By Trend News Line 2024-05-11 07:00:00.
**Shamarukh Mohiuddin: Navigating Culture and Identity**
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More than two decades into her American journey, Shamarukh Mohiuddin finds herself at the crossroads of culture and identity. A business consultant in the Washington area by day, Mohiuddin is deeply involved in supporting Asian American causes. She showcases her heritage by performing with a dance group at the capital’s annual Fiesta Asia and proudly checks “Asian” on forms. However, she admits that the label doesn’t quite capture the essence of her identity. For Mohiuddin, “Bangladeshi American” resonates more deeply with her and her Bangladeshi friends.
In the United States, the month of May has been designated as “Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Month,” a time to celebrate the country’s growing ethnic diversity. The term “Asian American” has evolved over the years, originally coined in 1968 by activists Yuji Ichioka and Emma Gee at the University of California, Berkeley. It was created to promote political solidarity among America’s diverse Asian groups who shared similar experiences of racism and discrimination.
According to Dina Okamoto, a sociology professor at Indiana University and author of a book on Asian American identity development, the term “Asian American” has transitioned from its political origins to become a simple label for identifying people of Asian ancestry. The government’s adoption of the term, including the addition of an “Asian or Pacific Islander” category to the 1990 census questionnaire, has contributed to its broader usage.
As America’s Asian community continues to grow and diversify, with increased immigration from South and Southeast Asia, the term “Asian American” has taken on a more inclusive meaning. While the term is gaining traction in popular discourse, not all members of the Asian American community fully embrace it. Some prefer specific ethnic labels like “Chinese” or “Indian,” while others from lesser-known groups find it easier to use the term “Asian” for broader recognition.
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In a survey conducted by Pew Research, only 12% of Asian Americans identified as “Asian” and 16% as “Asian American,” with over half preferring specific ethnic labels. The usage of “Asian” as an identifier varied across ethnicities, with smaller groups like Bhutanese and Bangladeshis more likely to choose “Asian” over specific ethnic labels.
Nikhil Bumb, a U.S.-born son of Indian immigrants, shared his experience of growing up in South Carolina, where the term “Asian” was primarily associated with East Asians. He found that some people confused the term “Indian American” with Native American, leading to misconceptions about his identity. Similarly, Ayeshah Alam Khan, a Pakistani American activist based in Texas, faced confusion when identifying as “Asian” due to stereotypes associated with East Asians.
Despite the evolving understanding of Asian diversity in America, there is still work to be done in recognizing the complexities of individual identities within the Asian American community. As attitudes shift and awareness grows, there is hope for a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of what it means to be Asian American in today’s society..
– Asian American identity in the United States
– Asian cultural heritage in America.
