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Even though I grew up surrounded by a sizeable community of Asian Indians it is still a culture I know very little about. It was interesting to learn about the culture through my outside research and my interview with my neighbor, Nimita Kommogu. I learned a lot about the various waves of Indian immigration as well as the significance of the visa process. I also gained a more in-depth understanding of what it means to grow up Indian in California.
The history of Indian immigration to the United States was surprising because I did not realize how recently the immigration began. Widespread India migration to the United States did not truly begin until 1965. Between 1820 and 1960, less than 15,000 Asian Indians were allowed to legally enter the United States (Das, 135). This changed in 1965 with the Immigration and Nationality Act, which started the increased flow of Indian immigrants (Keely, 162). It is important to note that Indian immigration was restricted by level of skills. Only men and women "with professional skills needed in American society could emigrate from the Indian subcontinent" which drastically changed the makeup of the immigrants (Das, 139). Indian immigrants before the 1960s immigrated primarily to California and Western states. (Li, 168) However, as more immigrants move here, the Indian population has spread out and now has significant populations on the East Coast too. (Li, 168) There is a predominant trend of Indians, as well as other Asians moving to suburbs instead of urban areas. This is especially relevant in California where large communities of Indians have begun to characterize certain suburban cities.
I interviewed my neighbor Nimita, who goes by Nate, for my paper. She identifies as American Indian...

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... wealthy or being in the middle class. Nate explained that the majority of Indians that were allowed to immigrate, especially in earlier years, had to be well off. This made me think more about various stereotypes and what we associate with different ethnicities and how these may come from historical or social events. If Indians were allowed to immigrate with different skill levels or without needing to be well off would the perception of Indian’s in the United States be different? How many other stereotypes of various ethnicities were created by similar happenstances? These questions, though hypothetical, help situate my thoughts about Indians in the United States as well as different ethnic communities. It is interesting to think about what might have been and how much of my perception of the world has been affected by things that have never even crossed my mind.

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