cities.

They'’re different.

You have... you have very different Hispanic, uh, city.

Then you have a conservative, uh, of the Caucasian city.

They'’re very different.

They'’re too-— the rural, and this the... the extreme metropolitan, this... this political Sacramento, for instance.

The cross-— I was learning, I said, well, one the thing in common that we, I think, [inaudible] because I can embrace entire city, community together, from top-down differences and it works very well.

I said, well, that's great then.

That's America.

Allow me as I...

I was, were core student.

I mean, I do student.

I said, a guy like me, a farmer, you know, engineer.

It's very-— not were, you know, we're... not like Silicon Valley people very sharp.

So, I thought this great country, not as-— seriously, uh, and yet, uh, every generation looking at history back you make so much progress toward American spirit, American value.

I...

I thought my is age 65, 20 years ago when there was only one or two elect Asians in Sacramento and... and people got a little nervous.

That's the history will repeat itself like, uh, Chinese Exclusion Act, internment.

All that.

So, they get nervous.

We all together we said, let's have a foundation three generations from us down organize it.

Follow the NAACP and the Jewish model, how to give back to America, how we can invest and earn that respect at-— Scott: And so... and so when you started, there were three, uh, Asian American elected officials.

Today, how many are there?

CC Yin: Uh, we started at... [inaudible] we start-— we had the Mike Honda last year before he went to the, uh... uh, went to, uh, D.C. We had, uh, just Japanese last week, their 30 years of internment, they all retire that year.

Next year supposed to be, I think it's supposed to be zero.

Uh, then fortunately, of course, we'll have Ted Lieu, Judy Chu come in next year.

Scott: Hmm mmm.

CC Yin: You know, [...] two years, three years later, uh, that is not the year people get scared.

The Silicon Valley leaders, like few people you'll know ... the inspired-— [inaudible] Scott: CC, with the success that you've had.

Cause I know that, uh, APAPA has been at the forefront of grooming and elevating, uh, people from the AAPI community to get involved in politics and civic life.

And it's just exploded and mushroomed.

It seems like this is-— you've met your moment here because, uh, tell us how are-— how is APAPA playing a role in the current goings on right now related to violence against the AAPI community, but also the... the missing conversations about how sometimes America makes people from the AAPI community, uh, assumes that somehow, they don't belong or that they have dual allegiances-— what's APAPA doing about that?

CC Yin: You're right.

The historic of the culture, uh, you... you know, th-— that's all caused so -called, uh, um, we don't belong.

Uh, why is that?

Uh, the American historical, uh, I call systemized or... or institutionalized, uh... uh, racial differences to try and make it different, uh, from power, whoever had the power and will, that make the all decisions.

Uh, including women, you know that right?

Historically.

And then Hispanics, and the Black everybody else's.

And that's... that's the one side.

Another side is we, uh, Asian, Chinese, also all cultures are more individual, family and, uh, hard work, education.

We don't invest, we don't pay attention, we don't support, we don't work together to contribute to the community outside our own.

Where a Chinatown everywhere, you know, a Chinese school everywhere.

And, uh, we, we do not pay attention to that, nor we think it is a value to go into politics because all history told us we touch politics, we get in trouble, get killed.

So that's how-— so both sides... Then, uh, then the-— many people, African American and like I was there, and Hispanics we're competing in jobs.

Plus, we don't care for them.

So, those then to combine makes more challenging.

Scott: Right?

And... and in our final moments CC, my-— what we're all wanting to know is what's next for APAPA in terms of this national conversation that's going on?

And we're in our final few moments.

So just a few final thoughts.

CC Yin: Okay.

The APAPA, found... is to a foundation to, uh, get encour-—, empower AP America and especially young generation, out to engage and take leadership responsibility and ownership in their community, in a government.

Get elected... and be a change that's-— we should do that.

That... that future looks like-— looks real bright.

Very great, especially the pandemics... [inaudible] I call it government manmade natural crisis.

I don't want to point at names.

Okay, but in-— as the result, America'’s always moving forward, left or right.

So, I don't worry about that.

So, our responsibility again, we need a continued-— I said...

I said, non...nonprofit, nonpartisan education foundation.

We... we need to continue to build our grassroot, uh, bottom up, uh, outside 31 chapters in eight states now into 50 states.

I... and the growth of foundation, continuing to get people involved, especially young generation.

Getting elected and make decisions for good, for good for everybody-— Scott: Alright-— CC Yin: Just like people before for us... [inaudible] Scott: And CC, we're going to have to leave it there, but thank you so much for joining us.

And it sounds like that there's much more to come.

Thank you very much.

CC Yin: Thank you.

Scott: All right.

And that's our show.

Thanks to our guest and thanks to you for watching Studio Sacramento.

I'm Scott Syphax.

See you next time right here on KVIE.

♪♪ ♪♪ Scott Syphax: All episodes of Studio Sacramento, along with other KVIE programs, are available to watch online at kvie.org/video.