Tag: South Asian

"A Better Life?"AudioStories

Desi Voters, COVID-19, and the 2020 Election: Episode 10 of our Podcast Series, “A Better Life?”

New Jersey shows the potential of South Asian political power in the US, as well as the pitfalls.

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Feet in 2 Worlds’ Journalism: A Legacy of Engagement

Opening the door for new generations of immigrant journalists

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Seeking a “Peaceful Balance” for Hindus in the U.S.

The challenge of fostering unity in a diverse community

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Immigration News Picks: Bangladeshi vs Latino in Bronx Council Race, Indian-Americans on Prime Time and Last Night’s Debate

A video about the ethnic politics of a Bronx City Council race from our friends at Voices of NY, plus other stories of interest.

For Indian American Family, Personal Life and Business Intertwine in Complex Ways

The success of Indian immigrant entrepreneurs on Long Island carries a heaven burden.

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New York Has No South Asian Elected Officials. Why?

New York’s diverse South Asian immigrant communities experienced rapid, expansive growth over the last decade. But political representation has lagged behind. Fi2W blog editor Sarah Kate Kramer discussed the issue on WNYC’s The Takeaway.

South Asian Families Ensure Their Children Have Royal Weddings–Even in the U.S.

Hosting weddings fit for kings and queens is a cherished tradition for South Asian immigrants in the U.S. and around the world.

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South Asian Immigrants Celebrate Culture in NYC

At a street fair in Queens, the multifaceted South Asian community came together for a celebration of art and music, but also to talk about pressing issues in their community like foreclosures and domestic violence.

Favorite Son? Ethnic groups want Obama in their story

In the media frenzy over the Latino vote and the candidates’ recent speeches before the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and National Council of La Raza, scant attention has been paid to Barack Obama’s increasing levels of outreach to other ethnic groups, notably Asian-Americans.

In June, Obama’s Indonesian-American sister Maya Soetoro-Ng appeared at a fundraiser targeting Asian voters in California, where she described Obama’s youth in Indonesia and Hawaii (a state where 56% of the population is Asian-American) in an effort to highlight his close ties to their community. Earlier, Soetoro-Ng’s Chinese-Canadian husband Konrad Ng told the New York-based Chinese newspaper World Journal that Obama was deeply influenced by Asian cultural values as a result of his upbringing. This appeal to Asian-Americans will likely increase as Soetoro-Ng continues to campaign more aggressively in the fall and as the campaign makes a more deliberate effort to engage ethnic media to reach voters.

The renewed emphasis on Asian Americans is part of Obama’s evolution in branding from a “post-racial” candidate at the start of the election cycle- remember his “swift and unequivocal” dismissal of race in November 2006—to that of a multiracial candidate who embraces his multicultural identity. Soetero-Ng acknowledged in an Associated Press interview that during the primary season,“the idea was to downplay to some degree race and ethnicity.” But the national maelstrom created by Rev. Wright’s comments and the burgeoning importance of Latino voters lessens the possibility of the campaign doing so now. (more…)